"Searching for Hidden Treasure" (Plus, for Illustration, the Story of The Black Paw)

This 14-minute sermon covers Proverbs 2:2-5 which speak in profound, poetic parallels of the believer's passionate pursuit of wisdom -- wisdom which leads to a life well lived in the reverence and experiential knowledge of God. To illustrate the effort, excitement, and steadfast purpose involved in searching for wisdom as for "hidden treasure," Denny tells the infamous (but remarkably true) story of The Black Paw Treasure.

 

"Questioning Jesus' Authority"

Following Jesus' bold actions of cleansing the temple of unholy profiteers, 

the religious powers that be sent a delegation to trap Him into an admission that might justify an arrest. However, Jesus' handling of the confrontation underscored His divine authority in an unique and memorable way. 

There are several lessons for us all in this 16-minute sermon 

delivered at Aksarben Village Senior Living last Sunday.

 

A Few Definitely "Wow" Reads

* "Fifty Years of Deep State Propaganda" (Conrad Black, American Greatness)

* "Biden’s OK Now With Putin’s New Pipeline to Europe, but Not the Keystone for Americans" (Andrew Malcolm, Red State)

* "Parler CEO George Farmer: Big Tech's COVID censorship – it's so much worse than we thought" (Fox Business)

* "'If You Do Not Have Free Speech You Are Not Free' -- Refugees from Communism Horrified at America" (Giulio Meotti, Gatestone Institute)

* "We Are Doctors. Here’s the Truth About Transgender Females’ Bodies and Athleticism" (Michelle Cretella and Quentin Van Meter, Daily Signal)

* "The Panic Pandemic: Fearmongering from journalists, scientists, and politicians did more harm than the virus." (John Tierney, City Journal)

* "World Health Organization promotes at-home abortions as part of new ‘self-care’ guidelines' (Alexis I. Fragosa, Live Action)

Another Church Birthday Party

The Sunday afternoon church services that Vital Signs Ministries has been conducting at Aksarben Village Senior Living since back in February certainly present Claire and I with some of the most inspiring, encouraging moments of our week. Yet even in this ongoing series of blessings, there are some days which stand out among the others...like today. 

Today's highlights? Well, first of all, there were our three video music selections: "Glory To His Name" performed by the choir and congregation of Alfred Street Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia; "Have a Little Talk with Jesus" performed by The Oak Ridge Boys; and "I’d Rather Have Jesus" by the elegant, beautiful Gracias Choir featuring soloist Taejik Woo. Then there was "Questioning Jesus' Authority," my short sermon (they are always between 13-15 minutes) covering Luke 20:1-8. 

And finally, a superb time of visiting afterward with the 24 residents -- but extended today because we added another 10 guests to the mix as we combined our visiting with a celebration of the 87th birthday of "Coach" Dennis Schroeder. For this task, we were particularly delighted that we had a larger visitation team than usual and everyone did a really splendid job: Keith & Carol, Patrick, Allen, and Rick & Kathy. 

What a grand time!

Another Mountain Adventure (But with a Twist)

This month’s letter comes a bit later in the month than what I hoped but this past week has presented a few obstacles that have kept me from getting it written and sent over to the printer. The most involved of those obstacles were: 1) a fierce rain and wind storm that busted up our front yard trees and left us without electricity for 4 days; 2) a terrible sewer backup that required a lot of cleanup, professional repairs, and then the replacement of all of the ground floor carpet; and 3) a brief stay in the emergency room of a Colorado hospital and 4 subsequent doctor visits.

Quite a week, huh?

Read the rest of the Vital Signs Ministries July letter right here...complete with photos!

“Anticipating Heavy Glory” (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)

The truths of this brief section of the New Testament are rich in realism, challenge, and hope as the apostle Paul talks about the grand purpose of suffering and the extravagant, lavish, and "weighty" rewards awaiting in the life to come for Christians who patiently persevere. This is an exciting 13 minutes of Bible exposition from the Vital Signs Ministries Sunday afternoon church service at Aksarben Village Senior Living.

 

The Weekend's News & Opinion Review

* "The secret that Biden, Obama, Hillary won't say aloud about today's Democratic Party" (Victor Davis Hanson, Fox News)

* "A Timid Court, and an Uncertain Future for Religious Freedom – Part 1" (Rick Plasterer, Juicy Ecumenism)

* "Thanks To Neil Gorsuch, The Biden Administration Is Forcing Employers Everywhere To End Free Speech And Put Men In Women’s Bathrooms" (Laura Baxter, Federalist)

* "5 ways the Biden-Harris administration is impacting the pro-life movement" (Nancy Flanders, Live Action)

* "Critics Blast Biden Over Crisis In Cuba: ‘They’ll Only Allow In People Who Won’t Vote Republican’" (Daily Wire News)

* "Are We Seeing a Cultural Realignment?" (John Green, American Thinker)

* "Why Is The U.S. Military Fighting American Freedom Harder Than Foreign Threats?" (Helen Raleigh, Federalist)

The Great Work for Which I Was Spared?

Tuesday morning, July 13.

I was down in my basement earlier this morning, working to clean up the bathroom and laundry room after a messy sewer backup that we discovered a couple of hours previously.  It was an ugly job in a depressing, dark atmosphere.  And I do mean dark…like in having no electricity! Indeed, our side of the street hadn’t had power since it was knocked out by the severe rain and windstorm that hit Omaha just before midnight on Friday night. True, I did have a sturdy Maglight flashlight on hand but it was hardly sufficient for the job at hand.

Of course, there was another complication involved and that was the advice I had been given by doctors that I refrain from physical exertions for at least a couple of weeks. That was because of the orbital fracture and other injuries I suffered from a bad fall during a climb of Mt. Bierstadt just a few hours shy of one week ago.  What a predicament. And what a mess.

However, I found that an attitude Claire and I had been trying hard to practice this past week was still very much available to me.  It was an attitude which combined patience, thanksgiving, hope, and a calm listening for the Lord’s moment-by-moment direction.  After all, God had certainly underscored to us His providence in that mountain accident for, quite plainly, it could have been so, so much worse. Thus, it had been rather easy in these last few days to seriously count our many blessings instead of griping or worrying. Among the most obvious blessings? Well, number one; I had survived the fall. Plus, I had suffered no fracture, no concussion, and was never unconscious. The blood from the lacerations around the right eye stopped pretty quickly and Mark and I got them patched up enough to continue down the mountain. And mentioning Mark leads me to add to the count the great help I received from my other climbing colleagues: Ron, Ryan, and Aldo. 

Furthermore, when I finally got down to Frisco to meet Claire, I received the kindest, most excellent care from the nurses and a physician’s assistant at St. Anthony’s Hospital. As they cleansed my wounds, glued and stitched my cuts, and checked for less obvious problems using a CT scan and x-rays, they too marveled that I hadn’t been more severely hurt. They discharged me after just a couple of hours and I was able to drive back to Nebraska the next day. The subsequent week had brought substantial healing to my various wounds and I had returned to a fairly regular schedule. (Except, of course, for having no electricity!)

So, with all of this precedent of God’s providential care, it only made sense that I just keep counting my blessings -- even stuck down in that dark, dank laundry room, Such an attitude is, as Roman 12:1 says of our ongoing surrender to Christ’s Lordship, an eminently reasonable reality.  And, if we are willing to yield to the Holy Spirit’s control, such miraculous fruits as peace, patience, faithfulness, self-control, even joy can be ours in full measure, no matter what the surrounding circumstances.

Nevertheless, the graciousness of our loving Father gave me another helpful gift in the midst of that discomfiting cleanup – a gift of exhortation and encouragement that was colored, I believe, with a bit of divine humor.  For when I first began the work down in the laundry room, I started an internal conversation with God.  In that conversation I reminded Him of Claire’s and my wondering over the past week if His sparing my life on Mt. Bierstadt was for some monumental work, some grand adventure, perhaps some dramatic change in our ministry that He wanted us to discover and pursue.  Nothing had yet come of these musings but we were still quite curious. 

And then suddenly, right there in that dark laundry room, a somewhat alarming question surfaced in my mind, “Lord, this can’t be the answer, can it? Oh, no. Please tell me that cleaning up this plumbing disaster is not the great work You spared my life for!”  

Well, I’ve got to tell you as soon as that sentence formed in my mind, I couldn’t help but smile.  Even more important, I felt confident that my Savior was smiling right beside me.  It was as if He was saying, “Denny, this is exactly what I saved your life for -- this and many other reasons that are way beyond your ken.  What is necessary for you to know is that I require of you the very things I always have; that is, to lean upon the Holy Spirit in order to complete whatever daily tasks I bring your way.  Humbly, steadfastly perform them in the confident assurance that every single act of love, every sincere prayer, every moment of trust in Me will be lavishly rewarded in the life to come.  Got that? Okay, then; be of good cheer and get back to the job at hand, remembering always that the Maker of heaven and earth is right beside you in everything you do.”  

Oh, Lord Jesus, thank You for Your love and mercy, Your enlightenment and empowerment, Your immediate presence and the promises of the glorious triumph that will soon be ours to share with You forever and ever.  And please keep helping me to stay the course, to redeem the time, and to finish well in whatever service You ask of me. Amen.

Say What? (The Left's Latest Lunacies)

* "The COVID Aftermath and Lessons Learned" (David Robb, American Thinker)

* "White House Brags About Colluding With Tech Oligarchs To Suppress Dissent" (Jordan Davidson, Federalist)

* "Congressman Byron Donalds: BLM’s Cuba statement exposes them as 'radical Marxists'" (Fox News Staff)

* "Why Cops Are Quitting" (Charles Fain Lehman, City Journal)

* "New Evidence Indicates Enough Illegal Votes In Georgia To Tip 2020 Results" (Margot Cleveland, Federalist)

* "San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus faces backlash for 'we're coming for your children' video" (Sam Dorman, Fox News)

* "Facebook's Latest Warning to Users Is Creeping People Out" (Katie Pavlich, Town Hall)

Writing Letters for Life, Law, and Liberty

Because several of the regulars were on the move, the Vital Signs Ministries’ letter-writing party last night involved a smaller number than usual. However, I'm pleased to say that the 8 people who were on hand did a absolutely terrific job in turning out nearly 50 letters and cards in the 90 minutes we reserved for actually putting pen to paper. Way to go, guys!

Last night’s letters were sent to a variety of people and organizations. Nebraska’s Governor and Nebraska's two senators were among those letter targets as was Nebraska’s 2nd District Congressman.  The President and Vice-President, the Justices of the Supreme Court, and the heads of state who represent European nations (Malta, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, and Poland) who are defending their pro-life standing against the pro-abortion bullying of the European Union were also on our list.

There were also letters and cards sent to “good guys” like Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert, Kathryn Limbaugh, Mike Lindell, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Franklin Graham AND to such “bad guys” as the Disney Corporation, Hulu, and the knuckleheads at Nellis Air Force Base who continue to maintain that a recent drag queen show held there was “essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military.” Sigh.

We are convinced that letting our light shine through letters – just as we try to do in all of the other Vital Signs Ministries activities – makes a genuine difference in eternity. Therefore, we are proud to have kept this quarterly letter-writing party going throughout our 40 year history.

Of course, you can participate too either by 1) joining us in person at one of our letter-writing parties; 2) letting us help you set up a letter-writing party for your church, Sunday School class, or small group; and/or 3) writing letters and cards on your own.  To help with that last option, we can provide letter options, address lists, and even sample letters.  Just let us know.

And speaking of sample letters, I've posted a few of the open letters I wrote last night to members of the Supreme Court and over here to a few others.

"Do the Job at Hand" -- Open Letters to the Supreme Court

From last night's letter-writing party come these "open letters" to several of the Justices of the United States Supreme Court. Two of them will be sent later this afternoon to two of the genuine heroes of our day, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, Jr. But four others will be sent to Justices whose service on the Court has been considerably less than stellar. Those very disappointing four are Justices Kavanaugh, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Chief Justice Roberts.

Dear Justice Alito,

“Courage is contagious,” wrote Billy Graham. “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened.” You, Justice Alito, have that brand of courage and though it may seem like it’s not yet “stiffening” the spines of your fellow Justices, please know that untold numbers of Americans (and freedom-loving people around the world) are encouraged and challenged by your example.

Please stay the course. God is not sleeping and your reward will be substantial indeed.

Dear Justice Thomas,

Admiral Chester Nimitz once wrote, “God grant me the courage not to give up what I think is right even though I think it is hopeless.”

Sometimes, as in the wacky days of the present administration, the defense of the U.S. Constitution (let alone the historic ideals of Western civilization) seems almost hopeless. But thank the Lord that He uses men like you to stand with courage, integrity, skill, compassion, and humility to keep the Constitution’s message clear and strong.

You are in our frequent prayers.

Dear Justice Barrett,

Harry Truman once said, “America was not built on fear. America was built on courage, on imagination, and on unbeatable determination to do the job at hand.” Justice Barrett, “the job at hand” is to defend the Constitution, including allowing the key cases of liberty, justice, and the sanctity of human life to come before the Supreme Court in order for that Constitution to speak. You have too often already let those chances slip by – and the republic is very much the poorer for it.

Please…act in courage to do the crucial job at hand.

Dear Justice Kavanaugh,

C.S. Lewis once wrote, “Courage is not simply one of the virtues but the form of every virtue at the testing point, which means at the point of the highest reality.” Justice Kavanaugh, it appears that the great hopes so many conservatives and other American patriots had in your tenure on the Court have been dashed as you fail to apply the Constitution to the case...or even disallow the case to come forward for the Court to hear it.

Is your courage failing at the testing point? Please, do your job with integrity and courage – for the Republic’s sake.

Dear Justice Gorsuch,

“He who loses wealth, loses much.  He who loses a friend loses more.  But he that loses his courage loses all.”  (Cervantes)

Justice Gorsuch, you have already had several chances to stand strong for the historic ideals of fairness, morality, and the social impact that are expressed clearly in the Constitution. But alas, you have faltered in many of those moments.

Please for the sake of the Republic, show courage (the kind of moral and intellectual courage shown by Justices Thomas and Alito) and vote to help heal the nation from its far-left enemies.

Dear Chief Justice Roberts,

“You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest gift of the mind – next to honor.” (T.S. Eliot)

Oh, what hopes moral conservatives had for your tenure on the Court! And how harshly have those hopes been dashed as time and again you have failed to allow the Constitution to plainly speak to cases. Indeed, with great frequency you vote to disallow the case from even coming to the Court for review!

Chief Justice, please stop serving the cause of the “cool kids” of the left and start serving the Republic with courage…and honor.

By the way, a few more details about last night's quarterly letter-writing party are posted here and here.

Of Heroes & Heels (A Few More of Last Night's Letters)

Dear Governor Ricketts,

Winston Churchill once wrote that "courage is rightly esteemed as the first of human qualities…because it is the quality which guarantees all others." You have again and again demonstrated political courage as an example of your principled character and devotion to high quality leadership. Thank you.

Thank you especially for the courage you have shown in the pro-life cause. But we are also proud of you – and grateful – for all of the services you have performed for the people of Nebraska. Stay the course.

Dear President Vella, (Malta)

Just a quick note to express our admiration and appreciation of your nation’s principled defense of the sanctity of life, especially as you seek to care for preborn boys and girls and their mothers. You are demonstrating a historic Christian ideal that challenges the whole world…and inspires it too! You are in our frequent prayers as you resist the E.U.’s bullying.

This next note was sent in a card bearing this photo of Ronald Reagan.

President Joe Biden,

Do you remember when the U.S. had a man of character, courage, and compassion for all, including pre-born boys and girls as our president? Well, we do – and we are fervently praying that you start following his example!

Dear Vice President Harris,

Remember when we had a real President? One who was a man of integrity, compassion, wisdom, and true patriotism? A President who cared about morality, justice, and the sanctity of all human life? A person who wrote his own speeches, who didn’t need handlers, and who was fairly elected to the office?

Sigh! We do too.

Dear Senator Sasse,

We are still waiting for your apology to the people of Nebraska for your “aiding and abetting” enemies of our country (i.e. the radical left which is controlling the Democrat Party nowadays) in your ill-timed and extremely counter-productive remarks against President Trump prior to the election.

And the second apology for your vote for Donald Trump's impeachment, especially now that the whole nation understands the January 6 fiasco to merely be a twisted media narrative with absolutely no evidence pointing to President Trump?

We’re waiting, Senator. We're waiting.

Dear Colonel Dyer,

A drag queen “entertainment” that, as was later claimed, helped ensure "our ranks reflect and are inclusive of the American people [which is] essential to the morale, cohesion, and readiness of the military”? What a sad, sick joke to present a celebration of sexual deviancy as “essential” to military readiness. 

Sigh.

A few more details about last night's quarterly letter-writing party are posted here and here.

Evolution's "Whale of a Tale"

Darwinists often point to the whale fossil record as one of the best examples of an evolutionary transition. But is it really? Here is an enlightening look at one of the evolutionist's "best" arguments. It's a very interesting, effective, and even entertaining look at the huge differences between evolution assumptions and scientific facts.

 

"Thinking About Missions" (Revisited)

One of the subjects under discussion at this morning's Hartford Cafe was the Western Church's decreasing partnership with Christians in other parts of the world. Despite the fact that it is the Church here that has so much of the wealth but also of the educational material, the strategies and means for effective relief (i.e., medical care, water purification, agriculture, construction, technological training, etc.), and the time availability, we have moved away in recent decades from involvement in foreign missions.

What an ironic and sad state of affairs.

Related to this morning's conversation, then, I post a brief article I wrote for Vital Signs Blog post dealing with this very problem. (Just click on the title below.) Yes, you'll notice it was originally posted 10 years ago, but I believe its more relevant than ever.

"Thinking About Missions"

The Latest R.R. R. ("Really Relevant Reads")

* "Democrats -- Not Republicans -- Are The Radicals To Worry About: Here’s The Proof" (Editorial Board, Issues & Insights)

* "Leftists Don’t Care About Mixing Politics And Religion So Long As It’s Their Politics In Charge" (Casey Chalk, Federalist)

* "Biden's gun crime prevention speech was equal parts ludicrous and scary" (Andrea Widburg, American Thinker)

* "Planned Parenthood Pushes Sex on 11-Year-Old Kids, Coaches Girls on Getting Secret Abortions" (Micaiah Bilger, LifeNews.com)

* "Soros and IPPF-funded EU parliamentarians aim to blacklist reputable Christian groups" (Staff report, Catholic News Agency)

* "Vaccine-Hesitant Nurses Face Dilemma As Understaffed Hospitals Mandate COVID Shot" (Jordan Davidson, Federalist)

* "Now MATH is racist" (Brian Stieglitz, Daily Mail)

On the American Attraction to Novelty

There is a strong and ongoing temptation towards novelty in the American Christian. Indeed, he has for so long and in so many clever ways been taught that “new is better” that he now believes it as a foundational premise. For his entire life he has been surrounded by a persuasive media that has defined him as a consumer and so it is, more than anything, the advertising agency that has determined the way he looks at the world. He has his learned lessons well and is now convinced that everything that is “new” must truly be “improved.”

Running a not too distant second in formulating the believer's attraction to novelty is the school system in which he was taught. There he was instructed carefully and incessantly in evolutionary thought. Whether the classes involved science, humanities, ethics, or Marxist-laced economics, the government school system has instructed him that everything is moving towards that inventible force called (note the capital P) Progress. A key part of his worldview is the maxim, “Every day in every way, things are getting better and better.”

It should be no surprise then that American Christians find themselves ever attracted to novelty…even in theological matters. The latest trend. The fashionable formula. The pragmatism promised by the most recent book. The American Christian, taking his lead from the advertising jingles in his head, believes that even in the search for religious significance, success will be found in the “new and improved” theological tricks – the latest, the hippest, the faith flavor of the month.

But G.K. Chesterton had it right when he declared, “It is the old things that startle and intoxicate.” And indeed, the believer’s strength is always found in the ancient truths, the essentials, the fundamentals of the faith. Ours is a Faith grounded in history and beautifully enacted by real heroes who have given us an extremely rich heritage. And we worship and serve a Messiah Who is “the same yesterday, today, and forever” and Who has revealed himself in the timeless writings of the Holy Bible.

So please, my friends, beware of the siren calls from novelty for they represent an alluring but ultimately misleading force. No, it is much better to stay the course with He Who was, is, and is to come…He Who holds the future in His Hands…He Who is, quite rightfully titled, the Rock of Ages.

Are Journalistic Ethics & Relevance Forever Gone?

Well, I'm pleased to say that there are still a few honest, skilled, and relevant journalists out there. And they are writing articles you need to be aware of. Like this list...

* "Our Increasingly Unrecognizable Civilization" (Mark Steyn, Imprimis)

* "Identity crisis: how the politics of race will wreck America" (Charles Murray, The Spectator)

* "The Definition of Courage Has Shifted Since Normandy" (Ben Shapiro, Daily Signal)

* "Biden vs. the Pentagon" (Byron York, Washington Examiner)

* "Disney+ Hosting LGBTQ Pride Concert Aimed at Children, Starring Drag Queen Nina West" (Dvid Ng, Breitbart)

* "Hulu’s ‘Love, Victor’ Shows Catholic Mom Evolve from Rebuking Gay Teen Sex to Rebuking Priest" (Warner Todd Houston, Breitbart)

* "Nellis Air Force Base Hosts First-Ever Drag Queen Show: ‘Essential to the Morale, Readiness’" (Kristina Wong, Breitbart)

Listen Up...But Be Careful of Who You're Listening to

Here's the latest compilation of particularly notable news and opinion articles from the alternative media:

* "Joe Biden’s policy puts America last" (Michael Goodwin, New York Post)

* "Over 40% increase in killed police officers so far in 2021" (Jake Dima, Washington Examiner)

* "China’s COVID Coup : China deserves credit for a remarkable feat of strategic improvisation in translating a public health crisis into a large economical and geopolitical advance at the expense of the West." (Conrad Black, American Greatness)

* "Down a Black Hole: Even the hard sciences are no longer immune to the ongoing racial hysteria." (Heather MacDonald, City Journal)

* "The Books Are Already Burning: The question is only: How long will decent people stand by quietly and watch it happen?" (Abigail Shrier, Common Sense)

* "Mickey Guyton Represents The Left’s Next Cultural Conquest: Country Music" (Evita Duffy, Federalist)

* "Back to the Basics" (Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts)

"You Must Be Born Anew" (The Night Visit of Nicodemus)

He was a rich, influential, and, to all appearances, spiritually prosperous man. Indeed, he was a respected member of the Sanhedrin, the ruling court of Israel. Nevertheless, Nicodemus came to Jesus as a "night visitor" to hear the Lord speak of the radical new relationship God was offering to men -- a relationship that came through being "born anew." This brief sermon opens up this remarkable account with an emphasis on what it means to us today. P.S. Below the embedded video, we also post the links to the music selections featured in Sunday's service.

 

"No More Night" (First Baptist Dallas Choir & Orchestra) 

 "He Touched Me" (A Gaither Homecoming Gathering, featuring Jake Hess, Larry Gatlin, Jim Murray, and Friends) 

 "At the Cross" (Gracias Choir, directed by Eun Sook Park)

Perchance, Whence Cometh Thy News? (Part 2)

* "Top 10 biggest lies liberal media has been caught peddling -- and why it matters" (Michael Goodwin, New York Post via Fox News)

* "Surrendering the Public Square" (Mark Pulliam, American Greatness)

* "Flashback: DC Mayor Honored At DNC For Riot Response. New Reports Reveal She, Not Trump, Teargassed Protesters" (Mollie Hemingway, Federalist)

* "Former Planned Parenthood board member: Defund this ‘racist’ organization" (Carole Novielli, Live Action)

* "The Number of Small Businesses Destroyed by COVID Lockdowns Will ASTOUND You" (Victoria Taft, PJ Media)

* "Virginia parents furious after graduation speaker's 'incendiary' warning on racism and White supremacy" (Joshua Q. Nelson, Fox News)

* "Hate Crimes Against Catholics Are Multiplying (But Politicians And Media Don’t Want To Talk About It)" (Christopher Bedford, Federalist)