Shark!

A friend of mine shared a story about the U. S. National Park Service finding fossilized remains of a shark in Mammoth Cave. In Kentucky! THAT was a little interesting, so I checked it out. The story was indeed true (link at bottom).

So Kentucky was underwater at some point. Really. Kentucky is where the Smoky MOUNTAINS are located. Hmm. Then I remembered another story about finding fossils of water-based creatures on Mt. Everest. That story is also true (link at bottom).

There are two possibilities here. Either the mountains were formed after, and out of, the sea, or there was a world-wide flood. Or both, I guess.

When I was in high school, living in a Milwaukee suburb, I was a rock collector. I heard about a place to the north called the Lannon Quarry that was known for its fossils. So I took a little trip. The information I had received was true and it wasn't long before I was chiseling out a cephalopod I had found in the limestone. I only got one because some guy came running out towards me, yelling at me to get out.

Anyway.... I guess Wisconsin was once under underwater as well.

People have lots of theories about how the world and life began. I'm not going to get into those. I'll just leave you with this:

"Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. ³⁰And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground - everything that has the breath of life in it - I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

³¹God saw all that he had made, and it was very good." - Genesis 1:29-31

God created everything. WHEN He did it and HOW He did it are beyond me. But for today, just knowing that there once were sharks swimming around the neighborhood, makes me think twice about taking a dip in the local pond. Lol! Not really. But it DOES make me think about the amazing power of God.

Mammoth Cave Sharks - National Park Service

Mt. Everest Marine Fossils

Dedication

This story is a little late but check this out.

"Then came the feast of the Dedication in Jerusalem. ²³It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple area in Solomon’s Portico. ²⁴The Jewish leaders surrounded him and asked, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” ²⁵Jesus replied, “I told you and you do not believe." - John 10:22-25

So, what is this "feast of Dedication" that John was writing about? Are you ready for this?

The Feast of Dedication, which was once also called the Feast of the Maccabees, was an eight-day winter festival celebrated by the Jews in the month of December or sometimes late November, depending on when it fell in the lunisolar Jewish calendar. Today, this festival is called Hanukkah or the Festival of Lights. - Gotquestions.org

Jesus was celebrating Hanukkah? And why not? Jesus was Jewish. Or WAS Jesus actually celebrating? The text simply says "Jesus was walking in the temple area." It doesn't really matter. The point is that Hanukkah is in the Bible. Just an interesting little tidbit of information.

And who are the Maccabees? According to Chabad.org, "They were Jewish fighters who led the revolt against the Syrian Greek ruling class, who had suppressed Jewish religion in an effort to spread their Hellenistic customs and idolatrous beliefs."

"According to Josephus, after the Maccabees refused to comply with the Greek demands, they were attacked on Shabbat morning. Devoted to Torah, the Jews refused to fight back, and around 1,000 people, including many women and children, died from fire and smoke."

"After decisively routing the Greeks from the Land, Judah led his band of battle-hardened men to Jerusalem to restore the Holy Temple to its sacred use, which the Greeks had discontinued."

"The Maccabees found just enough pure oil in the Temple to kindle the menorah for a single day. They lit the menorah, and a miracle occurred: the oil burned for 8 days until more could be obtained."

The Maccabees rebuilt and dedicated the temple. And the oil last three days is why Hanukkah lasts eight days. 

The Maccabee revolt took place in the second century BCE. It was celebrated most recently from December 14-22, 2025.

Happy Hanukkah! Better late than never.

He Provides

Traditionally, my wife and I chop up our Thanksgiving pumpkins and put them out in our backyard for the deer to eat. The deer really appreciated them this year as we had a foot of snow in late November.

At first we only had one spot for their Thanksgiving "leftovers" but then we noticed mama deer kicking at the two kids to keep them away while she ate. "That's not right," we thought.

So, the next day I shoveled two additional spots so that ALL could eat. That worked out great (see picture above).

It wasn't long before word got out in the deer community that there were pumpkins at the Hall house. At one point we had seven deer grazing in our yard. That has proven to be both a blessing and a curse as a few of our bushes have gotten "pruned" in the process. Oh well. We love our deer.

As I carried the last pieces of the last pumpkin out, I stopped and looked at the areas that I had shoveled off for the deer. It wasn't intentional, but the pathways I had shoveled formed a rather familiar shape. As a result a few verses came to mind. 

"The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep." - John 21:17

And then this one . . .

"Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them." - Matthew 6:26

The deer don't NEED our pumpkins to survive. God has provided for them, just like He has for us. Hasn't He also provided for each of us the ability to earn a living through some skill set He has also provided?

My wife and I LOVE watching the deer, and the deer love to eat. It's a double blessing!

In the weeks leading up to Christmas I did some research on YouTube. I am just about done building our deer friends a feeder. I also got them a bag of "minerals" to lick up and a 25-pound grain block which they are currently working on.

We feed the deer for the same reason we feed the birds - we love seeing them in our yard. God feeds US simply because He loves us. And even in the most difficult times, God provides. And we are grateful!

The cross on which Jesus died is also an example of God's provision. Through it, and our repenting and coming to faith in Jesus, God has provided a way for us to "be in His yard" forever. And for that we give Him thanks and praise!

A Christmas Letter - 2025

As I look back on 2025 and reflect on all the gifts that God has given us, it's worth noting that they ALL have been wrapped in love. God's love. Every gift, from first to last. May YOUR list of such gifts be equally as lengthy, if not even more so.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." - James 1:17

This year I thought I would go through my calendar and reflect on the aforementioned verse from James. Was God's love truly in every single event? And if so, how?

The name that appears first in my 2025 calendar is "Kortney." A hymn immediately comes to mind - "How Deep The Father's Love For Us." Kortney, a former youth group kid, was in tremendous need in my last Christmas letter. In very early January, God provided her with a new heart and two new lungs through a 17-year-old girl from Texas named Jay. Kortney and I meet semi-regularly to talk about life, transplants, and family. She is doing miraculously well and is, literally, filled with the energy of a teenager. Praise God! I love you Kortney!

Luke - another youth group "kid." (How are all these former youth group kids in their 30's already?) Luke and I also still meet and talk, although in January it was at his aunt's funeral. Luke came back and sat with me during the service. Still a good friend and a good man. I love you too, Iceman!

A January blood donation brought about a discussion about Jesus with a nonbelieving phlebotomist. I pray that she would come to know the ultimate blood donor - Jesus. I love Him too!

And then there's the grandkids - Lleyton and Emma. Bev and I were blessed with many visits, basketball and baseball games, and dance recitals. Grandchildren define love, IMHO. So do our kids and their spouses. Love you all!

A knee injury (still not 100% yet) also exhibited love as friends and family had pity on this old, hobbling man. I am thankful for a loving God who heals!

February brought Valentine's Day, a reminder of the love that my wife and I have for each other. Also, a mutual love for kids brought my friend Chuck and I together to begin preparations for our Vacation Bible School teaching in July. I love my brother Chuck AND all of those VBS kids at our church!

March was pretty calm. Bev and I celebrated our birthdays while we waited for the snow to melt. I met with my friend David. You can't beat long talks with good friends, especially at Chick-fil-A. Love you my friend.

As long as I am talking about good friends, let me mention a few more. Vic, Myshelle, Kari, Sarah, Jean, Dan, and Gayle. All former workmates, they still allow me to visit them each week. I have known most of them for 20 years. Some, 25! And I love them all.

April saw the addition of five new holes at our local disc golf course. Lots of work but I love disc golf and God has provided the ability for me to still play, even in my old age. Although some days my arm feels like it will fall off with the very next throw!

Let's not leave April behind without talking about Jesus and His resurrection. Christians celebrate Easter because Jesus died for OUR sins and then rose again. We thank you and love you Lord!

May found Bev and I exploring NE Wisconsin waterfalls and birding at OUR state park. We love our birds! And we love waterfalls and walks too! And then on Labor Day, I took my 50-year-old canoe out for a spin on a nearby lake. My friend Chris (the best man at our wedding) and I used to do a lot of white-water canoeing in northern Wisconsin. Love you, my brother.

June was a very busy month. Take all of the above, then throw in cataract surgery. I love my improved eyesight. Still not 100%, but brighter! Plus, we got a new cat. Bev loves it. I tolerate it . . . because I love my wife.

July brought Vacation Bible School AND Disc Golf Class. I LOVE teaching those kids! And then there was our 48th wedding anniversary. So much love!

August is the Johnson Family Reunion. Lots of love at that event too. Bev and I lost at car bingo AGAIN but we love playing it during our 10-hour trip over to Michigan and then again on our way home. Congrats too Krystle and Travis. Wait until NEXT year!

September was a sad month, yet joyous for the same reason. I went to a funeral for a former pastor's mom. What a love-filled event that was! Afterwards, checking my phone in the church parking lot, I learned that Charlie Kirk had been killed. That hit pretty deep. But then, seeing the resulting resurgence of faith in many as a result of it, it warmed our aching hearts.

October found Bev and me on another waterfall trip to northern Wisconsin. Copper Falls State Park is worth the drive, no matter where you live. October also saw the first-ever Youth Group Night at my church. Guess who the teacher was. Yep. Love it! Did I already mention that I love teaching those kids? I think I did.

November was Thanksgiving of course. We love when our whole family gets together, whatever the reason, but especially when we gather and give thanks to God for His love and provision. AND the Packers beat the Lions. And, of course, we love the food!

But if we're going to talk about "love", how can we not discuss our heavenly Father.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

May God bless you this Christmas; not with worldly possessions, but with life eternal through His Son Jesus - The Messiah. And with memories to last a lifetime, and beyond . . .

Abide

There is a place we visit that is wonderful to behold. It is peaceful and calming. And even though we would like to spend more time there, we invariably leave it to return to our "normal" lives. Where is this place? That's today's story.

There is a state of mind, and of being too I guess, where we draw closer to God than we normally would during the course of any given day. I already described it in my opening paragraph. So, let's go to a dictionary and look up the word - abide.

Merriam-Webster yields the following: 

1a - tolerate, 1b - withstand, 2 - await, 3 - accept

None of those definitions are acceptable to me, so am I wrong? Let's read something Jesus said and see if these alleged definitions are anywhere close.

"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." - John 15:4

Are we then to tolerate Jesus? No. Are we to withstand Him? No. Are we to wait for Him or accept Him? Yes, sort of, but those don't make sense in the verse we just read.

If we go back to Merriam-Webster, there is a word at the top of their 'abide' page that is more along the lines of what I am getting at. Abode. Like a house or a place of shelter.

Now we're talkin'!

When we live in Christ, or dwell in Him and He in us, doesn't the verse make more sense?

Paul told the church in Philippi, "To live is Christ." (Philippians 1:21). Now, we're getting somewhere. But Luke "nailed it" (sorry about the allusion to Christ crucified) when he wrote about Paul speaking to the Athenians in the Book of Acts...

"For in Him we live and move and have our being." - Acts 17:28

Boom!

That's my definition of the word 'abide.' To live our lives, IN Christ. To live FOR Him and THROUGH Him and IN Him. And He in us.

Just to be sure, let's look up the Greek word for abide. It's mehnó. Here's what it means in Strong's Greek ...

1. to remain

2. (in a place) to abide, to stay

3. (of expectancy) to await

4. (in a state) to continue

5. (in a task) to endure

6. (of a relationship) to exist permanently in, inseparably united (inhere, adhere)

That's more like it.

When we abide in Christ, that is where we find true peace. ABIDE in Him. Abide and stay there all day. Never leave and you will be blessed.

With that in mind, please listen to this song. I absolutely love it. 

Abide - Aaron Williams

The Parable of The Dumpsters

Monday is garbage day at our house. We put the trash bins out Sunday night because "the boys" come early. And we don't like having to go outside in the early morning to do so. Wimps!

The picture above is of our dumpsters. Everyone in our subdivision has a pair. Aren't they lovely? They are both empty and waiting to be taken back into our garage.

As I was walking down our driveway to retrieve them, a thought came to mind. What a perfect picture of the choice we have to make regarding Jesus.

On the right we have the absolute trash. The used kitty litter and Kleenex, the potato peels, and bacon grease. It's future rests in the ground. Eternally buried under a big pile of dirt, never to see the light of day again.

On the left we have the green-topped recycle bin. The stuff that gets put in there actually has a future (theoretically). It gets sorted and separated. The paper goes one place; the plastic goes somewhere else. These then get made into different things. They get transformed.

Isn't that analogous to our own post-life future? Those who have trusted in Jesus will be transformed. We will receive new glorified bodies and live forever with our Lord, Jesus.

"For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." - 1 Corinthians 15:52

Speaking of the earthly body, Paul writes,

"It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. ⁴⁴It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body." - 1 Corinthians 15:43-44

Those who have wasted their opportunity here on earth with sinful living and debauchery, denying Jesus, will go into the abyss - the black dumpster.

“Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” - Matthew 25:46

Therefore, from this moment on, I will be renaming our dumpsters 'Heaven' and 'Hell'.

The Brightest Star

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it." - John 1:5

We all know what darkness is like. We have all been there. As Trinity (from the Matrix) tells Neo, "You have been down there, Neo. You know that road. You know exactly where it ends." And so do we.

Depression is a deep, dark hole that we can ALL sink into, if we're not careful. But once we are in it, oh my. How can we ever get ourselves out?

Imagine yourself treading water in the ocean at night. The waves are too high to see over. Only one direction leads to shore. All other directions lead nowhere. Which way would you swim?

That's not a very pretty picture, is it. What should we do? What would YOU do?

The best way out of this scenario is to look up. Look for the light. Anything. The stars. The moon. The glow of a nearby city. And as long as you're looking up, pray.

That's just a fictitious example, but looking for some kind of light in the darkness is always the key to our escape.

Think about the ancient mariners, out in the middle of the ocean. How did THEY navigate? They looked up at the stars.

Polaris, the brightest star in the sky, is also called The Northern Star, for that very reason. It's location is due north.

There IS a "bright and morning star" available to guide us through the darkness His name is Jesus.

"When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" - Psalm 8:3-4

Testings

Do you remember getting surprise tests in high school? We referred to them as "pop" quizzes. That was probably because our GPA "popped" after taking them. We usually hadn't studied, and the results often made that fact rather obvious.

The point the teachers were trying to make with these pop quizzes was that we should ALWAYS be studying, and always be prepared.

"Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have." - 1 Peter 3:15

Hmm. I should have listened to Peter.

We had another youth night at church a week ago this past Friday. I decided to give the kids a pop quiz. Ha! Payback time! The student has become the teacher!

Well, that failed.

After providing everyone with paper and pencil, I asked the "students" a question and worded it this way:

"Write down who Jesus is to you."

Two kids literally wrote "Who Jesus is to you." Funny. But that wasn't the answer I was looking for. The wording of my question failed. I am still a "student." Perhaps God was giving ME a pop quiz, to show me that I was the one who was not prepared.

I am reading a book right now called Questioning Evangelism by Randy Newman. I've read it before but this is an updated version, better reflecting today's questions and social media. It is part of my effort to "always be prepared," as Peter suggested.

James 1:3 says, "the testing of your faith produces endurance." How much testing can we endure? That's the real question. Job has an answer for that.

"Though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him." - Job 13:15.

So, how can we possibly pass God's tests? Reading the Bible and doing what it says might be a good start.

What are you going through in your life right now? Uncertainty at work? A friend battling cancer? Another friend recovering from addiction? Maybe it's loneliness.

As we watch the news it's easy to see that "the world" does not know God. If they did, there would be no wars, no killing, no hunger. Only love. WE have failed the test.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. ³⁵By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” - John 13:34-35

Jesus mentions 'love' FOUR TIMES in two verses. And STILL we don't get it. It's a simple test. Yet, we humans fail to pass it. And it is "the first and greatest commandment" according to Jesus in Matthew 22:37

Let us endeavor to not only PASS this test today, but get an A+.

The River 2.0

Well, apparently my run in with "The River" (by Jordan Feliz and featured in my last story) was only the beginning of my water-based thoughts this week. Thirsty?

The past few days I have been "hearing" the chorus of a Pink Floyd song (High Hopes) in my head. So, in order to get the song out of my head, I went on YouTube and played it. I listened intently to it, hoping for some clue as to why. Nothing super special. Until the very last chorus . . .

The grass was greener

The light was brighter

The taste was sweeter

The nights of wonder

With friends surrounded

The dawn mist glowing

The water flowing

The endless river

[Hmm. "The Endless River" is the name of a then future Pink Floyd album name]

And then came the very last line...

Forever and ever

That got me thinking. What do you think heaven will be like? Or perhaps the better question might be, what will eternity be like? 🤔 I wonder, will it be like an endless river of peace? Like water flowing? Forever and ever? There IS a river in heaven.

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." - Revelation 22:1

Then, as if the Pink Floyd song wasn't enough, I then scrolled down a bit and came across a podcast from a guy in Connecticut called, are you ready? The Watchman River. The guy's name is Tom. He sits in his car, next to a river, and guess what h talks about . . . The end times and the rapture of The Church.

All this really proves is that my mind functions just like a meandering river, and, just like a river, it IS also going somewhere. To Jesus. The ideas for these stories I write "keep flowin'" cuz that's what I do. I can't help it. Like a river flows downhill, so I write stories - the endless river.

And how long should we glorify God with the things we do?

"Forever and ever."

"He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” -Jeremiah 17:8

Watchman River

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The River

Recently, my wife and I attended our granddaughter's dance recital. The ages of the dancers ranged from five to eighteen. They all danced to a variety of "show tunes" so when I heard two Christian songs in the mix, I took notice.

The first one initially seemed like all the rest in its tempo and wording until the chorus came around and this line spoke up:

"Take me down to the river to pray."

The word "pray" caught my attention, and I began listening more closely. Could it be? Something "Christian" in the midst of all these secular songs? Yep.

We're going down to the river

Down to the river, down to the river to pray

Let's get washed by the water

Washed by the water and rise up in amazing grace

Aww, yeah.

And then this one. As soon as the first note played, I recognized it. I leaned over to my wife and said, "For King and Country."

God only knows what you've been through

God only knows what they say about you

God only knows how it's killing you

But there's a kind of love that God only knows

Two of my friends are battling hard things right now. Maybe you are too. Perhaps these songs will help you.

The first song reminds us to pray and the second reminds us that only God knows exactly what we're going through.

Is it a coincidence that these two songs came along so I could share them and us them to encourage my friends? I don't think so.

God only knows.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters.

³He restores my soul." - Psalm 23:1-3

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” - Jeremiah 17:7-8

The River - Jordan Feliz

God Only Knows - For King and Country

Virus

Have you ever had a virus on your computer? They're nasty things. We recently discovered one on our laptop. It's still there.

At first, we thought all of our files had been deleted - pictures, music, documents, etc. When you think you've lost everything, it's an incredibly sinking feeling. But then . . .

My wife took our computer to our son - the usual path for tech-illiterate parents. Have a kid do it! He found all of our files, but we still had a virus.

We ended up getting a new computer on Cyber Monday. Saved $299! Let me tell you something. Opening up that new computer was an amazing feeling! Everything was clean and fresh. And there were no viruses! I felt whole again! Restored!!

(You already know where this story is going . . . Lol!) Jesus!

If you have repented of your sins and turned to Jesus for forgiveness and restoration, you already know how it feels to be "virus-free." Yet many people still choose to live a life filled with sin. Sin is just like a computer virus for the soul.

Thankfully, there IS anti-virus software that we can get for our computers. However, the subscription ran out for our computer, and I didn't renew it.

When our "subscription" runs out in this life were are living, DO NOT be found without Jesus in your heart. You will experience an eternity infected with a "virus" without any hope of a cure.

After King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he prayed this prayer. It's worthy to remember it. Especially when we are convicted of our sins.

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.

²Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

³For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.

⁴Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge.

⁵Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

⁶Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

⁷Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

⁸Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

⁹Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.

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

¹¹Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.

¹²Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

¹³Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you.

¹⁴Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

¹⁵Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.

¹⁷My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart." - Psalm 51:1-17

Thank you God for providing a way, Yahweh, to pay for OUR sins through His sacrifice on the cross. Thank you Jesus for hanging on that cross, in my place. And thank you Holy Spirit for convicting us of our sins and for drawing us near. No amount of thank yous would ever be enough for all you have done, and have yet to do. Amen.

Famine

It is winter here in the northern hemisphere but south of the equator it is hot . . . and wet. Flooding in Indonesia has killed 1,500 people and most are struggling to survive.

"It has never been like this in Sibolga before," said the 28-year-old, who waited at the state-owned rice warehouse in neighbouring Sarudik with her parents.

"There is no food, the money has run out, there are no jobs. How can we eat?" she said.

Meanwhile in the U.S. it's -2° outside (Thursday morning in Waupaca) and our rivers and lakes are frozen. Still dangerous, but manageable.

Imagine being totally cut off with no food or money. Hope would be running low. The Israelites faced similar struggles back in the day. Famine was a very real thing, even in "The Promised Land."

If you've got your Bible handy open it to the book of Ruth.

"In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land." - Ruth 1:1

Elimelech and Naomi moved to a different country because there was no food in Israel.

Imagine if there was no food. At all. What would you do? Would you move to a different country? And what would you do for work once you got there? What kind of shelter would you live in?

We are SO blessed in this country. No wonder everyone wants to come here. Life is easy compared to the rest of the world. But what would happen if suddenly there was no food here?

We have deer and squirrels that frequent our yard. Do I have enough ammo? Is my aim any good? How do you gut a deer? You get the idea.

In Revelation 13 John writes about a "Beast" who "causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, ¹⁷so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name." - Revelation 13:16-17

We must pledge allegiance to the Antichrist in order to buy food. And there will be nowhere we can move to get any.

If you subscribe to a Pre-Tribulation rapture, there is nothing to worry about. We'll be gone. But if you're a mid-trib or post-trib believer you surely will be losing some weight. Unless you cave in to tiur stomach's growling and take "The Mark."

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ." - 1 Thessalonians 5:9

Seems pretty clear to me.

Father, we pray for those in Indonesia who are without food, money, shelter, and the ability to work. They are struggling to survive. You are a mighty and powerful God. You parted the Red Sea so your people could move to a different place. Make the flood waters recede. May your name be forever praised. Amen.

The Undiscerning

We Christians go to church and believe in Jesus so therefore we should be a shoo-in for getting into heaven, right? Today we will read a verse that may cause us to reconsider what we say and do. It might also challenge our very belief system. Are you ready?

The Apostle Paul laid out a very clear path that members of the church in Rome could take to salvation (ie. The Romans Road).

In the last part of Romans 1, Paul lists a bunch of sins that are detestable to God. But then, in the very last verse, Paul offers up something else for us to consider.

"Though they (Roman church members) know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them." - Romans 1:32

Paul is writing to a church! Some people in the church in Rome were approving of the sinful acts that a portion of its members were committing!

Romans 1, Galatians 5, and Leviticus 18 clearly state that same sex sin is abomination to The Lord. Remember, these are people IN the church that Paul is writing about. For example, based on Romans 1:32, a lesbian pastor or bishop would REALLY be on God's naughty list. Instead of prayer meetings, are we holding gossip sessions?

The text also makes it sound like any church members who allow these things to go on in their churches also face the same wrath.

And what happens to an entire denomination under church leadership that practices or condones these things? This seems like a rather big deal. Will millions of members in these churches face God's wrath instead of heaven by approving / allowing sin? It kind of sounds like it.

There is a word that we Christians need to become very familiar with - "discerning." We must discern ALL things that come into our eyes, ears, heart, and mind. The undiscerning face an eternity FAR different than what they are expecting.

We need to be filtering everything we take into our Spirit-filled bodies through the Word of God. If it doesn't line up with scripture, discard it. Paul is a New Testament teacher. Wake up church!

When Jesus spoke to the woman caught in adultery, what did he tell her to do? "Go and sin no more." - John 8:11

We must first examine ourselves and then come alongside those we see living contrary to what the Bible says, and then lovingly point out these things. God wishes that none would perish.

"The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." - 2 Peter 3:9

Why?

Everyone has their own belief system - a set of personal conclusions arrived at over time. We also have our own set of priorities too. So, what happens when we encounter someone with a different point of view?

"I don't like cranberries with my turkey."

"Seriously? They taste wonderful together."

A fight ensues and the police are called.

The cops are no help. Instead, they insist that doughnuts are supreme. And there you have it. Personal opinion wins every time.

Look at Ukraine and Russia. Putin says he wants Ukraine. Zelenskyy says no. They've been fighting for years.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to me the Father except through me." - John 14:6

The Pharisees disagreed, and crucified Him.

So, how can we ever possibly convince someone that Jesus is the key to eternal life? Answer: we can't. That's a wrestling match between them and the Holy Spirit. We can help but as the old saying goes, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them." - John 6:44

When I was in sixth grade we had a neighbor kid who'd come over to play with my sister. She'd ring the doorbell and ask if my sister could come out to play.

"No, not today, Paula."

"Why?"

"She's taking a nap."

"Why?"

"Because she's tired."

"Why?"

(Getting a little annoyed now) Thinking: "Because she got tired from answering all of your repetitive questions!"

You get the idea. So, how do we talk to others about Jesus when they don't want to hear it? The answer is simple but sad. Try asking questions. If they don't want to answer, then we should stop asking them and go home.

Read John 6:44 again and accept it. And then pray for them. It's the Father who draws them to Himself.

The problem comes when we love those who refuse to answer our questions. Maybe it's a spouse, a child, or a friend. We should pray harder and more often! Be like Paula with God. Don't give up praying for them.

“In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. ³And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’

⁴"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, ⁵yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”

⁶And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. - John 18:2-6

Keep praying!!