Jesus agonized in prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.
He was betrayed by Judas and delivered over to those who willed his death.
He was beaten and sentenced to death in Pilate’s Judgment Hall.
He was taken to Calvary and there he was crucified.
You may have been one of the millions who watched the “He Gets Us” ad during the Super Bowl where several instances of washing another’s feet were depicted.
January 6 is “Epiphany” to many Christians. It celebrates the Christ Child, whose coming was marked by the arrival of the Magi (“Wise Men”) who came to worship baby Jesus. In their coming, salvation to the Gentiles through the Christ Child is on display.
Prolific hymnwriter (6500+ songs) who wrote
the most significant Christmas Carol we have—
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” (1739)
Tune by Felix Mendelssohn (1740)
Our Father in Heaven,
and Jesus Christ his Son, our Lord.
My Wife and Family.
By grace, my Opportunity to have
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must…undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine
This Labor Day season I honor those businesses and workers who model ethical and caring practices for the good of businesses, for fair treatment of workers, for workers who provide quality labor,
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
“Truth to some is no longer empirical, no longer based on data, common sense, or even common decency – telling the truth is no longer the benchmark for public service, no longer the salve to our fears nor the guide to our actions. Truth is now considered malleable, by Opinion, Narrative, by Zero-Sum Endgames.”
A word needed on all college/university campuses! Charles Krauthammer died five years ago, shortly after writing the above. His wise and perceptive commentaries about politics,
The Gospel proclaims Jesus’ resurrection as FACT. We embrace it by FAITH. If there is no FACT behind the FAITH, then our faith is of no value, whether it’s faith in our financial institutions or in Jesus as our Risen Lord.
Brandon Tsay, 26, disarmed the Monterey Park mass murderer Huu Can Tran, 72, before he could kill again at a dance hall in Alhambra, California. Tran put up quite a fight before fleeing. Alhambra awarded Tsay the Medal of Courage. He was also honored at the president’s “State of the Union” address.
“The idea that prayer is improper at big-time sporting events was forgotten on Monday night [January 2]…. Suddenly prayer—the ancient activity of speaking to God in the belief that he can hear and respond
My son, do not forget my teaching,
but let your heart keep my commandments,
for length of days and years of life
and peace they will add to you.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you;
bind them around your neck;
My soul doth magnify the Lord,
And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.
For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden:
for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
For he that is mighty hath done to me great things;
and holy is his name.
For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul know the right well.
Phrases like this have been displayed in public schools and elsewhere to promote students’ self-esteem.
A devout Christian and a man of humility who exuded reason and fairness and brought human warmth to Los Angeles for almost 60 years.
The birds of the sky nest by the waters;
they sing among the branches.
All creatures look to you
to give them their food at the proper time.
I didn’t know David Winder well. His class was ‘64; mine ‘62. He joined the U.S. Army and went to Vietnam in November of 1969 as an unarmed senior medical aidman.
Governor Nehemiah was sent by the King of Persia to oversee rebuilding of Jerusalem’s wall. People in surrounding nations opposed this effort with their
“If this is to be a government of laws and not of men then those men entrusted with enforcing the laws must be held to account for the natural consequences of their own actions.
“I am the Lord, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”
declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 9:24
On January 8, 2012, I gave my final sermon as Senior Pastor of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach. That evening we celebrated “A Heritage of Song” at the local school auditorium, underscoring my 28-year emphasis on music.
Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Why, O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In his arrogance the evil man hunts down the weak.
From ambush he murders the innocent.
October 12 marks 10 years from the date when eight people were murdered over a child custody dispute.
It was the worst mass killing in Orange County history. It still touches many lives in Seal Beach, including my own.
We who can remember still do remember what happened and where we were when we first heard or saw it. 2974 died on “9/11”—including over 400 first responders. Each year more die from residual health issues.
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” And immediately the leprosy left him. – Luke 5:13
Touch is more than one of the five senses. When welcomed, it is a vital part of human interaction. Unwelcomed, it is an intrusion or worse.
May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her.
We’ve started a “Monarch Butterfly Nursery” at home! My wife diligently cares for the butterflies as they go through their stages. Their larva stage is a time to eat and nothing else. Then they are enclosed for several days at the chrysalis stage.
“Under 100” is the on-going goal in law enforcement for annual deaths in the line of duty (LODD). The number of deaths in 2019 was 148. On “9/11” alone 72 law enforcement officers died in the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center
In 1791 Bishop John Carroll (first Catholic bishop in the United States) issued a prayer for the young country during President Washington’s first term. It is appropriate still today. Key excerpts:
“The terms of the President and Vice President shall end at noon on the 20th day of January… and the terms of their successors shall then begin.”
– 20th Amendment to the US Constitution
A Forgotten Anniversary-Arrival of the Mayflower 400 Years Ago
The Christmas Story of “The Three Herod’s”
Five “Take-Aways” from the Recent Election
“Back the Badge” – Southern California’s Sad Fifth Anniversary
Thanksgiving 2020 – The Sacrament of Sacred Song“
Lamentation during Thanksgiving (Psalm 137)
Thanksgiving for Government Officials?
What did Jesus mean by “Rendering to Caesar” and “Rendering to God”?
May Nominees for Government Positions be Disqualified over Their Religious Beliefs?
Some Political Shibboleths that mean Absolutely Nothing
“Back the Badge” — Losing Leadership in Its Prime (2 chiefs resign).
Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Exemplary People of Civility.
Civil Disobedience “the Bible Way” – Part 2: Paul, Citizen-Evangelist.
“WWJD?” Who knows what Jesus would do in today’s political climate?
What motivated Jerry Falwell and “Moral Majority” — was it support for segregation?
Religious Liberty Vigilance – Free Speech and “Othering”
Celebrating the 19th Amendment 100 years ago—Giving women the right to vote.
“Back the Badge” — Does Psalm 91 guarantee protection from all harm?
Civil Disobedience “the Bible Way” – Part 1: The Book of Daniel.
Are churches that reopen trusting God or testing God?
Hagia Sophia Cathedral in Istanbul is now a Mosque again.
Remembering September 1945 – Surrender aboard the USS Missouri.
Churches and Political Action—What pastors and churches should/should not do
Coronavirus—Necessary spiritual ministry to the sick and dying.
“Mob-oc-ra-cy” – When protest becomes an authoritarian power in its own right
Election Season — Time for politicians and citizens to learn about Logical Fallacies
Religious Liberty Vigilance — Four courtroom victories and one defeat.
The imperative of “Coming Together” in worship even during a pandemic.
Remembering August, 1945 – Hiroshima and Nagasaki and quick end to the war
Protest Gatherings – Yes! Funeral Gatherings – No! Judging religious gatherings by a stricter standard in NYC.
Should a church be restricted more than a casino during the virus?
Joel – An Old Testament Prophet laments in 2020
“Back the Badge” – The Bad Cop
July 4, 1776 – America’s ideals were embraced by imperfect people, but moved us to a “more perfect union.”
Charis Fellowship response to the death of George Floyd
Remembering July, 1945 – The Potsdam Conference planning a post-war Europe
Remembering June, 1945 – Okinawa was the bloodiest battle of the Pacific war, leading US military leaders to expect the worst when Japan was invaded.
Pentecost Sunday – When the Holy Spirit redirects priorities.
Religious Liberty and the “Right to Assemble”
May 18, 2020 – Centennial of the birth of Karol Wojtyla, one of the 20th Century’s greatest men.
What’s so Great about “The Great Commission”?
Remembering May, 1945 – The unconditional surrender of Germany
A Model Citizen and Pastor – He resigned from city council to keep his religious convictions
Love, Law, Liberty – 3 essentials during the Coronavirus crisis
How to wash your hands during the Coronavirus crisis
Biblical significance of “40” during the quarantine
Jim Bakker just won’t go away!
Hoarding and profiteering in a time of crisis
Keeping politics out of the Coronavirus emergency
Ministers MUST pay into Social Security
“Back the Badge” – The Off-Duty Officer
Government edicts during the Coronavirus crisis
Winter of 1968 in Indiana – Two years later we’re off to California!
Youth in Leadership? What should a young church leader do and not do?
Settling ADA issues Jesus’ way
Chaplains are there to “Back the Badge”
Threats to the religious liberty of Parochial Schools
Growing restrictions on religion in China
Internment of Japanese during World War 2 – the great wrong of Executive Order 9066
Guns & Churches & Faith in God
“Back the Badge” – 9/11 illnesses still happening
Contrast religious liberty in America with what is happening in China.
How to find truth in the Book of Revelation.
“3 R’s” for churches at the start of every New Year
Ephiphany Sunday – The Christmas immigration story
Pastoral compensation that is Proper and God-pleasing
Tribute to Seth Eaker – a good friend and community leader
Issues of Death and Dying – Issues for all to ponder and pastors to shape into ministry and policy
We have much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving, including our precious liberties gained and sustained by the sacrifice of many.
Thanksgiving When Blessings Aren’t So Evident
(Many of our American ancestors celebrated in times when life was
quite tentative and prosperity very uncertain)
Jarrid Wilson was a pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside CA. He was a close friend of my daughter and son-in-law. They camped together in Mammoth Lakes this past summer. Jarrid was ring bearer at my daughter’s wedding in 1992.
“Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.’”
“…the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God…”
“…all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights…”
“The eyes of the world are upon you.
The hopes and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere go with you.”
– General Eisenhower’s “Order of the Day” for allied troops as 160,000 crossed the English Channel to Normandy.
France, Germany, United Kingdom, Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh… and now home here in Southern California. Anti-Semitism is ancient and modern. A classic anti-Semitic claim is found in Esther 3:8-9
“I believe that the pursuit of truth and right ideas through honest debate and rigorous argument is a noble undertaking.”
– From Charles Krauthammer’s final opinion column, June 8, 2018, before his death on June 21 (from The Point of It All by Charles Krauthammer)
Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota has apologized for her widely condemned tweet suggesting that money drives politicians’ support for Israel. Her apology came shortly after several Democratic leaders spoke out against her tweet.
I was so fascinated by the total lunar eclipse on January 20 that I sat in the yard and watched it all. Many thoughts, songs and scriptures came to mind as I watched, such as these words from Psalm 8 –
“The American Dream means giving it your all, trying your hardest, accomplishing something and giving something back. No definition of a successful life can do anything but include serving others.”
One hundred years ago, November 11, 1918, the Great War ended. Filled with optimism, many hoped it would be “the war to end all wars.”
“Arabs living in these countries* are either uninformed or misinformed. They are unable to adequately address, much less publicly discuss, matters that affect the region and their day-to-day lives.
Leaders of Grace Brethren Church of Elkhart, Indiana in October 1968. I was newly called to this church to serve as Associate Pastor and was licensed to the Christian ministry. I’m in the middle; Pastor Gordon Bracker is on my immediate left.
“Ethics” is the study of basic concepts and fundamental principles of human conduct. Simply put, it looks at right and wrong. The study of ethics can be examined from either values-neutral or values-driven perspectives.
“In a modern civilization, all three – religion, democracy and international good faith – complement and support each other.”
– Franklin D. Roosevelt
California Governor George Deukmejian died on May 8 at 89. He was governor from 1983-1991, having followed the ultra-unusual Jerry Brown (who is now governor again until 2019). Before his governorship he was a state assemblyman, state senator (representing the district we moved into in 1970) and state attorney general.
I come from a Protestant tradition that emphasizes very strongly there should be no difference between clergy and lay people. As it turns out, as I’ve seen from 49 years of pastoral experience, this can be more theory than practice.
“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” – 1 Timothy 4:9-10 ESV
I believe that the observations I made in 1998 are as relevant today as when they were written. The writing below has slight edits and bold italics are added.
“Epiphany Sunday” is observed on January 7. It remembers the arrival of the “Magi” in Bethlehem (Matthew 2:1-12).
Church historian Kenneth Scott Latourette said whenever there was a true revival among God’s people, inevitably there was also a new hymnody
In full support of the Church, the Pope and Archbishop Albrecht, an Augustinian monk by the name of Martin Luther posted his “95 Theses” against the sale of Indulgences and other abuses on the door of the Wittenberg church on October 31, 1517.
“Ambition for national moral renewal strikes a chord in many modern democracies, where it is easy to change politicians but much harder to change the political culture.
“No provision in our constitution ought to be dearer to man, than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprises of the civil authority.” –
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
A very important part of Reformation teaching is on the Will of God. What does God command? What does God forbid?
West is a self-described “radical democrat” who supported Bernie Sanders. George is a prominent conservative intellectual.
“You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.”
“Ashes represent sorrow, remorse and repentance. Ashes look forward to God’s promise of forgiveness and blessing.
Good Government: “…a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another,
The beginning of each new year is a great time to think about REFORMATION. 2017—this new year—will be unlike any other on that topic.
“Let’s recap this wonderful country of ours! They say this election made history (in fact, they’re right). Yet let’s do some inventory into history ourselves—back to as early as the ones who made our nation even possible.
“I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accepts instructions on public policy from the Pope
Dodger Baseball’s legendary announcer Vin Scully, 88,
will sign off for the last time in a few days,
after 67 seasons as “The Voice of the Dodgers.”
Congratulations to Olympic Gold Medalist Rachel Fattal!
Scriptures that Shaped Our Culture
Religious Liberty: California’s Senate Bill 1146 has been soften but still ought to be defeated
Celebrating 240 Years of Liberty
Religious Liberty: California’s Senate Bill 1146 should be defeated
Did Our Founding Fathers Intend to Favor Christianity?
What Did Thomas Jefferson Omit from His Tombstone?
Civility in Today’s Toxic Political Climate
The Mass Killing in Orlando
Must We Cleanse Our History of Religion? (Los Angeles County Seal)
When Good Comes from Evil (Joseph and his brothers-Genesis 50)
Tribute to Tom Hennessy
Care and Concern for the Dying
Pentecost Sunday-Remember and Pray
What Do Christianity and Islam Teach about Jesus?
Learn from Jesus the Lessons of Palm Sunday
Religious Liberty Vigilance–Vetoed Bill on Religious Liberty in Georgia
The Death of Antonin Scalia-a time to lay off politics
Quiz Time! Match the Candidate to the Comment
In Thankful Memory of John Heideman
A Renewed Paradigm for Worship
Homily for Antonin Scalia-opening words by Paul Scalia
Wise Words from an Iconic Political Liberal (George McGovern)
Proclamation for Religious Freedom Day
The Virginia Statute for Religious Liberty (with comments)
Spiritual Freedom-The Most Important Freedom of All
3 “R’s” for Better Church Life in the New Year
Incarnational Pastoral Leadership
Serving God by Bringing Water to the People
Evil in the Christmas Story
Good in the Christmas Story
Song in the Christmas Story
Tribute to Officer Garrett Swazey, Colorado Springs
“God’s Saving Grace and God’s Common Grace” (recent article)
Ohio is Football Country–a semi-humorous incident
Good Government-Don’t Be Cynical (a recent miscommunication from my congressman)
The original “Saint Francis” and his great hymn on God’s creation
Scripture gives light on these “Heaven and back” experiences
Recent thoughts on County Clerk Kim Davis-her stance on same-sex marriage; her religion
An unexpected great experience while visiting Ellis Island at The Statue of Liberty
Should our faith be in science, or do we need something else? How one invention serves God and people.
Test your Bible knowledge! Can you name the prophet who spoke profound words?
Message of the Month: “A Bad King, A Bold Prophet, and A Prime Piece of Property”
Two Great Commemorations: The Magna Carta (800th Anniversary), The Declaration of Independence
After the Killings in Charleston SC – Should We Forgive?
Church on the Move – What One Indiana Congregation Did in Iraq
US Supreme Court Decision on Same-Sex Marriage – Two Initial Responses
Religious Liberty Vigilance – My Apache Friend, Eagle Feathers and the Federal Government
America’s Great Need: Responsible Fathers
Bible Insight – Key Texts on the Death Penalty
What Happened in Indiana? Religious Freedom Needed, and More Civility Too
Bible Insight – God’s Providential Care
Easter Message: Suffering and Hope
Bible Insight: “Forgive us our sins”
Religious Liberty Vigilance: Threat to San Francisco Archdiocese’s Religious Freedom
Religious Liberty Vigilance: Atlanta Fire Chief Terminated over Religious Views on Sexual Behavior
Seven Principles to help you understand The Ten Commandments
Tribute to Pro-life Leader Dr. John Willke
Thoughts on the Ethics of Abortion 42 Years after Roe v Wade
Bible Insight: Sticks and Stones May Break My Bones, but Words Can REALLY Hurt Me!
What Our President Should Tell Raul Castro
Louis Zamperini–The Rest of the Story
Resolution–A New Paradigm for Worship
(It’s time to “change” and “restore”)
Death in Ferguson and New York City (lessons)
The Bible’s First Christmas Story
(about an old man)
Reflections on Religion in Europe (noted from November cruise on the Danube)
For Better Government–Eight Qualities to Look for in a Government Official
Religious Liberty Vigilance: “Houston! We Have a Problem!”
Don’t Narrow the Word “Immoral” When Setting Leadership Standards!
Responsible Government Fiscal Policies–A Resolution
“Beatitudes for Educators”
A “Free Society” or a “Correct Society”–Which do we want?
Bible Insight–“Let The Bible Say What It Says” (Examination of a misunderstood text plus seven words of guidance in reading the Bible)
A Worker’s Prayer for Labor Day, 2014
For Labor Day we remember a (virtually unknown) hero
What Do We Mean By “The Will of God”?