December 2023 Newsletter

Posted on November 30, 2023 by admin

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Advancing Christian Faith and Values,
Defending Religious Liberty for All,
Supporting Civility and the Common Good
through Preaching, Teaching, Writing,
Activism and Reasoned Conversations

Charles Wesley (1707 – 1788)

Prolific hymnwriter (6500+ songs) who wrote
the most significant Christmas Carol we have—
“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” (1739)
Tune by Felix Mendelssohn (1740)

Wesley also is remembered for great hymns such as:
“And Can It Be that I Should Gain?”
“Christ, the Lord, Is Risen Today”
“Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”
“Rejoice, the Lord is King”
“Soldiers of Christ, Arise”
“O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing”
“Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus”

Message for Christmas Month –

“Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!”

And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

– Luke 2:6-18 (King James Version)

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Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth, and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled.”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise
Join the triumph of the skies;
With th’ angelic host proclaim
“Christ is born in Bethlehem.”
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!

Christ, by highest Heav’n adored;
Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come,
Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
Hail th’incarnate Deity,
Pleased as man with us to dwell,
Jesus our Emmanuel.
Hark! The herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn king!”

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Hail! the heav’n-born Prince of peace!
Hail! the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings
Risen with healing in his wings
Mild he lays his glory by
Born that man no more may die:
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! the herald angels sing
“Glory to the newborn King!

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Lessons from this Great Carol

This carol lifts up worship of Jesus. Christmas Season is gutted if we take away worshipping Jesus. This is far deeper than one city official’s call for avoiding green and red colors during the season lest it feel less inclusive.

The carol reminds us that, through Jesus’ life and ministry, God is “for us.”
“Reconciliation” is Christianity’s “Big Word.” “God and sinners reconciled.”
Reconciliation with God leads properly to reconciliation between people.

Fulfilling the prophecy (Malachi 4:2), Jesus came with healing and power over death. Born that we might have a “second birth” and “no more may die.”

At just the right time (Galatians 4:4), God’s Son enter our human existence as “offspring of a virgin’s womb.” “Veiled in flesh the Godhead see…” Though “being in very nature God” he took on “the very nature of a servant” and was “made in human likeness.” Being one of us, “he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8 NIV).

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The Great Disappearance
David Jeremiah’s new book

The TV ad for this book says, “When the Rapture occurs the world will capture the moment. The world will reel with concern from watching the strange mind-boggling and unbelievable video footage that goes across the world.”

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/5GSA/dr-david-jeremiah-the-great-disappearance

“Answers to Practical Questions About the Rapture”
– David Jeremiah’s blog

We don’t know if the Rapture could come ten years from now, tomorrow—or today.

But when it does come, everyone will know. It will be the Great Disappearance—the moment when billions of people suddenly vanish from the earth, along with billions of dead bodies returning to life and ascending to meet the Lord in the air.

…chaos will ensue on the earth.

What can we say about this book from the TV ad and blog?

It perpetuates an extra-biblical presumption (that is, it goes beyond the teaching of Scripture). The presumption is that the Rapture of the church is “The Great Disappearance,” a sudden vanishing of believers (not even a visible “rising” perhaps similar to Jesus’ ascension. The biblical description doesn’t convey this notion at all (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). It doesn’t even say where we will be when we, the resurrected and living, are “with the Lord forever.” Once we meet the Lord “in the air,” will Jesus turn around and take us to heaven, or will we turn around and escort our Lord to earth?

The first presumption leads to the second: “The Great Panic” (well depicted in the ad). Typical of this story-telling theme (such as shown in the movie “A Thief in the Night”), the sudden disappearance of Christians creates global chaos and leads to the emergence of a strong leader, the Antichrist, who offers solutions to the chaos (think of the burning of the Reichstag in 1933 and Hitler’s subsequent grasp of power). Dr. Jeremiah writes in the traditions of two prophecy teachers he esteems: Hal Lindsey and Tim LaHaye.

This Disappearance/Panic motif leads to some questions on my part:
• Why doesn’t the electronic device in the deliveryman’s hand disappear instead of falling to the ground? Everything else he has on his person (Wristwatch? Keys? Ring? Clothing? False teeth?) including a wristband disappear along with the deliveryman’s flesh and bones. What if the device had been in his pocket?
• Maybe God does not want the raptured saints to have any electronic devices, including cell phones. That’s a strong explanation!
• If I were not a Christian, wouldn’t I want to inquire of each pilot’s faith when boarding a plane? One Christian would be OK. Two, and I’m off this plane! Same goes for other situations where my life depends on the hands-on presence of a Christian.
• Wouldn’t this “disappearance panic,” if true at all, only apply to countries with large numbers of confessing/practicing Christians? Much of the world would go on without missing a beat.

But this is all fiction. At most, it is a speculative extra-biblical scenario. This kind of speculation has no spiritual-growth value and bears no resemblance to the simple biblical statements about Jesus’ return—statements that induce steadfastness and everyday practical godly living among true Christians.

Three scriptures that don’t support this scenario come to mind:

2 Thessalonians 1:6-7 – “[God] will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.”

Clearly, the Church will receive relief from persecution when Jesus returns in power and glory. The Church’s relief from trouble doesn’t come through a rapture years before, when every believer suddenly just disappears.

Titus 2:12-13 – “…live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing [“epiphany”] of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ…”

Not a separate previous “Rapture,” but the glorious Epiphany (splendid appearance) of Jesus at his Second Coming is “The Blessed Hope” that we eagerly await and that incentivizes us to live righteously. By the way, this “Epiphany” brings the Antichrist’s rule to its end (2 Thessalonians 2:8).

Hebrews 9:28 – “Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear [opsthēsetai] the second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.”

This is the only explicit mention in the Bible of the “second” appearance, or coming, of Christ. The text resembles Revelation 1:7 (“Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see [ópsetai] him,”) whether they be the eyes of Jesus’ followers who eagerly await him or the eyes of those who have rejected him. There is no need to postulate some sort of chaos-creating mysterious sudden disappearance. All will behold him. Some will be caught unprepared, others are ready for his appearance (1 Thessalonians 5:3-5).

Is the Rapture “the central event in biblical prophecy”?

Jeremiah makes that claim in the book’s introduction. I won’t call this heresy, but it certainly conflicts with the Bible’s frequent emphatic words about Jesus’ Epiphany—his glorious Second Coming—the true “Central Event.”

A Personal Postscript

Over the past two years I have studied the topic of “The Rapture of the Church” extensively. My study has brought me to abandon my long-time embrace of a “Rapture of the Church” prior to “The Great Tribulation” in favor of seeing “rapture” scriptures fulfilled as part of the comprehensive “Second Coming of Christ” at the end of “The Great Tribulation.”

A further conclusion I’ve made is that this topic is a secondary or even tertiary doctrinal issue for which we can allow diversity of opinion and over which we ought not divide. We have “One Blessed Hope” (a primary doctrinal issue) even if we differ on the details!

My 36-page essay For Me, “The Rapture” Is Up in the Air is available to you.
If you “Reply” and request it, I’ll promptly email it to you.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Ohio Ohio Enshrines Abortion Rights into its State Constitution

As an Ohioan throughout my childhood and teenage years, I followed the recent vote on “Issue 1” closely. I was surprised that this measure passed. In fact, it passed 57% to 43%, with big support from the three major population regions of Cleveland (74%), Columbus (73%), and Cincinnati (65%).

Roughly speaking, “Issue 1” enshrined “Roe v. Wade” into the state’s constitution (see text at the end of this essay). “Roe v. Wade” was overturned last year by the U.S. Supreme Court. Thus, abortion rights were no longer considered as protected by the U.S. Constitution (specifically, as a “right to privacy” found in the “penumbra” of the Constitution).

Now it becomes a matter for each state to decide. Some have adopted stricter laws against abortion (Ohio had a “heartbeat” law, essentially banning abortion after five weeks of pregnancy). California, where I’ve resided since 1970, in contrast proudly proclaimed itself a “Destination State” for abortion rights, encouraging women desiring an abortion to come to California for it if their own state hindered them in any way. Some businesses offer money to cover travel to states like California.

How could “Issue 1” pass in a state seen as “pro-life” by many?
• Some may have believed the “heartbeat” law was too restrictive.
• Karl Rove in The Wall Street Journal says Republicans “tried to game the system with an August referendum raising the threshold for amending the state’s constitution, which voters soundly rejected. Then they didn’t offer an alternative to the unlimited-abortion proposal…”
• Money poured in by the tens of millions—most to push for “Issue 1.”
• Many wanted to return to the Roe v. Wade permissiveness on abortion.
• Many voters, like some of my relatives, prefer the state stay out of matters they consider to be “personal” or “private.”

I don’t know for sure. I do know that many in the Right to Life movement need to examine to what extent absolutism on moral issues (which is fine) can be enshrined in secular law (which reflects pluralism). This effort requires “doing politics.” If we insist on the whole pie, we will often get no pie at all.
And, without washing our hands of political action (it is very necessary), we need to recommit to public actions that bear witness to our faith—including the conviction that life is an unalienable right and gift from our Creator.

Listen to this good counsel:

The passage of Issue 1 shows that there remains a desperate need for conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death. This conversion will come about only through earnest prayer and the witness of our compassionate care for the most vulnerable among us — immigrants, the poor, the elderly, preborn children, and women in need.
– Dennis Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati
(National Catholic Register, Nov. 10, 2023)

Article I, Section 22. The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety

A. Every individual has a right to make and carry out one’s own reproductive decisions, including but not limited to decisions on:
1. contraception;
2. fertility treatment;
3. continuing one’s own pregnancy;
4. miscarriage care; and
5. abortion.

B. The State shall not, directly or indirectly, burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against either:
1. An individual’s voluntary exercise of this right or
2. A person or entity that assists an individual exercising this right, unless the State demonstrates that it is using the least restrictive means to advance the individual’s health in accordance with widely accepted and evidence-based standards of care.

However, abortion may be prohibited after fetal viability. But in no case may such an abortion be prohibited if in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician it is necessary to protect the pregnant patient’s life or health.
C. As used in this Section:
1. “Fetal viability” means “the point in a pregnancy when, in the professional judgment of the pregnant patient’s treating physician, the fetus has a significant likelihood of survival outside the uterus with reasonable measures. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.”
2. “State” includes any governmental entity and any political subdivision.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Israeli Airstrike Hits St. Porphyrius Church

It is no secret that Hamas has embedded its personnel and weapons amongst the civilian population and near to structures like hospitals. Such was the situation when Hamas chose to place its rocket and mortar launch command post near St. Porphyrius Church.

St. Porphyrius brought Christianity to this region and served as Bishop of Gaza (395-420 AD). Tradition has his body buried at the church in Gaza City that bears his name. The church site dates back to 425 AD. It is the third oldest active church in the world. The current sanctuary was built by Crusaders around 1150 AD. It has undergone many renovations, especially in 1856.

St. Porphyrius church was severely damaged by the October 20 Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military acknowledged the air strike, which targeted the nearby Hamas rocket and mortar launch command post. The church’s chapel survived the attack, but the airstrikes destroyed other parts of the compound.

As many as 500 people had taken refuge at the site, sleeping on mattresses throughout the compound’s seven buildings and using three bathrooms. It is estimated that 380 of the refugees were Christian and the rest Muslim. The known death toll from the airstrikes was eighteen Christians and two Muslims, not counting bodies still buried in the rubble. The Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem strongly condemned the attack.

Only 1000 Christians remain in Gaza, their numbers devastated under Hamas rule.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]An Abiding Concern of a Great Scholar

Will and Ariel Will (1885-1981) and Ariel (1898-1981) Durant produced over their scholastic lifetimes the massive 11-volume The Story of Civilization. It was one of the first sets to go into my professional library, added while I was in graduate school. Prolific writers, in 1968 they wrote The Lessons of History, a summary of historic trends.

Will became a skeptic from reading Darwin, and dropped out of training for the priesthood. “The simple faith of my childhood faded away when I discovered that I was just a monkey with pants,” he said on a 1978 talk show.

He saw himself as a person with a Christian ethic though without a Christian faith. He warned: “Our children are living without this residue—in the shadow of a shadow.”

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

Don has been a member of the clergy in the Long Beach, California area since 1970. He now serves as Pastor Emeritus of Grace Community Church of Seal Beach (where he was senior pastor 1984-2012) and as Senior Chaplain of the Seal Beach Police Department (2001+). He previously was an assistant professor of Biblical Studies at Biola University (1976-84) and chaired the Social Concerns Committee in the Fellowship of Grace Brethren Churches from 1985 to 2019.

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity magna cum laude from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for 57 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

“When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5)

A Very Merry Christmas to All!

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November 2023 Newsletter

Posted on November 1, 2023 by admin

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In this special, favorite Season of the Year, I’m thankful for…

Our Father in Heaven,
and Jesus Christ his Son, our Lord.
My Wife and Family.
By grace, my Opportunity to have
55 years of Ministry.
My Country and its Freedoms
My Church, its Fellowship and Ministries
The Privilege of Living “here today”
The Hope, by Faith, in a Future of Peace and Justice, especially one with Jesus.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bible Insight – Atrocities and Universal Law
Amos 1:1 –2:3

[NOTES: The scripture being used is graphic.
The described atrocities are in BOLD.]

The word of Amos…

“The Lord roars from Zion
and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
and the top of Carmel withers.”

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Damascus,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have threshed Gilead
with threshing sledges of iron.
So I will send a fire upon the house of Hazael,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.
I will break the gate-bar of Damascus,
and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven
and him who holds the scepter from Beth-eden;
and the people of Syria shall go into exile to Kir,”
says the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Gaza,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they carried into exile a whole people
to deliver them up to Edom.
So I will send a fire upon the wall of Gaza,
and it shall devour her strongholds.
I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod,
and him who holds the scepter from Ashkelon;
I will turn my hand against Ekron,
and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,”
says the Lord God.

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Tyre,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they delivered up a whole people to Edom,
and did not remember the covenant of brotherhood.
So I will send a fire upon the wall of Tyre,
and it shall devour her strongholds.”

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Edom,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because he pursued his brother with the sword
and cast off all pity,
and his anger tore perpetually,
and he kept his wrath forever.
So I will send a fire upon Teman,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Bozrah.”

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of the Ammonites,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because they have ripped open pregnant women in Gilead,
that they might enlarge their border.
So I will kindle a fire in the wall of Rabbah,
and it shall devour her strongholds,
with shouting on the day of battle,
with a tempest in the day of the whirlwind;
and their king shall go into exile,
he and his princes[e] together,”
says the Lord.

Thus says the Lord:

“For three transgressions of Moab,
and for four, I will not revoke the punishment,
because he burned to lime
the bones of the king of Edom.
So I will send a fire upon Moab,
and it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth,
and Moab shall die amid uproar,
amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;
I will cut off the ruler from its midst,
and will kill all its princes[g] with him,”
says the Lord.
– Amos 1:1 – 2:3

This scripture came to mind as I listen to news reports about the attacks by Hamas against Israel. I don’t need to enumerate here the terrible atrocities in order to get my points across. They are well reported.

For the record, any atrocities committed by Israel as it responds to Hamas’ attacks, the words of Amos would be equally applicable.

The Prophet Amos (8th century BC) spoke to the Kingdom of Israel on themes of justice. Some important points on this scripture and its value for today:

1. Amos did not appeal to the written Law of God (the Law of Moses) in his condemnations of the nations that surrounded Israel.
2. Instead, Amos condemns this list of atrocities because they violated the sense of right and wrong that God bestows on the human heart apart from prophetic words or inspired scripture.
3. Some might say the atrocities violated Natural Law. Today we would call them “crimes against humanity” or use similar words.
4. After these statements of judgment on Israel’s surrounding neighbors, Amos directed words of judgment against Judah and against Israel. They failed to keep the written Law of the Lord and failed to live as people redeemed by God from slavery and oppression.

So God judges people and nations who do not possess his Written Law by the law written on the human conscience. And God judges those who possess his Written Law by the standards written in that law.
“All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12). The topic of accountability and guilt before God even if one does not possess God’s written law is discussed by the Apostle Paul extensively in Romans 1:18-32.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1696271306383{background-color: #769abf !important;border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE “JUST WAR”

“Just War” theory sets forth four criteria that must be met for a war to be considered as morally justifiable:

1. COMPETENT AUTHORITY recognized by nations and with a system of justice

2. JUST CAUSE such as imminent danger or need to protect innocent lives

3. PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS of the aims that constitute a just cause

4. LAST RESORT after reasonable peaceful efforts have been exhausted

Some argue that PREEMPTIVE WAR may be justified if it is a last resort for preventing hostilities from another.

Three sequential features of a “Just War” –

(1) Just reasons for commencing war (jus ad bello) must be followed by:

(2) Just conduct in the midst of war (jus in bello) such as using measured violent force necessary to accomplish a just end of hostilities, not directing war against non-combatants, and humane treatment of prisoners of war, followed by:

(3) Just aftermath to war (jus post bello) such as prosecution for war crimes, reconstruction, restitution, remediation of the effects of war (removal of land mines—a major example), return of prisoners, and establishment of just structures that might prevent future conflict.

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100 YEARS AGO –

The Battle that Failed. Or did it?

History does not present the “what if” alternatives to us for our analysis,
so we can compare and decide.

What if Adolf Hitler had been shot by Private Henry Tandey, a British solder who allegedly encountered him in France on September 28, 1918? Instead, Tandey let this unknown, wounded German soldier escape.

What if Adolf Hitler had been killed during the Beer Hall Putsch in Munich on November 8-9, 1923, or given a long prison sentence?

After World War 1, Germany was reeling from weak government and burdensome reparations. German pride was in tatters. It would take critical circumstances plus a dramatic person who could promise the German people freedom from shame, Aryan pride, and a renewed sense of power and destiny. That person would be Austrian-born (1889) Adolph Hitler.

Hitler In what became known as the “Beer Hall Putsch,” Hitler led 2000 Nazi supporters in November 1923 on a mission to gain control of Munich. From there they hoped to generate an insurrection in Germany against the weak Weimar Republic.

The “putsch” failed. Sixteen Nazis were killed. Hitler was arrested, tried for treason and imprisoned. The putsch and trial brought his name to prominence in Germany and much of the world. While in prison he wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”), with its anti-Semitism, political ideology and future goals. Just nine months into his 5-year sentence he was deemed to be no longer a threat and was released [See next page].

Nine months in prison for treason, where he can write a world-affecting book! Ten years later Hitler is elected Chancellor, then Führer from 1934 until his death with Germany in ruins (1945). The NY Times column written in December of 1924 competes for worst prognostication ever!

Hitler Tamed by Prison

– The New York Times, December 21, 1924

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Sunday, November 5 –
Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians
Intercessory Prayer Needed—Now More than Ever

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. – 1 Timothy 2:1-4 ESV

On an October Sunday extensive time was taken during worship services at my church for intercessory prayer that focused on the pending conflict between Israel and Hamas. Singing directed our thoughts to God’s rule of justice and peace. I left the service quite uplifted and with the assurance we who gathered had done what God called us to do.

I think it’s fair to observe that some contemporary theories on worship services have focused on how to be “seeker sensitive,” how to provide the “WOW!” factor, and how to make everyone feel comfortable, even anonymous. The programming of services to these ends has made an orphan of Intercessory Prayer. Gone is collective prayer for a needy world.

And that’s a shame. In fact, it’s patently unbiblical, and displeases our Lord.

In this section of his epistle The Apostle Paul gives directions for proper conduct and decorum in the gatherings that we today call “Church” (please read the whole 1 Timothy 2 chapter for context and lessons).
• Intercessory prayer is so important that Paul introduces his words with “First of all.” Intercessory prayer in our church services should be a priority of the first order!
• Intercessory prayer is in behalf of rulers who are not Christians. God is able to work out his principles of “common grace” (such as justice and peace) through the actions of those who do not acknowledge him.
• Intercessory prayer has a goal: creation of peaceful circumstances that allow people to live in safety, and especially for Christians to live in quietness and peace, living godly and dignified lives, and for the Christian faith to flourish.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] thanksgiving blessing A Litany of Thanksgiving
from the
Book of Common Prayer

Let us give thanks to God our Father for all his gifts so freely bestowed upon us.

For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea,
We thank you, Lord.

For all that is gracious in the lives of men and women, revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.

For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,
We thank you, Lord.

For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.

For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.

For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,
We thank you, Lord.

For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.

For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.

Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord:
To him be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit,
now and forever. Amen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] A restaurant Have You Seen One of These?

A restaurant near our home now has robots moving amongst the tables delivering food from the kitchen.

I assume the robot detects when people are walking near it or blocking its way, or if someone is pushing back their chair as it moves to its appointed destiny.

And unlike recent experiences in Covid and post-Covid California, robots don’t demand raises and they don’t refuse to go back to work. And they don’t expect tips.

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

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October 2023 Newsletter

Posted on October 2, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”October 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Religious Liberty Vigilance –
The Freedom to Hire

Bill of Rights “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must…undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine

“I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from inter meddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.”

– Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Miller, 1808

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Should Government Interfere with Hiring Decisions by Churches, Religious Schools and other Religious Institutions?

When will state and local governments realize they have no business interfering with a religious organization’s decisions about whom it hires?

Long ago (1987) the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously (that’s 9-0!) that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had the right to determine whom it would hire to work at a church-affiliated gymnasium program.

The plaintiffs, who had been refused membership in the LDS church, sued, arguing that “nonreligious jobs” (like working in a gym) should not be exempt from the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that protected employees. Furthermore, they argued that giving religious organizations an exemption from anti-discrimination requirements (as Section 702 of the Civil Rights Act did) amounted to unconstitutional favoritism toward religion.

“No!” said the Supreme Court emphatically. Churches are not forbidden from advancing their religion; only the government is forbidden to do so. Section 702 in the Civil Rights Act didn’t promote religion. It allowed religion to be free of government control.

[Section] 702 is rationally related to the legitimate purpose of alleviating significant governmental interference with the ability of religious organizations to define and carry out their religious missions… [Section] 702 does not impermissibly entangle church and state. Rather, it effects a more complete separation of the two.
(Corporation of the Presiding Bishop of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints v. Amos)

Forward to 2017 – Assembly Bill 569, the “California Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Act,” passed the state legislature.

While appearing to be a law that applies neutrally to all employers, its real targets were churches and other religious institutions—those that balk at the secular orthodoxy of “reproductive rights” for which contraception and abortion are holy sacraments.

That the bill targeted religion is seen from the examples cited in arguments listed for needing the bill. ALL the examples that supposedly identify the “problem” involve religious institutions.

If AB 569 had become law, religious organizations could no longer require a code of conduct on moral issues. Their employee handbooks would have to spell out what an employee’s “rights and remedies” are.

This bill clearly violated the “free exercise” of religion guaranteed in the First Amendment. Gov. Jerry Brown properly vetoed it.

Now along comes a decision by the Washington (State) Supreme Court applying a state law forbidding religious discrimination in hiring to the hiring practices of a religious organization that wants its employees to believe and live by its religious convictions.

The Yakima Union Gospel Mission, founded in 1936, shares the Gospel of Jesus Christ in words and in deeds, by providing care and solutions to homeless people. Now the court would force this mission and ministries like it to hire employees that don’t share its beliefs, and to penalize them if they refuse.

But true Religious Freedom allows individuals to believe as they choose and live accordingly, free from interference by government. Likewise, religious organizations must be able to do the same, without worry of government intervention. The Mission’s CEO, Mike Johnson, said, “Christian ministry is about pulling together a team for a life or death mission. Without forging this Christian mission, all we offer [are] services” which can be found elsewhere.

The Alliance Defending Freedom is right: “Religious organizations must be able to hire employees who share the beliefs of the organization. Otherwise, the organization’s entire purpose is undermined.”

I’m confident this court decision will not stand. Addressing cultural attitudes about the essence and depth of religion, however, is a more difficult matter.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bible Insight –
The Good Samaritans of Poland (1944)

A lawyer stood up to put [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” He answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.”

But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii [two day’s wages] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’

Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

(Luke 10:25-37 English Standard Version)

In a Wall Street Journal op-ed (September 16) Nicholas Tomaino speaks of Józef and Wiktoria Ulmas of Markowa, Poland. During World War 2, Nazis were searching for the 120 Jews who lived in this town of 4,500.

The Ulmas welcomed into their home the Saul Goldman family of five plus three of their neighbors. Betrayed about a year later, all were rounded up in their home at 4:00 a.m. on March 24, 2044. The Ulmas (including seven children) and their guests were executed and the home was looted.

Recently 30,000 attended a Mass in Markowa to remember the martyrdom of the Ulmas as they were “beatified” by the Catholic Church.

Tomaino says, “The underlined parable [in the Ulmas’ family Bible] that inspired the Ulmas…captured the essence of the Christian mission.” In the story of The Good Samaritan, Jesus taught about loving our neighbor in clear and, if necessary, costly ways.

“Christ analogically describes himself; he sets an example and urges us to go and do likewise. The Ulmas scribbled in the margin their answer to the call: ‘yes’.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1696271306383{background-color: #769abf !important;border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

THE MORALITY VIRUS

[To understand this “Letter to the Editor” you have to allow for SARCASM!]

A newspaper article on a possible flu pandemic said: “So far, human-to-human transmission is limited, but the strain has a 60 percent morality [sic!] rate.”

Whew! I’m glad this flu strand doesn’t have a 60 percent mortality rate! That would really be dangerous. Instead, this virus spreads morality. A 60 percent morality rate would be quite wonderful indeed!

Of course, there are vaccines we can get to protect us from the morality virus. A few shots of certain modern theologies will prevent moral infection, especially if the theology says the Bible’s moral teachings are culture-bound and limited. Or a vaccine might protect us by teaching that our social sciences give us moral insights superior to those of the biblical prophets and sages.

I for one would prefer we skip the vaccines and catch this flu!

– Donald P. Shoemaker, Long Beach Press-Telegram, n.d.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Message of the Month:
Let’s Be “An Ordinary Church”

“The problem of . . . goes deeper than scandals surrounding a few celebrity pastors. The problem of . . . arises with the desire to be an extraordinary church led by extraordinary communicators and extraordinary musicians creating an extraordinary experience.

“When it comes to church, we don’t need to be entertained. We don’t need to be wowed. We need ordinary churches with ordinary people doing ordinary work in communion with an extraordinarily loving God.”
(Ministry Watch, June 5, 2023—I’ve removed the name of the organization of churches-DS)

The letters to “The Seven Churches of Asia” (Revelation 2 and 3) have words of criticism from Jesus to all of them—all except one. That one church is the most ordinary, the least extraordinary, of the seven.

“I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” – Jesus (see Revelation 3:7-13)

Because of the church’s simple faithfulness, Jesus says, “I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut” (unstoppable opportunity). “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world” (protection through great trial). “Hold fast what you have” (not a call to “be more” or to “get more” but to guard the blessings and truth they already possess).

Years ago, I heard two “ministry-formative words”—one from a consultant and one from a pastor. First, the consultant had changed his answer to “What is a successful church?” Not a church of the extraordinary but of faithful love. “Jesus gave the two great commandments: love God and love your neighbor. If a church is teaching its people to love God with all their hearts and to love their neighbors as themselves, that is a successful church.”

Second, the pastor said, “We want to be one of Long Beach’s many good churches.” There is a big difference between striving to be an extraordinary church (“The greatest church in this city!”) and striving to be a good church.

Pray and work to be a “good, faithful, loving, ordinary church.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

We Won! We Actually Won!

We Won We won a victory, I guess, in a court settlement involving the Bank of America. Apparently it had something to do with some fees the bank was charging.

Whatever those fees were, I don’t know. I didn’t even know I had any dealings with the Bank of America. Mental lapse on my part, perhaps.

If the bank actually did wrong, I’ll never learn about it by reading the settlement: “The Court does not make any determination as to the merits of the case.” And the court made no determination on whether the hours spent litigating the case were reasonable or whether the charge per hour was reasonable.

The two “Class Representatives” got $1500 each. This seemed fair to the court. And there’s no reason to worry about the suffering the B of A might have caused these two individuals. “The court finds there was little or no realistic risk that the Class Representatives would suffer any of the potential consequences described [in the Complaint].”

So, with the payment of some money, including $499,054 in attorney’s fees and expenses, the bank considers it part of the cost of doing business.

Now, as members of the Class, we had our check for $1.49 to endorse and put in the bank. It was almost embarrassing to do so, and one could question whether the effort to deposit the check was worth the time.

Many years ago, when cell phones were still in their infancy, a class action suit against our phone carrier took place. The paperwork I’d receive from time to time invited anyone included in the action (like me) to write the law firm in San Francisco for more information. So I wrote the firm, asking among other things what the law firm’s financial gain might be when the case was settled.

I recall receiving a letter saying the fees weren’t determined yet. And I received a copy of the complaint. Frankly, as a writer and educator, I was astonished by how unprofessionally this complaint was written. And I was further astonished by the repetitive mention of all the horrible things this cell phone company was doing to the plaintiffs and the redress of grievances that was necessary for the plaintiffs to be made whole. It sounded like one of the most righteous legal actions in history!

I don’t remember the resolution of this class action suit, only that no money was received. Perhaps this was an instance of when a coupon would be given so you could get a discount on some cell phone accessories.

My observation is that many class action cases are settled along these lines: (1) no admission or determination of the Defendant’s wrongdoing;
(2) perhaps a donation by the Defendant to a charity; (3) payment of a nominal amount of money to the “Class Representatives”; (4) the members of the Class receive a token amount of money or a coupon for a discount, etc.;
(5) most of the money goes to attorneys’ fees and expenses. And we move on.

Of much greater concern is the legal actions sometimes taken in the name of the Americans with Disabilities Act (or similar state laws), which I’ll discuss in the future.

[STIPULATIONS: Nothing said here negates the important role Class Action suits plays in legitimate situations, nor the right of members of the Class to be made whole through a financial settlement, nor the vital role attorneys play in cases where justice truly needs to be done. Deuteronomy 16:18-20; Isaiah 1:17. “When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous.” – Proverbs 21:15][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Grace Community Church of Seal Beach CA –
Two Worship Services and Baptisms at the Beach Sunday, September 17

Grace Community Church My July 16 sermon “I wanted the High Road but Jesus Gave Me the Low Road” (Mark 10:32-45) is available at: www.gracesealbeach.org
Under “Resources” go to “Sermons” and click “July 17, 2023.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity magna cum laude from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for over 56 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

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September 2023 Newsletter

Posted on August 31, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”September 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

“Prophets Are Good for Business”
Applying Biblical Principles to Work Situations

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, for honorable dealings with the public, and for the glory of God.

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Business Virtues Worth Living

The founding family of “In-N-Out Burger” has made a sizeable donation to Biola University for the School of Cinema and Media Arts that will now bear the “Snyder” name.

Biola’s president wrote,

This naming of the Snyder School and the inspirational vision of Esther Snyder will be a testimony to students and alumni that humility in leadership, Christ-like love of others, entrepreneurial tenacity and upright business principles are virtues worth living.

New Book (available in October) by Linsi Snyder, third-generation family member of the founders and current president of In-N-Out Burger:

The Ins-N-Outs of In-N-Out Burger:
The Inside Story of California’s First Drive-Through
and How it Became a Beloved Cultural Icon

A Liturgy For Those Who Employ Others
by Douglas Kaine McKelvey

What a gift, O Lord, to be so blessed that I might extend this bounty to others
in the form of honest employment, whereby they might also
bless and provide for those who depend upon them.

Teach me each day the way of Christ—how better to serve those I would lead.
Give me wisdom and mercy in my dealings with those I hire.

May I be patient, and gracious, and slow to anger,
recognizing always your image within those I employ.
May I trust first in you as my provision,
that I may relate to others not as tools and commodities,
but as fellow pilgrims and fellow beggars, desperate for divine love.
Teach me to seek the eternal good of my employees,
even over my own profits.

Let me relate to each of these, your unique creations, in light of the priorities, not of the kingdoms of this world, but of the better kingdom of Heaven.
And may I, by the graciousness of my interactions with these employees,
establish a tone and a culture of kindness and grace
that will permeate every room and corridor and hall of this building
like a sweet perfume, like the aroma of Christ.

May those who labor here do so with a sense of peace and purpose and calm,
with a sense that they are valued and respected and appreciated,
and may my dealing with them be a steady witness and invitation,
beckoning each to respond more fully to the call of your Spirit.

O Lord, be present in this place.
Be at work in our work.
Be at your labors in this place of our labor.

Used by Permission
From Volume 1 of Every Moment Holy by Douglas Kaine McKelvey
Rabbit Room Press

www.everymomentholy.com

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Religious Liberty Vigilance –
• Living as Christians amongst those who are not

“It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”

“– Thomas Jefferson (Notes on the State of Virginia & Confession of Nat Turner)

[I generally agree with his comment but I think there are “neighbors” today who do strive to “pick our pockets” in support of their ideology. These neighbors are politicians and activists whose vision for the country, driven by their theology/ideology, must be paid for with money picked from our pockets via regulations, higher consumer prices, unnecessary taxes, etc.]

How should followers of Jesus Christ live with their diverse neighbors in this present world? One useful source of guidance is the excellent 2011 theology book The Christian Faith by Michael Horton, Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary California (and, I’m honored to say, once a student of mine at Biola University).

I pass on some helpful quotes from his book, mostly without comment.

“The Kingdom of God is no longer identified with any geopolitical kingdom on earth. It is no longer the era of driving the nations out of God’s holy land but of living side by side with unbelievers in charity. It is the hour of grace, not judgment.”

“Already now, the kingdom of God is present, but it is not identified with any nation or ethnic people. For now, it is manifested as a kingdom of grace, bringing the forgiveness of sins, not yet as the kingdom of glory, bringing final justice, righteousness, and peace to the earth.

“There is no nation, building complex, or plot of land to which we may point as the locus of God’s kingdom.”

“Therefore the believer’s attitude toward unbelieving neighbors is determined by common grace*, not by…taking judgment into our own hands… For now, James and John are rebuked for wanting to call down God’s judgment on unbelievers (Luke 9:53-55).”

“Neighbor love, inscribed on the human conscience in creation, still governs all laws and constitutions. It is [the era of] the rule of common law measured by equity (justice tempered by love), to which believers and unbelievers are bound in secular friendships.”

“The imprecatory Psalms**, invoking God’s judgment on enemies, are appropriate on the lips of David and the martyrs in heaven. However, they are entirely out of place on the lips of Christians today, guided as we are not by the ethics of intrusion but by the ethics of common grace*.”

“…we recognize the precariousness, and often the ambiguity, of this era of redemptive history in which we must live as the church. It is an in-between time. …[w]e are living in a different era, when God patiently endures the injustice, idolatry, and immorality of the nations so that his gospel can be brought peacefully to the ends of the earth.”

* “Common grace” refers to blessings from God available to all people, whether they believe in him or not. Please check my blog on common grace: “God’s Saving Grace and God’s Common Grace.” Also my writing: “Politics and God’s Kingdom.” Both are available at my Website: www.donaldshoemakerministries@verizon.net

** My only disagreement with the above is Horton’s comment that the imprecatory Psalms don’t belong on the lips of Christians today. I believe we may honestly petition God with our frustrations over evil people, things and happenings and beseech his righteous intervention as he deems best, not on our schedule but his, and not with our methods but his. For this purpose, we may find the words of our petition to God in an imprecatory psalm.

I believe the Apostle Paul would direct us to this kind of imprecation—putting judgment in his wise hands, not in ours:

Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God [I think this is an imprecation of sorts], for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:17-21 ESV)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

• Southern California’s Religious Heritage

Church A couple of decades back the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors removed from the county seal a cross located at the peak of the roof of Mission San Gabriel. This was a symbol of erasing religious culture before words like “cancel” became common.

No amount of cancellation can change real history. The mission was founded in 1771. Ten years later, in 1781, a culturally diverse group left the mission to found Los Angeles, “City of The Angels,” on September 4, 1781.

Archbishop José Gomez recently led a celebration of the cultural diversity,
42 languages, and almost 40 ethnicities among the 5 million people within the archdiocese today.

We are the losers if we fail to learn and appreciate our cultural heritage, especially its religious dimensions. We must celebrate its positives even as we face up to its failures.

People [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Messages of the Month –
#1 – Is God “for” Capital Punishment?

The Lord tests the righteous,
but his soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence. – Psalm 11:5

O you who love the Lord, hate evil! – Psalm 97:10

Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed,
for God made man in his own image. – Genesis 9:6

August 9, 1969 – Leslie Van Houten and other members of the cultic Charles Manson family entered the Los Angeles home of Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. As she held down Rosemary, others murdered Leno. Van Houten and others then stabbed Rosemary 41 times.

Van Houten was sentenced to death. The death sentence was commuted to a life sentence when the California Supreme Court overturned all death sentences prior to 1972. Van Houten, now 73, was paroled on July 11, 2023.

September 11, 2001 – Terrorists murdered 2,977 people in attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon and in the crash of United Airlines Flight 93. Now it appears that, after decades of delays and legal disputes, four masterminds of 9/11 will escape execution.

October 27, 2018 – Robert G. Bowers entered the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburg and shot eleven Jewish worshipers to death. On August 2, 2023 a federal jury recommended Bowers be executed.

Capital Punishment—Is it a cornerstone of justice or a relic of barbarianism? Just retribution or revenge? Supported by Jesus, who said he came to fulfill the Law of Moses and not annul it, or superseded by Jesus who said, “love your enemies” (Matthew 5:17, 44)?

Nine Insights from Scripture and Reason:

#1 – Capital punishment for murder is the only commandment found in “The Pentateuch,” the five Books of Moses (Genesis 9:6; Exodus 21:12; Leviticus 24:17; Numbers 35:16-21, Deuteronomy 19:11-13).

#2 – Capital Punishment (for willful, pre-meditated murder of another human being) is not contrary to the value of a human life, but because of the value of a human life. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6).

#3 – Capital punishment (and other forms of retributive justice) are not forms of barbaric, lawless vengeance.

Rather, they were taught in Moses’ law as forms of proportionate justice (“an eye for an eye,” not “a life for an eye”) rendered by legitimate officials (“as the judges decide”). See Exodus 21:22-23.

#4 – Several safeguards were established to help ensure a just judgment. Bear in mind that the Law of Moses existed, of course, before forensic science existed. Fingerprints and DNA evidence and video evidence are more exacting than even eyewitness accounts. But eyewitnesses are still vital.

Here are some safeguards taught in the Law of Moses:
• The proof for guilt was determined by rigorous standards, perhaps even a higher standard than today’s “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
• Conviction required the testimony of at least two witnesses (Deuteronomy 17:6). One was not enough. So it was possible that a guilty person could go free because of a lack of sufficient evidence.
• The truthful testimony of eyewitnesses was ensured two ways:
o The eyewitnesses had to be the first persons to throw the stones at the execution. Modern application: The eyewitnesses must “drop the pellets” (Deuteronomy 17:7).
o The eyewitnesses would receive the penalty of death if they perjured themselves at the trial (Deuteronomy 19:16-19).
• Difficult cases must be referred to expert judges (Deuteronomy 17:8-9).

Reasonable safeguards in the spirit of these biblical safeguards are therefore justified—not as ongoing stalling tactics but for the sake of justice.

#5 – “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Ongoing stalling tactics and other delays (by either side) compromise the cause of justice and make any final sentence to be more the result of skill at legal maneuvering than of justice.

The “deterrent effect” of a death sentence is lost if it is delayed. “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil” (Ecclesiastes 8:11).

It is hard to see how an execution carried out decades after the murder can have any deterrent effect or even serve the cause of justice well in other ways. Contrast this with the execution of Giuseppe Zangara, who attempted to kill President-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt on February 15, 1933 and who actually did murder the mayor of Chicago in the incident. On March 20 of 1933 Zangara was executed.

#6 – Jesus’ teachings about love and forgiveness must not be interpreted contrary to the clear teachings of the Mosaic Law. Jesus didn’t come to annul the law, nor may we teach others that the law has been annulled by Jesus’ teachings about love, turning the other cheek, etc. (Matthew 5:17-20).

#7 – An unsolved murder requires contrition by the nearest community (Deuteronomy 21:1-9). This is a fascinating concept that we sometimes see today when an unidentified murder victim receives a dignified burial and is mourned by the citizens of the community. It deserves modern reflection and practice and is a positive statement on how a community values human life.

#8 – God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 33:11), and we shouldn’t either. An execution isn’t a time to celebrate (for which we have many bad examples). Rather, it is a time to mourn and commit ourselves to working and praying for a more just society that finds ways to deter major crimes like murder, protect the innocent, and punish the guilty.

#9 – Rating political candidates over their opposition to or support of capital punishment is simplistic and naïve, overlooking the complexities of the criminal process among other reasons. The same is true for most other “up or down” political scorecard ratings, but that’s a different subject!

#2 – The Lord Hates Robbery and Violence against the Innocent, Poor and Helpless

O Lord, who is like you, delivering the poor from him who is too strong for him, the poor and needy from him who robs him? – Psalm 35:10

Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees,
and the writers who keep writing oppression,
to turn aside the needy from justice
and to rob the poor of my people of their right,
that widows may be their spoil,
and that they may make the fatherless their prey! – Isaiah 10:1-2

I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong. – Isaiah 61:8

Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. – Jeremiah 22:3

“Smash and grab” robberies in California of large stores or small stores of average folk just trying to make a living have been widely reported. Two robberies against elderly women have occurred, leaving them seriously injured. There should be no doubt about the wrongfulness of these deeds in the minds of those whose moral values have been formed by biblical teaching. Biblical imagery: blood unjustly shed cries to God for vengeance. Laws and policies that stimulate such conduct are especially denounced in Isaiah 10:1.

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Now Only a Memory

Blossoming tree in February 2023

A blossoming tree greeted us in early February of 1972 when we returned to California from Ohio after my father’s death on February 3. We left Ohio in a bad snowstorm and endured winter conditions on the way home. The blossoming tree in winter was a profound reminder of the Bible’s promise of resurrection life. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] trees Every February for the next half-century I’ve been reminded of this as I saw this tree near my home in full blossom.

Alas, Tropical Storm Hilary would take the tree down 51 years later! [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity magna cum laude from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for over 56 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

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August 2023 Newsletter

Posted on July 31, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”August 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1304″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Religious Liberty Vigilance – The Supreme Court
What Happened & What Should Happen?
““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.”
– 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

The recent term of the U.S. Supreme Court is surely regarded as momentous by almost all observers—for it or against it. Two decisions in particular should be seen as victories for freedom of speech and freedom of religion.

Groff v. DeJoy – You need to spend more than nickels and dimes.

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibited discrimination by an employer against an employee due to the latter’s religion. “Religion” includes “all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief…”
An employer must show “that he is unable to reasonably accommodate an employee’s or prospective employee’s religious observance or practice without undue hardship on the conduct of the employer’s business.”

The case involved a postal worker’s objection, based on his religious convictions, to being required to work on Sundays. At issue was the 1977 case Trans World Airlines v. Hardison. That case came up with the bizarre notion that “undue hardship” meant incurring costs more than “de minimis” expense. Imagine a business being required to make improvements to satisfy the Americans with Disabilities Act only up to the point of “bare minimum” expenditures. Who would understand “undue hardship” so minimally?

A unanimous Supreme Court rejected the “de minimis” standard and returned the case back to the lower courts for reconsideration. “Undue hardship” means what it says and courts must resolve such cases in light of its common sense application.

303 Creative LLC v. Elenis – Can government compel speech?

Lorie Smith produces custom websites for weddings. But because of her religious convictions she posted a statement that she would only speak messages consistent with her faith. So she declined to design a website for a same-sex marriage. Colorado’s antidiscrimination law prohibited her posted statement and required her to create websites celebrating same-sex marriage.

The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that the First Amendment prohibits Colorado from forcing a website designer to create expressive designs displaying messages with which the designer disagrees. This judgment was based on the “free speech” provision of the First Amendment, which guarantees “freedom to think as you will and to speak as you think.” The decision was not based on the “free exercise” of religion provision in the First Amendment.

The First Amendment’s protections belong to all, not just to speakers whose motives the government finds worthy. In this case, Colorado seeks to force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance. In the past, other States…have similarly tested the First Amendment’s boundaries by seeking to compel speech they thought vital at the time. But abiding the Constitution’s commitment to the freedom of speech means all will encounter ideas that are “misguided, or even hurtful.” …Consistent with the First Amendment, the Nation’s answer is tolerance, not coercion. The First Amendment envisions the United States as a rich and com- plex place where all persons are free to think and speak as they wish, not as the government demands. Colorado cannot deny that promise consistent with the First Amendment. [Syllabus, p. 6]

I suggest that any who might be refused services by Ms. Smith say this to her:

“I strongly disagree with your policies which, you say, rise from your religious convictions. In fact, I absolutely won’t give you my money and will happily take my business elsewhere. Nonetheless, I strongly support your right to speak your conscience and exercise your faith.”

All who embrace a robust understanding of the freedoms protected by the First Amendment have cause to celebrate these decisions.

NOTE: My words on these two cases are summaries only. Please consult the actual texts of the court’s decisions and articles discussing them for more detailed facts and analyses.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1690827722468{background-color: #6394bf !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]What’s Next for Religious Liberty?

Has the time come for the Supreme Court to overturn its Smith v. Employment Division decision of 1990, which ruled that the First Amendment didn’t protect religious practice when the effect of a law of generally applicability burdened the free exercise of religion.

Should the court return to a test established in Sherbert v. Verner (1963)? The test argued that government had to demonstrate a compelling state interest before it could justify burdening on someone’s religious beliefs or practices. Government was also required to employ the least restrictive means possible to meet its legitimate goal.

I would welcome this move.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

grocery Back the Badge

“You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:15 (The 8th Commandment)

“When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, the hearts of the people are filled with schemes to do wrong.” – Ecclesiastes 8:11

target “As a law enforcement officer, my fundamental duty is to serve mankind – to safeguard lives and property, to protect the innocent against deception, the weak against oppression or intimidation, and the peaceful against violence or disorder… “ – Law Enforcement Code of Ethics

As a citizen who cares for my community and as a Christian who believes God has established human authorities to commend what is good and punish wrongdoers (Romans 13:1-5), I am appalled by the growing disregard for law and for the property of others. I grieve with law enforcement personnel who have dedicated their lives to “safeguard lives and property” and “protect…the peaceful against violence or disorder” and who then find their hands tied.

Bold and aggressive shoplifting, without consequences, has become the crime du jour, perpetrated oftentimes by youthful offenders.

In my neighborhood, “TARGET is the Target.”

Adolescent teens from a nearby middle school “arrive at the store by bicycle every day, within 10 minutes of school ending, followed by dozens of more students walking to the grocery department.” Witnesses have reported “students riding their own scooters or the store handicap electric carts, throwing store items at each other, running around, yelling and screaming, and of course stealing.” This has been happening since the store started ignoring petty thefts. (Source: the weekly local Beachcomber, June 30, 2023) *

There is plenty of blame to go around, and it is well deserved:

1. The Parents, who are not instilling moral values and monitoring their children’s whereabouts and conduct when they leave school.
2. The California Voters (and non-voters who are complicit by their passivity), who passed Proposition 47 in 2014, which among other nefarious things made theft of items valued under $950 a misdemeanor.
3. The “Woke” District Attorney in Los Angeles County, who will not prosecute misdemeanors. Hence, why should local authorities bother to investigate the petty thefts? This D.A. is thus telling the perpetrators they have nothing to fear, whereas the Bible says, “If you do wrong, be afraid” for the authorities will punish the wrongdoer (Romans 13:4-6).
4. The State Legislature, for considering Senate Bill 553 (passed and now before the Assembly), which prohibits “the employer from maintaining policies that require employees who are not dedicated safety personnel to confront active shooters or suspected shoplifters.” (I must say I’m not against the intention of this provision. Considering the risks, I would not want my teenager working for minimum wage to be required to engage thieves. I just don’t like all the bill’s mandates.)
5. The Store Management, which facilitates bad conduct by turning its back and eyes away from what’s happening. Trained security and surveillance cameras and a determination to summon police and push for prosecution of offenders would quickly “spread the word!” Do the management and the corporate suits over it not realize the impact of bad conduct on shoppers, who know they will see higher prices and feel intimidation and lack of safety if they are present at these heists?
6. The School District, which does not take responsibility for “students” still under its legal control who have disruptive behavior and cause economic harm.

IF the parents had to go to the police station to pick up their teenagers after their arrest, and IF the store management made it clear it will take the parents to civil court to recover the value of the stolen goods plus punitive damages, and IF the public realizes that toleration of petty crimes will lead to growing disregard for authority and to greater crimes, THEN we will see improvement.

Will conditions be better this fall when classes resume?
Will law enforcement be allowed to do the job it is trained to do,
and be appreciated and honored when it does its job?

* My councilman reported to me that cooperative efforts by the police department, the store management and the school district are now working to address this problem.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bible Insight –
“Does God Really Care What I Wear to Church?”

“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God.” *

– Ecclesiastes 5:1 ESV

“God doesn’t care what I wear to church. He looks at my heart.” So goes a common mantra. But “common” and “correct” are two different things.

Better to say, “God knows my heart, so when I go to worship I’m open before him—there is nothing I can hide. And God also cares how I look.”

As we live through the warmest days of summer, what I’m sharing here is timely. Some will read this and think I’m showing my years. Not really, for the teaching is far older than I am. Compared to the age of the teaching I’m giving here, I’m an embryo!

What about my apparel at church? I can remember when “Sunday Best” meant that people dressed up to go to church. That’s still true in some places. I’m very comfortable going to my church dressed casually. After all, the southern California church where my wife and I have belonged for 46 years is in a beach community and just a block from the Blue Pacific! Would we expect “Sunday Best” at a “Service on the Sand”?

During my pastoral career I’ve seen a trend grow (some say it is now receding, thank God) to create a church experience that’s “market-driven,” giving people what they want and not making anyone feel out of place. So our places of worship may resemble secular places like auditoriums or big-box stores, and it’s OK to dress at church just like we choose to dress anywhere else in public.

Our church facility was used once for a memorial service for an elderly man who had lived in a local retirement community. Almost all the men present wore coats and ties. The young guest pastor who officiated at the memorial wore shorts. Is something missing here?

*I understand the New Testament to teach, in this “post-temple” era, that the “house of God” is the gathering of believers, not a physical place, though a place dedicated to worship deserves respect too. We don’t let “just anything” take place in a worship facility.

Some Biblical Teaching about Clothing

What was the first thing God did (not said) because Adam and Eve sinned?
“The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them” (Genesis 3:21). It appears that clothing has definite importance to God.

Under Moses, God gave instructions on how priests must be dressed as they performed the worship of God (Exodus 28), even down to their underwear: “Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place…” (28:42-43). The priests were to wear several “holy garments” for “glory and beauty,” for covering (modesty), dignity, symbolism and to build respect for their ministry.

The teachings get even worse by modern thinking! “A woman shall not wear a man’s garment, nor shall a man put on a woman’s cloak, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 22:5). This scripture differentiates the two genders by their dress. Either this scripture can be tossed aside, or it’s as relevant as a scripture can be!

You say, “Yeah, but all this is under the Law!” Yes, and so is “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) and “Do not degrade your daughter by making her a prostitute” (19:29) and “When a foreigner lives with you in the land, do not mistreat him” (19:31). Remember, Jesus came not to abolish the Law but to fulfill it (by keeping it at its deepest levels) and Jesus taught us not to break the Law or teach others that it’s OK to break it (Matthew 5:17-20).

I accept the understanding that parts of Moses’ law are civil (governing Israel as a nation), or ceremonial (atonement law that, once fulfilled in Jesus, is not literally perpetuated), or moral (still binding on us). But God doesn’t give us a color-coded Bible that clearly marks out the three, so much is open to discussion. For sure, we can’t just casually brush off these teachings by saying, “That was under the Law.”

When we leave the Old Testament and get to the New Testament do we find all references to dress in worship cancelled in favor of “heart worship” (as if proper Old Testament worship wasn’t from the heart)? Not at all. Here is one important scripture on how we should appear before God in worship.
“I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.” – 1 Timothy 2:8-10

Paul speaks on proper decorum for worship.* He assumes that “lifting up of hands” would be commonplace (Psalm 28:2; 63:4). What must be equally common is the sincerity of this outward act (or any outward act, like walking forward to receive Communion or putting money in the offering plate). “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart” (Psalm 24:3-4). Godly living and the absence of bad speech or attitudes is essential, or else the outward act of “lifting hands” is hypocritical and phony—an action by a spiritual show-off!

modestly Nor does God approve of physical show-offs! “Respectable apparel” shows modesty and self-control. What is “immodest” attire? I can’t exactly define it** and cultural norms may apply. Paul has 1st century attire in the Roman world in mind. If immodesty appalled him then, what would he say about today’s immodesty?

I call for neither legalistic rules nor permissiveness in what we wear to church.
I call for principled and reasonable modesty, especially for worship leaders. And it’s a call for us all to give more thought than our culture gives when it comes to our decorum as we worship together in the presence of a Holy God.

Why? Because we must “worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for ‘our God is a consuming fire.’” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

* I think the guidance for “men” and “women” is practically interchangeable in these verses. Certainly Paul wouldn’t allow men (but not women) to wear immodest apparel. And women’s hands should be “holy” too, when they raise their hands in prayer.
** Perhaps Justice Potter Stewart’s words apply. He said in a pornography case before the Supreme Court in 1964 that he couldn’t define it but “I know it when I see it.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The Lord’s Prayer” Petition 6 –
“Lord, I need you to keep me from evil!”

“Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil”
– Matthew 6:13 ESV

In review, the Lord’s Prayer has six petitions. Three pertain to God and his glory; three pertain to ourselves and our needs. We need (1) physical provisions (“daily bread”), (2) restored relationships (“forgiveness”) and (3) moral strength (“deliverance from evil”).

Temptation is as old as the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). Since Jesus lived as “one of us,” he faced temptations—temptations greater than we will ever face. We learn from his victories. And we are guided by his instructions on prayer.

1. With this Petition we pray:
“God, direct us through LIFE’S TESTINGS.”

Right off the bat, this petition has a problem: why would God ever will to lead us into temptation? We are clearly taught in James 1:13-14 that God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. Instead, each of us is tempted when we are enticed by our own evil desires.

So temptations come from within. They don’t come from God. Yet God does “test” us in a sense, and we certainly “test” God, living in ways that dare him to discipline us.

Matthew 4:1 – “Then Jesus was led by the spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” Jesus was genuinely tempted in matters of physical need (hunger), an offer that would compromise his character in order to achieve glory without suffering, and the offer of dramatic protection in a case of reckless behavior. He was not role-playing. Jesus resisted temptation not by being a “Man of Steel” off of whom the darts of the devil just bounced harmlessly. He resisted by drawing on the proper application of the Scriptures—a resource available to us all.
Here are some suggestions for understanding this point:

• God permits testing (often for unknown reasons—the godly man Job was never given the answer to “Why did God allow this to happen?”)

• God’s purpose is not to destroy but to strengthen. He permits testing for our growth, not failure.

• God knows our limit and draws the line before it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

• Even when we fail a temptation, God will use that to make us better and to serve him more effectively (Luke 22:31).

• Never walk knowingly into temptation after praying to be delivered from it.

2. With this Petition we pray:
“God, protect us from the DEVIL and his TRAPS.”

The Greek can be translated either “…from evil” or “…from the evil one.”

• We all should be in prayer about any sin in our lives that often afflicts us. What is a temptation for one may not be a temptation for another.

• A prayer to be strong against the Devil is always important as well.

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9

• We should pray for one another so we may be:

– Strong in the face of temptation (avoiding over-confidence)
– Strong in the face of adversity (overcoming persecution)
– Strong in the face of opportunity (achieving honorable success)

3. With this Petition we pray for one another:
“God, guide us through our weaknesses by your grace.”

• Keep us from pride and presumption and carelessness.

• Keep us from a spirit of entitlement: what we think we have a right to (this leads to envy, jealousy, strife, cheating, stealing).

• Show us the “way of escape” from a temptation we are facing.

• Give us extraordinary strength when we must go through an extraordinary testing.

• Help us learn from the past so we won’t fall into the same failures again.

O Thou that helpest our infirmities,
allow us not to enter into temptation;
to be overcome or suffer loss thereby;
but make a way for us to escape,
so that we may be more than conquerors, through thy love,
over sin and all the consequences of it.
– Prayer by John Wesley

Still our ancient foe doth seek to work us woe.
His craft and power are great,
and armed with cruel hate,
On earth is not his equal.

Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be loosing,
Were not the right man on our side
The man of God’s own choosing.

Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is He!
– “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” by Martin Luther

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www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for over 56 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

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July 2023 Newsletter

Posted on June 28, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”July 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Tom Hank’s Words about Truth
at Harvard’s Commencement

Tom Hank “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.”

– Tom Hanks speaking at Harvard University’s 372nd commencement on May 25

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A “Good Word” for Independence Day

Frederick Douglass (1817 or 1818-1895)

Slave, American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. After escaping from slavery in Maryland, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement. He became famous for his oratory and antislavery writings.

The Continuing Relevance of Frederick Douglass
By Ilya Somin, The Volokh Conspiracy blog hosted by Reason, February 4, 2023
Used by permission of the author

One of Douglass’ most famous works was his 1852 July 4 speech, “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?” This is today mainly remembered for its blistering condemnation of American slavery and hypocrisy about liberty. But it’s worth emphasizing that it also praises the ideals of the American Founding, and even the founders themselves, as in this passage:

The signers of the Declaration of Independence were brave men. They were great men too — great enough to give fame to a great age. It does not often happen to a nation to raise, at one time, such a number of truly great men. The point from which I am compelled to view them is not, certainly, the most favorable; and yet I cannot contemplate their great deeds with less than admiration. They were statesmen, patriots and heroes, and for the good they did, and the principles they contended for, I will unite with you to honor their memory.

They loved their country better than their own private interests; and, though this is not the highest form of human excellence, all will concede that it is a rare virtue, and that when it is exhibited, it ought to command respect. He who will, intelligently, lay down his life for his country, is a man whom it is not in human nature to despise. Your fathers staked their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, on the cause of their country. In their admiration of liberty, they lost sight of all other interests.

Both Douglass They were peace men; but they preferred revolution to peaceful submission to bondage. They were quiet men; but they did not shrink from agitating against oppression. They showed forbearance; but that they knew its limits. They believed in order; but not in the order of tyranny. With them, nothing was “settled” that was not right. With them, justice, liberty and humanity were “final;” not slavery and oppression. You may well cherish the memory of such men.

Both Douglass’ denunciation of slavery and hypocrisy and his praise of the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence are relevant to current debates about how we should teach and think about American history. The former is a rebuke to those on the right who seek to minimize or ignore America’s wrongs. The latter to those on the left who claim its liberal ideals are insignificant compared to those wrongs, or even contributors to them.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Grace Community Church
of Seal Beach, California

Picture of a large portion of the congregation taken
between our 2nd and 3rd Sunday services (c. 2004).

It has always been a privilege to speak at this attentive church, since I first had the opportunity in the late 1970’s.

I’ll have that opportunity again on JULY 16, when I speak on Mark 10:32-44

“I Wanted ‘The High Road’ but Jesus Gave Me ‘The Low Road’”

Sunday morning services are at 8:00, 9:30 & 11:00.
View them live or later at:
www.gracesealbeach.org[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

“The Lord’s Prayer” Petition 5 –
Must We Forgive to be Forgiven?

“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”
– Matthew 6:12 ESV

“For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” – Matthew 6:14-15

This is the only commentary Jesus provided for the prayer he told us to pray. Did he (and Matthew) realize we would especially question this petition?

We’ve got two big problems. We need forgiveness from God and from others, and we need to extend forgiveness to others. The Lord’s Prayer helps us care for both of these big problems.

In the second half of The Lord’s Prayer we pray for ourselves and our needs. We’ve seen how we pray for our physical needs (“Give us this day our daily bread.”). Now we see how we pray for our relational needs (“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”)

On October 12, 2011 a disgruntled ex-husband entered a beauty salon in Seal Beach, California and shot to death his ex-wife and seven others in the worst mass murder in Orange County history. As chaplain for the police department I immediately ended the sabbatical I was on and focused my time and energy on this traumatic event for weeks (I was less than three months from retirement as senior pastor of my church and this was the worst event of my 42 years of ministry).

I attended most of the funerals and officiated at the funeral for the salon owner. I told the hundreds in attendance, “I don’t believe in unconditional forgiveness.” At another funeral the pastor said, “We need to forgive.” An officer leaned over to me and said, “I have a problem with forgiveness.” Me too. So we (two pastors) had conflicting words on forgiveness. Who’s right?

Forgiveness Principle #1 – Pick your Term!

In Jesus’ instructions, the text uses three different Greek words:

“Debt” (opheilema – Matthew 6:12) – “Forgive us our debts”
This is an obligation we owe (like the balance owed on your credit card). Too big to pay, but it must be erased—somehow.

“Transgression” or “Trespass” (paraptoma – Matthew 6:14-16)
We have crossed a line we should not have crossed—a line separating obedience from disobedience.

“Sin” (hamartia – Luke 11:4) – “Forgive us our sins”
This is the common word for “sin” – “to miss the [moral] mark.”

As a childhood Lutheran, I would pray, “Forgive us our trespasses.” But later I learned that many pray, “Forgive us our debts” (as in the very familiar song by Albert Malotti). Lutherans have “transgressions”; Baptists have “debts.”

Forgiveness Principle #2 – We all have sinned and need Forgiveness!

Our wrongs are summed up in the confession of The Book of Common Prayer, “We have not loved [God] with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.” They include sins of the heart, disposition and act.

Forgiveness Principle #3 – Forgiveness is Conditional
(not “Unconditional”) and yet Very Generous.

We are to forgive as God forgives us. And God forgives us conditionally:
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9).

American Evangelical Christians widely teach that forgiveness should be unconditional. “As soon as someone wrongs you, immediately forgive that person in your heart.”

But what did Jesus teach? He taught forgiveness is conditional: “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him” – Luke 17:3-4.

So forgiveness is conditional, but it is also very generous and open to the reality that we may sin again and again, even with the same sins. Are we “Christ-like” in our willingness to forgive?

Forgiveness Principle #4 – Forgiveness is primarily Inter-relational; it is not primarily Therapeutic.
(contrary to the message on the right)

Many teach immediate forgiveness as a way to keep one’s own psychological health. This isn’t biblical “forgiveness,” but the Bible does consider our inner wellbeing: “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice” – Ephesians 4:31, cf. 4:32; see Philippians 4:4-9.

Forgiveness Principle #5 – We would be Hypocrites to expect God to forgive us more than we are willing to forgive others.

“Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” – this petition creates a proportion, a standard of measurement. When we pray “The Lord’s Prayer” we are not asking God to forgive us more than we are willing to forgive others.

Read the parable of the “forgiven but unforgiving servant” (Matthew 18:21-35). The servant received massive forgiveness from his master (typifying God’s forgiveness). But the servant refused to forgive another servant who owed him a comparatively small amount (typifying unwillingness to forgive others). Result: the master’s original forgiveness of the massive debt was revoked and the servant became subject to the penalties of his debt.

Forgiveness Principle #6 – A Genuine Request for Forgiveness has certain Characteristics, such as:

1. Remorse – “I am truly sorry.”
2. Repentance – “From the heart I confess to you that I did wrong.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance” (The Cost of Discipleship).
3. Restitution – “I am willing to do what I can to make things right.” (This point should be kept flexible—it is as much an accountability lesson for the offender as it is a payment to the person wronged.)
4. Resolve – “By God’s strength, I will not do this again.” (Fact is, we may. That’s what requires the “seven times a day” forgiveness Jesus taught. But the resolve needs to be sincerely made.)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – THE PROVERBS!

“The glory of young men is their strength,
but the splendor of old men is their gray hair.”
(Proverbs 20:29 English Standard Version)

Yes!!! I love the Bible’s “Book of Proverbs” – a collection of inspired and inspiring words of insight and advice. They are practical and “ring true,” yet they are often ignored. Here are a few, and they require no commentary. Bear in mind, many of the proverbs are a father’s words to his son, but they easily apply to others. Read them throughout July—one chapter a day for 31 days.

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,
when it is in your power to do it.
Do not say to your neighbor, “Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give it”—when you have it with you. (3:27-28)

Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise…
she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
How long will you lie there, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man. (6:6-11)

There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers. (6:6-11)

When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. (10:19)

Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense,
but a man of understanding remains silent. (11:12)

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,
but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered. (11:13)

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes,
but a wise man listens to advice. (12:15)

The vexation of a fool is known at once,
but the prudent ignores an insult. (12:16)

Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. (13:3)

Whoever spares the rod hates his son,
but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him. (13:24)

Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,
but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly. (14:28)

Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker,
but he who is generous to the needy honors him. (14:31)

Better is a dinner of herbs where love is
than a fattened ox and hatred with it. (15:17)

A hot-tempered man stirs up strife,
but he who is slow to anger quiets contention. (15:18)

Better is a little with righteousness
than great revenues with injustice. (16:8)

Better is a dry morsel with quiet
than a house full of feasting with strife. (17:1)

Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,
and whoever is led astray by it is not wise. (20:1)

Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets;
therefore do not associate with a simple babbler. (20:19)

Do not eat the bread of a man who is stingy;
do not desire his delicacies,
for he is like one who is inwardly calculating.
“Eat and drink!” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.
You will vomit up the morsels that you have eaten,
and waste your pleasant words. (22:6-8)

Hear, my son, and be wise,
and direct your heart in the way.
Be not among drunkards
or among gluttonous eaters of meat,
for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,
and slumber will clothe them with rags. (23:19-21)

Be not a witness against your neighbor without cause,
and do not deceive with your lips.
Do not say, “I will do to him as he has done to me;
I will pay the man back for what he has done.” (24:28-29)

Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own
is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. (26:17)

For lack of wood the fire goes out,
and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. (26:20)

Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
a stranger, and not your own lips. (27:1-2)

Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity
than a rich man who is crooked in his ways. (28:6)

Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. (28:13)

An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her. (31:10, 28)

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Religious Liberty Vigilance –

“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must…undergo the fatigue of supporting it.” – Thomas Paine

“No provision in our constitution ought to be dearer to man, than that which protects the rights of conscience against the enterprizes of the civil authority.” – Thomas Jefferson
– 1st Amendment

Parental Rights and a Child’s Gender Identity

Assembly Bill 957 is now before the California Senate.

According to its author, Lori Wilson (D-Suisun City), AB 957 clarifies that affirming a child’s gender identity is in the best interest of the child for purposes of child custody and visitation decisions, increasing the likelihood that a gender affirming parent is given legal custody and authority to make important decisions about the child’s medical care and education.

Here is an important part of the text of AB 957 (italics are part of the text):

Section 3011 of the Family Code is amended to read:
(a) In making a determination of the best interests of the child in a proceeding described in Section 3021, the court shall, among any other factors it finds relevant and consistent with Section 3020, consider all of the following:
(1) (A) The health, safety, and welfare of the child.
(B) As used in this paragraph, the health, safety, and welfare of the child includes a parent’s affirmation of the child’s gender identity.

The good intentions and evident biases of the author and supporters aside, this bill further erodes parental authority in deference to governmental powers that “know what’s best” for a child. The government has a role to play in the wellbeing of children, but its role should be one of “last resort” rather than “first resort” as so often seems to be the case today.

If failure to support a child’s “gender identity” comes to be regarded as contrary to a child’s “health, safety and welfare,” then this could join a list of other parental “wrongs” that require mandatory reporters to report the parents to child protective services when they become aware of the situation.

Further, the law leaves open issues such as how long and how deeply the child has identified as transgender, the child’s age, and whether affirmation must include a willingness to support sex-change treatments.

AB 957 ought to be defeated but this is unlikely in California. It will become one more cause of the dis empowerment of parents who don’t walk the paths of secular orthodoxy and will further increase the disenchantment of many Californians with their state government.

Read the rather slanted report on AB 957 by the Senate Judiciary Committee:
https://sjud.senate.ca.gov/sites/sjud.senate.ca.gov/files/ab_957_wilson_sjud_analysis.pdf

Also, read the APPENDIX in this newsletter for a related issue, reported by a law professor: “Parents’ Constitutional Rights may be violated when a teacher pursues a ‘Transgender Agenda’ in the classroom.”

“Foul Ball!”

The Dodgers and
The Sisters of
Perpetual Indulgence

In our “tolerant” culture there seem to be two religious traditions it’s still OK to mock and belittle: Protestant Fundamentalists and Roman Catholics.

What happened recently between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence has been a three-ring circus.

“In Ring One” – The Dodgers invite the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to its “Pride Night” game on June 16. The “Sisters” are, per the LA Times, “a charity, protest and satirical performance organization that uses humor, drag and religious imagery to call attention to sexual intolerance.”

“In Ring Two” – Catholics and Catholic civil rights groups and others express their opposition to recognizing a group that, they say, mocks women religious and the Virgin Mary. (Their depictions of Jesus and Mary, some of which I’ve viewed, are offensive and clearly at least PG-13.) So the Dodgers disinvite the Sisters, “Given the strong feelings of people who have been offended by the Sisters’ inclusion in our evening…”

“In Ring Three” – The Dodgers apologize. “After significant pushback from the LGBTQ community they were purporting to honor, the Los Angeles Dodgers have reinvited the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence to the team’s Pride Night celebration June 16” (USA Today) and will give the group a “Community Hero Award” for promoting “human rights, diversity, and spiritual enlightenment.” (This award was presented before a very sparse pre-game audience.)

When I ponder what’s wise or foolish, or innocent or harmful, on behavior questions I will often do what I call a “category shift.” A more pedestrian way to say it: “What would it look like if the shoe were put on a different foot?”

So I’ve been thinking about how the “Sisters” would be regarded if they were mocking some religious body other than Roman Catholics. Let’s just ask…

What if they were mocking Islam? What if they dressed up in garb that poked fun at imams and Muslim women in hijabs? What if their display mocked the Prophet Mohammed instead of the Virgin Mary?

Well, if the Sisters even survived the fatwa that would be issued against them, do you think a baseball team would invite them to a celebration, no matter how much “charity” work the group might do?[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1687978387837{background-color: #a7bdf2 !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The decision to honor a group that clearly mocks the Catholic faith and makes light of the sincere and holy vocations of our women religious who are an integral part of our Church is what has caused disappointment, concern, anger, and dismay from our Catholic community.”

“The ministries and vocations of our religious women should be honored and celebrated through genuine acts of appreciation, reverence, and respect for their sacred vows, and for all the good works of our nuns and sisters in service of the mission of the Catholic Church.”

“The Archdiocese stands against any actions that would disparage and diminish our Christian faith and those who dedicate their lives to Christ.”
– May 23 statement by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Note: The First Amendment prohibits government at all levels from interfering with the “free exercise” of religion. It does not apply to non-government groups or to individual citizens. Still, the First Amendment definitely has pedagogical influence and persuasive authority on citizens, companies and others that stimulate freedom of speech, the free exercise of religion and more.

“Tolerance” (in the best sense of the word) acknowledges the right to embrace and firmly express one’s views with which others may strongly disagree. They, in turn, have the right to firmly express their own opinions and convictions. All should be free of intimidation or attacks on their persons, property or livelihood.

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

His graduate work includes a Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary, a Master of Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary with a concentration in Christian ethics, and a Doctor of Ministry from American Baptist Seminary of the West (now Berkeley School of Theology) with a concentration on the Charismatic Movement. His law school studies included a course on the First Amendment. He and his wife Mary have been married for over 57 years. They have two children and six grandchildren.

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APPENDIX: Parents’ Constitutional Rights may be violated when a teacher pursues a “Transgender Agenda” in the classroom
By Eugene Volokh (The Volokh Conspiracy, June 2, 2023)

Eugene Volokh is the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA.
Used by Permission of the author. [BOLD is in the text, not added by me—DS]

Some excerpts from the decision in Tatel v. Mt. Lebanon School Dist., decided June 2, 2023 by Judge Joy Flowers Conti (Western District of Pennsylvania):

This case involves the extent of parents’ constitutional rights when a public school permits a teacher to inculcate the teacher’s beliefs about transgender topics in first-grade students over the objections of their parents. As noted in this court’s October 27, 2022 opinion, this case is not about treating all students with kindness, tolerance and respect.

Here, the parents allege that their children’s first-grade teacher pursued her own transgender agenda outside the curriculum, which included: (1) instructing the children in her first-grade class that their parents might be wrong about their children’s gender; (2) telling a student that the child could dress like a different gender and be like the teacher’s transgender child (who was also in first grade in a different school); (3) telling a student that she, the teacher, would never lie (implying that the parents may lie about their child’s gender identity); and (4) instructing students not to tell their parents about the transgender discussions. The teacher allegedly targeted the children’s own gender identity and their parents’ beliefs about the gender identity of their own children.

When the parents complained, the school district supported the teacher and allegedly adopted a policy (the “de facto policy”) that the teacher’s conduct could continue in the future without notice to the parents or the opportunity to opt their children out of that kind of agenda (despite providing broad parental notice and opt out rights for other topics . . .

The defendants do not challenge the averments about the existence of the de facto policy. Instead, citing Parker v. Hurley (1st Cir. 2008), a decision from the First Circuit Court of Appeals, they argue that in a public school, parents have no constitutional right to notice or to opt their children out of any kind of instruction, regardless of the content of that instruction, the age of the children, or whether the instruction is part of the published school curriculum. (“Parents have no constitutional right to exempt their children from classroom lessons, including those on transgender issues”). In other words, the defendants argue that parents simply have no constitutional right to notice or to object to any information a public school may present to their children.

The defendants’ argument is contrary to Third Circuit Court of Appeals precedent, which recognizes that a public school’s actions may conflict with parents’ fundamental constitutional rights and when conflicts occur on matters of the greatest importance, the parents’ rights prevail unless the public school can demonstrate a compelling interest for its actions. C.N. v. Ridgewood Bd. Of Educ. (3d Cir. 2005); Gruenke v. Seip (3d Cir. 2000). The court adheres to its original decision that the parents’ constitutional rights at issue here (forming the identity of their young children) are matters of the greatest importance and takes this opportunity to further explain and clarify its analysis….

…The child of one of the Plaintiffs explained to his mother that Williams had told him, “I can wear a dress and have hair like my mom.” When Plaintiff raised this with Williams at a parent-teacher conference, Williams deflected, contending that it must have been a misunderstanding and indicating that maybe it was confusion about Halloween. Plaintiff refuted this assertion, letting Williams know that what her son had told her was “very clear” and expressing her displeasure with what Williams had said to her son.

[79.] Despite knowing this Plaintiff’s objections, or upon information and belief because of them, Williams appears to have targeted this child for repeated approaches about gender dysphoria. Although Plaintiff did not discover Williams’ invasion of her parental and family rights until the spring, throughout the school year Williams had private conversations with this young boy, discussing with him the similarities between the boy and her transgender child again suggesting that the boy might want to wear a dress, at other times commenting to him how the boy and her transgender child had similar interest[s] and the same favorite color, and telling the child that he could be like her transgender child. Williams explained to this young boy that “doctors can get it wrong sometimes.” In the course of these private discussions, Williams also told this young boy that “she would never lie to him” and, if the subjects they were discussing came up at home, to say that “I heard it from a little birdie.” In other words, upon information and belief, while having private discussions with this young boy about topics related to gender dysphoria, she told the child not to tell his parents about the discussions. Williams’ “grooming” of this young student is unconscionable. It is a gross breach of trust and an abuse of her position as a public school teacher….

According to Defendants, the age of the child, the topic and whether the information is part of the official curriculum are irrelevant—parents simply have no constitutional right to notice or to object to any information a public school may present to their children.

Defendants’ refusal to recognize any parental rights in a public school setting is contrary to clear, binding Supreme Court and Third Circuit Court of Appeals authority. The court’s initial motion to dismiss opinion quoted numerous Supreme Court decisions which emphasized the fundamental nature of the parental rights at issue. In Gruenke v. Seip (2000) the court cautioned: “Public schools must not forget that ‘in loco parentis’ does not mean ‘displace parents.'” In C.N. v. Ridgewood Bd. Of Education, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals reaffirmed that “parents, not schools, have the primary responsibility to inculcate moral standards, religious beliefs, and elements of good citizenship.” …[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

June 2023 Newsletter

Posted on May 30, 2023 by admin

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Charles Krauthammer (1950 – June, 2018)

Charles Krauthammer “I believe that the pursuit of truth and right ideas through honest debate and rigorous argument is a noble undertaking.”

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, American life and so much more are needed today more than ever. What would he be saying about the state of politics in America over the past five years? How helpful he would be! Recommended: Krauthammer’s final book, The Point of It All (2018)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Not Exactly Your “Chamber of Commerce” Welcome to Our Community!

We recently had some property titles recorded in California. The fee was fair enough. But a $75 “SB2” fee was added to each, effectively quadrupling the cost. What is “SB2”? It’s a law passed in California in 2017 to “increase the supply of affordable housing” in California.

It’s hard to see any tangible results. There may be some somewhere, while “tangible non-results” are observable all over the place. This fee becomes just another cost joining other massive costs and expenditures to provide for the homeless, the results being often hard to notice or counter-productive.

Take for example Senate Bill 1380, enacted in 2016. It requires all housing programs using public funds to practice the “housing first” model. What’s that? No one is required to be clean and sober or to participate in programs or services of any kind as a condition to receiving housing.

Many housed under SB 1380 have poor skills in taking care of what they use which isn’t theirs. Those with substance abuse or similar issues will damage buildings and inflict chaos on other residents. Security is weak, primarily because irresponsible residents let others in, say, for drug use or prostitution.

[SB 1380] assumes that four walls and a ceiling will have a miraculous ability to cure the problems that caused that person to be on the street in the first place. In reality, the law enables addicts to inflict harm on themselves and others, at taxpayer expense…

We need housing for residents who won’t destroy it, quality mental health hospitals and residential rehab facilities for people who need care, shelters for people in crisis and the return of the city streets and sidewalks to their intended purpose…

Instead, California is spending $20 billion and counting on the same failed policies, as homelessness experts and non-profit executives draw lavish salaries and big contracts, all funded by taxpayers, to continue the policies that are destroying what once were livable cities.

– Susan Shelley, “Skid Row and the Failure of the ‘housing first’ approach”, Press Telegram, April 13, 2023

We see encampments along rivers, under bridges, beside bike trails, and on sidewalks. We encounter homeless people who may be passive or aggressive walking the streets, hungry or seeking a drink or a fix. We see litter and filth and drug abuse paraphernalia. An expensive and potentially excellent “Metro” rail system is overtaken by homeless people, leading to its abandonment by commuters and others and a big drop-off in revenue. We tax and spend and wonder why the homeless population keeps growing where the climate is so nice. Some experts say the problem is insoluble.

The Bible reminds us (1) these are valuable humans made in the image of God, and (2) we are prone to do evil and harm to ourselves and others, especially absent inculcation of values and meaningful socialization. The Bible instructs us to help the needy with generosity and wisdom, not gullibility and naiveté.

Appropriate non-profit agencies work hard to accomplish what they can with the resources they have. Government leaders are entrusted by citizens with the duty to resolve the issues as much as humanly possible and they always owe the taxpayers careful administration of funds and accountability. Both non-profits and government at all levels must strive to succeed through an effective and efficient use of resources.

Cynicism is understandable but not an excuse to do nothing.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

“The Lord’s Prayer” Petition 4 –
Praying for Our “Daily Bread”

[I had wanted to use a recent “Dennis the Menace” cartoon here. Dennis comes out of church and asks the minister if the “daily bread” mentioned in the sermon included jelly and peanut butter! Alas, I thought the $100 royalty a bit too steep.]

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

– Jesus (Matthew 6:11 KJV)

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Chef Bruno Serato of the Anaheim White House*, one of the ten best restaurants in Orange County, CA, feeds 5,000 needy children daily.
(*My wife, family and I will dine at “The Chef’s Table” in June for our “57th”)

I met Chef Serato eleven years ago at Cypress College in Orange County. We were there to record comments for an upcoming celebration. He would be named Cypress College Person of the Year for his daily meals for children. He also was nominated for national recognition on CNN. In spite of his busy daily world, he took time to stand and chat with me in the parking lot.

I think of him when I think of the petition in The Lord’s Prayer, “Give us this day our daily bread.” Notice it is a prayer for “us,” not “me.” It asks God to meet the daily sustenance needs for others as well as ourselves. The Lord’s Prayer is not a “gimme” prayer. Chef Serato’s generosity is one big way God answers that prayer for so many.

When we pray for God to give us “Our Daily Bread” we are…

1) Showing the right priorities for “good praying.”
Having first and properly prayed about God’s honor, will and kingdom we now, secondly, turn our attention to ourselves and our needs. In the Lord’s prayer we pray for (1) our physical needs (for bread), (2) our relational needs (for forgiveness) and (3) our moral needs (for help facing temptations).

2) Confessing God as the source of the food that sustains us.
Psalm 104 is my favorite psalm. I like it because it is a wonderful creation psalm. In it we see that God is the first link of the food chain! Notice:

You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart. (Psalm 104:14-15 ESV)

3) Committing ourselves to pray for and minister to the needs of others, not just ourselves.
“Give US this day OUR daily bread.” God said through Isaiah the prophet,
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen…to share your food with the hungry?” (Isaiah 58:6-7)

God calls us to be compassionate and eager to share with those in need. We should not be gullible, but we should be generous.

4) Learning to live one day at a time and to do God’s will.
“Do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ …Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow…” – Jesus (Matthew 6:32-34)
God met the nourishment needs of the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness by giving them daily “manna” from heaven. But the people had to put out the effort to gather it and prepare it. No effort, no dinner! And on the Sabbath day no “manna” came from heaven. They must gather enough for two days the day before. They must rest on the Sabbath. See Exodus 16.

We need to learn the lesson of a weekly day of rest. Do we really believe God can supply our needs when we lay aside the rushing demands of the other six days and give God our worship and ourselves a break one day each week?

5) Praying for and thanking God for all steps in the process of putting bread on our tables.
• The workers, often migrants, who do the difficult work in the fields and orchards from which much of our daily provisions comes.
• Good government, that protects the distribution process and ensures fairness for all concerned, and that sets forth economic policies that encourage productivity and keep prices reasonable.
• Thriving wholesale and retail markets that earn profits and provide income while allowing us to afford and purchase what we need.

Along the lines of my points, I recommend reading Martin Luther’s words on this petition (and the whole prayer) as found in his Second Catechism.

6) Remembering also Jesus’ word that, while we live by bread, we do not live by bread alone!
We also live by “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). The teachings of Scripture, especially the words of Jesus, feed our spirits and guide us, just as much as the bread God supplies feeds our bodies and sustains us.

Whenever you pray this petition, trust God and thank God for supplying our physical necessities. Pray he will open up opportunities for you to share your abundance with others in need.

Then thank God for his Word, which turns our minds toward our spiritual necessities without ignoring our bodily needs, and teaches us how God supplies both of them through Jesus Christ our Lord.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Bible Insight – The Rapture of the Church
Definitions, a Disclosure & Observation,
Arguments & Affirmations
By Donald Shoemaker (May, 2023)

Definitions:

“Rapture” – “Rapture” is taken from a word in the Latin Bible describing the “catching away” of the Church (followers of Jesus living or raised from the dead at the time of Jesus’ second coming). See 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17.

“The Great Tribulation” – a time (variously understood as 3½ or 7 years) of the presence of the Antichrist who engages in unprecedented persecution and martyrdom of the followers of Jesus. It is also the time of God’s increasing judgments against evil. It concludes with the return of Jesus and his defeat of the Antichrist. See chapters 6-19 in The Book of Revelation.

“Pretribulation Rapture” – God will remove the Church from the world before the Great Tribulation begins. Those who become followers of Jesus after this rapture will be persecuted by the Antichrist.

“Posttribulation Rapture” – the Church will be on earth throughout the Great Tribulation and will experience severe persecution at the hand of the Antichrist. God will rapture the Church at the end of the Great Tribulation so it may be united with Jesus at the time of his glorious return.

There are other minor views about the nature and timing of the Rapture which are not within the scope of this study.

Disclosure:

Years of reflection plus recent in-depth study on the subject of the Rapture of the Church as it relates to the Second Coming of Christ have led me to conclude that the Rapture is an aspect of the singular comprehensive event we call “the Second Coming.” In other words, I no longer hold to a separate “Pretribulation Rapture of the Church,” as I did for many years.

Observation: The Rapture issue is not “a hill to die on.”

I know of no scholar who defended the pretribulation rapture of the Church more strongly than John F. Walvoord, past president of Dallas Theological Seminary. Still, he recognized (correctly so, in my opinion) that no position on the Rapture is decisively taught in Scripture. “The conclusions reached necessarily are based on the total weight of the supporting evidence and the extent to which each solves its problems” (The Blessed Hope and The Tribulation, p. 144).

This being the case, we shouldn’t break fellowship with others over the various viewpoints on the Rapture and how they relate to Jesus’ Return in Glory or cement this or that view into our doctrinal statements.

Argument: At the Rapture, Jesus comes in the air for the saints. At the Revelation, Jesus comes to the earth with the saints.

But are these really two different events? Both may be aspects of the same overall event. Believers will be raptured “to meet” the Lord in the air. Then what? Go to heaven with Jesus or down to earth with Jesus? 1 Thessalonians 4:17, the relevant text, doesn’t say whether Jesus will turn around or the saints will turn around. We can’t dogmatize when the text doesn’t speak.

It is possible that the rapture motif reflects how a representative group would go forth to meet a dignitary and then escort him back to their city. The same verbal form “to meet” is used in Acts 28:15. When Paul arrived in Italy, some believers came out from Rome “to meet” him and then escort him to Rome. Consider also the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). “At midnight the cry rang out, ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’” (25:6 NIV)

Argument: At the Rapture before the Tribulation, Jesus will come “like a thief in the night” (sometimes called a “secret” coming). In contrast, at the Revelation at the end of the Tribulation, Jesus will come openly and visibly in power and glory.

This distinction misunderstands the “thief” metaphor. The point is not the element of secrecy but the element of surprise. Devotees of Jesus (“children of the day”) will not be surprised when he returns, for they are prepared. Those who are “in darkness” will be surprised, for they are not prepared.
“But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:4 NIV (read verses 1-11)

If the return of Jesus is “like a thief” to me, that’s my fault!

Argument: The Rapture could happen at any moment, without signs and without warning. The Second Coming, by contrast, is preceded by many signs.

Matthew 24:42 is one scripture used to support this notion of a rapture that comes without signs or warnings. Jesus said, “Keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” Jesus also told the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13). Five were unprepared and missed out on the wedding banquet, but the five who were prepared were admitted to the banquet. Jesus concluded, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”

However the reality is that such calls for watchfulness are, in context, intended to prepare people for the posttribulation Second Coming, not a rapture seven years earlier (“At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory”
– Matthew 24:30). Indeed, Jesus alerts his followers to look for signs of this “imminent” event and to be prepared, because its exact timing is unknown.

Argument: The Antichrist will not appear until the “Restrainer” is removed (2 Thessalonians 2:5-8). This “Restrainer” is either the Holy Spirit who indwells the Church or the Church itself. Either way, the Church must be removed before the Antichrist can be revealed.

The Apostle Paul’s letter doesn’t tell us who this restrainer is. Paul did tell the Christians in Thessalonica during a prior visit. We have to be content with this lack of information and not try to interpret words that aren’t there. We can have our opinions, but hold them lightly. There is no basis for either speculation or dogmatism on this point.

The key point taught here is the future is in God’s hands. The Antichrist is revealed “at the proper time” when the restraint holding him back is lifted. Not one minute sooner. And he won’t last long. But in between, look out!

Argument: The second coming of Jesus is called “The Blessed Hope” (Titus 2:13). But it’s hardly a “blessed hope” if people know they must first go through the Great Tribulation before Jesus returns.

Christians who have gone through severe persecutions would never think this way. Knowing deliverance will surely happen is a “blessed hope” indeed. Certainly, the exiled Jews were encouraged in the midst of their travail by “the blessed hope,” if you please, of returning to their land (Jeremiah 29:10-14).

Additionally, it’s important to see that our “Blessed Hope” of Jesus’ return is described in Titus 2:13 as the “appearing [epipháneian] of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” These words describe Jesus’ “epiphany,” his posttribulation Revelation in glory, not some rapture years earlier.

Affirmation: The only text in the Bible that explicitly mentions Jesus’ second coming refers to his Return in Glory.

“Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” – Hebrews 9:28

This “second” coming which brings “salvation to those who are waiting for him” would have to be a reference to the pretribulation rapture if that view were correct. Yet, as reflected in many teachings and doctrinal statements and, I believe, in the New Testament too, the true “second” coming of Jesus is his revelation in glory accompanied by his mighty angels (Mark 8:38 and many other scriptures), not Jesus’ appearance at an earlier “rapture event.” Consider Hebrews 10:27 and 12:26 and the next affirmation.

Affirmation: The Revelation of Jesus in glory, not a rapture seven years earlier, will bring his Church relief from persecution.

“He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.” – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-7

If there were a rapture prior to the Great Tribulation, this event would surely bring an end to the persecution and affliction of the Church. But if this will be so, why doesn’t Paul mention it? Instead, he clearly regards Jesus’ Revelation [apokalúpsis – “apocalypse”] “in blazing fire with his powerful angels” as the event that will bring the Church relief from those who are troubling it.

’Mid toil and tribulation,
And tumult of her war,
She waits the consummation
Of peace for evermore;
Till, with the vision glorious,
Her longing eyes are blest,
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.
– “The Church’s One Foundation” by Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1864)

Affirmation: I believe this about Jesus –

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day…
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.
– The Nicene Creed (325 AD)

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“Veni, Domine Jesu”
“¡Ven, Señor Jesús!”
“Come, Lord Jesus!”
– Revelation 22:20

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Last Judgment fresco (1534-41)
by Michelangelo fills the Sistine Chapel’s
altar wall (resurrection is depicted in the lower left)

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Religious Liberty Vigilance –
“Nibble, Nibble, Nibble, Nibble” – How the Federal Government is Eroding Religious Liberty

“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.”
– 1st Amendment

• Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ended a two-decade long arrangement with a community of Franciscan priests that provided pastoral care services to hospitalized service members. Instead, a secular firm will provide services, but they won’t be comparable. Hospitalized military personnel who are Catholic will no longer have ready access to church sacraments. This new action stands in violation of a tradition of government-supported religious services to those in the military that is almost as old as our nation.

• Rules are being rescinded that allow religious organizations to participate in federally-funded programs without relinquishing their faith commitments.

• The Department of Education seeks to rescind a “Religious Liberty” rule that protects campus organizations from negative actions by administrators who disapprove of their beliefs. Present rules prohibit administrations from discriminating against student groups because of their religious beliefs.

• The definition of “sex discrimination” is being broadened to include sexual identity and speech or conduct subjectively felt to be discriminatory. If it is found that the speech or conduct “more likely than not” will give offense, disciplinary action could be taken against a faculty member or student.

• Religiously-based hospitals or doctors with religious convictions may be coerced into providing medical procedures (such as abortion services or gender-transition services) in spite of their deep religious objections to such services.

And the list grows. The current administration is not a friend of the “free exercise of religion” clause in the First Amendment.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1672774688935{background-color: #c6956f !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Latino Catholic Trends in America

St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Long Beach is one interesting parish to visit. It is old and ornate yet welcoming. It has six Masses on Sundays—three in Spanish. When you attend a Mass in Spanish you become part of a packed and lively congregation with lots of children present. I don’t understand much of what is said. I have my i-Pad open to the Nicene Creed in Spanish but can’t keep up with the recitation speed. Taco carts are aplenty out front after Mass.

With this memory, I was rather surprised at a report in Catholic World News (April 13) about the drop-off in the number of Latinos in the U.S. who identify as Catholic. In twelve years their number has plummeted from 67% to 43% of the Latino population (down to 30% among Latinos age 18-29). Have many become Protestant? No. That number has ticked up only 3 points to 15%.

Although Catholics still easily outnumber Protestants among Latinos, the Latino Protestants are much more likely to attend weekly worship (53% versus 22%).

Certainly the pandemic has affected church attendance. Still overall, these statistics are another sad sign of the decline of Christian impact in America.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

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APPENDIX: Recent Court Decisions and the
Non-Establishment [of Religion] Principle
By Eugene Volokh (April 22, 2023)

Eugene Volokh is the Gary T. Schwartz Distinguished Professor of Law at UCLA.
[BOLD mine—DS]

…Some have suggested that the problem with Dobbs [the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade] is that it lets states implement one particular, religious understanding of when life begins, or more precisely of when the right to life vests. But of course, any legal system must adopt some rule on this subject. The line could be drawn at conception, at the end of the first trimester, at viability, at the end of the second trimester, at birth, or after birth—ancient Romans, for instance, allowed exposing unwanted children to leave them to die.[1] All these decisions are based on unproven and unprovable views, whether moral, spiritual, or otherwise.

Likewise for animal rights. In my own state of California, it’s a crime to sell horse meat for human consumption.[2] That’s based on a nonrational moral or spiritual judgment: One argument for a similar proposal in Illinois, for instance, described eating horse meat as “morally perverse,” “a perversion of the human-animal bond.”[3] And it’s a judgment that controls what people can put into their own bodies. Yet it’s precisely the sort of judgment that democracies generally leave to the political process. The same is true for many other decisions about which animals the law should protect, and against what forms of treatment.

And of course, many voters’ and legislators’ moral judgments turn on their religious beliefs. Consider the draft, or the decision whether to start a war (or to stop one). Some people oppose all war for religious reasons. Some oppose unjust war for religious reasons.[4] Some support some wars for religious reasons. (“As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free.”[5])

Most of the coercive laws that we hotly debate involve forcing a majority’s views on the minority. That is true, as noted above, of laws protecting endangered species, antislavery laws, antidiscrimination laws, animal cruelty laws, environmental laws, intellectual property laws—or for that matter, bans on infanticide, child sexual abuse, or more generally, theft, sexual assault, or murder. Some of these laws may be sound on the merits and others unsound. But the fact that they force one group’s views on another doesn’t make them violations of the Establishment Clause, regardless of the source of the first group’s views.

Religious people are as entitled as nonreligious people to implement into law their views about right and wrong, even if those views are matters not of logic or empirical evidence but of fundamentally moral and spiritual (or, to religious people, religious) judgment. And of course, the Supreme Court has repeatedly reaffirmed this, for instance in Harris v. McRae,[6] a case involving bans on abortion funding.[7]

To be sure, Justices shouldn’t decide cases purely based on their theological beliefs, or skew their readings of, say, text or original meaning or tradition based on what their own religious beliefs (or their own secular philosophical beliefs) command. But there’s no Establishment Clause barrier to their returning disputes to the political process, where voters and legislators can make decisions based on their own moral judgment, including religiously informed moral judgment. And of course, if Justices are supposed to evaluate rights questions with an eye towards what they think is the proper standard of human dignity or liberty or equality, then religious Justices must be as free to consider their own religiously informed moral thoughts as much as, say, Kantian or Rawlsian or Dworkinian Justices are free to consider their own philosophically informed moral thoughts.

Naturally, this doesn’t preclude arguments that the Constitution does secure a right to abortion, or a broader individual right to control one’s own body (whether that means a right to get an abortion or a right not to have the body used to kill enemy soldiers), entirely apart from whether restrictions on such rights are motivated by religion. My point is simply that, whenever this question turns on matters of morality, religious people are as entitled as secular people to use their own morality to decide them, even when that morality is religiously infused.

[1]. See, e.g., Judith Evans Grubbs, Infant Exposure and Infanticide, in The Oxford Handbook of Childhood and Education in the Classical World 83, 85 (Judith Evans Grubbs, Tim Parkin & Roslynne Bell eds., 2013). Indeed, ancient Roman law allowed the eldest male in the family to kill any family member, even an adult, though the power may have been more formal than real. See, e.g., Barry Nicholas, An Introduction to Roman Law 65–67 (1975).
[2]. Cal. Penal Code § 598d (West 2022).
[3]. Horse Lovers Tell Illinois Lawmakers: Stop Turning Mr. Ed into Mr. Edible, Ill. Times: Neighsayers (Nov. 6, 2003), https://www.illinoistimes.com/springfield/neighsayers/Content?oid=11436462 [https://perma.cc/8LPF-FUGH].
[4]. See Gillette v. United States, 401 U.S. 437, 441 (1971).
[5]. Julia Ward Howe, The Battle Hymn of the Republic, in The New Oxford Book of War Poetry 140 (Jon Stallworthy ed., 2014).
[6]. 448 U.S. 297, 319 (1980).
[7]. See also Bob Jones Univ. v. United States, 461 U.S. 574, 604 n.30 (1983); McGowan v. Maryland, 366 U.S. 420, 442 (1961).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

April-May 2023 Newsletter

Posted on March 30, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”April-May 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1304″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]EASTER’S MESSAGE – “Christ died for our sins… he was buried…he was raised on the third day.”
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4)

The Big Question for Easter—Why is this event so vital?

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.

So, what if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead? (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

• The Gospel message that proclaims it is USELESS (verse 14)
• The apostles (foundation of our faith) are FALSE WITNESSES (verse 15)
• Our faith is USELESS and FUTILE—it just won’t work (verses 14 & 17)
• We remain in our SINS (verse 17)
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“The Lord’s Prayer” Petitions 2 & 3 –
Praying for the Coming of God’s Kingdom and the Doing of God’s Will

Sylvia Consadori

“The Sermon on the Mount”
by Sylvia Consadori (1971)

“Thy Kingdom come.
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

– Jesus (Matthew 6:10 KJV)

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“Let Your Glory Fall” by David Ruis (1994)

Ruler of the nations the world has yet to see
The full release of Your promise
The church in victory
Turn to us Lord and touch us
Make us strong in Your might
Overcome our weakness
That we could stand up and fight

Let Your glory fall in this room
Let it go forth from here to the nations
Let Your fragrance rest in the place
As we gather to seek Your face

Let Your kingdom come
Let Your will be done
Let us see on earth
The glory of Your Son

From the moment I first heard and sang this praise chorus at my church it became one of my favorites. It comes to mind now as I share thoughts on the second and third petitions of The Lord’s Prayer.

It is totally legitimate to teach the 2nd and 3rd Petitions separately. I have chosen to combine them because I think it likely that “Your will* be done…” is appositional. That is, it is a deeper unfolding of “Your Kingdom come.”

*God’s “will” in this petition is his desired moral will rather than his decreed will.

When God’s will is done on earth as it is in Heaven,
then we can truly say “God’s Kingdom has come to earth!”

The “Now” of the Kingdom of God as compared to “Then” (its future reality) is much debated by Christians (as it should be). At the two extremes are those who believe the Kingdom is altogether future, dramatically coming when Jesus returns and others who believe the Kingdom will be established before Jesus returns, ready and waiting for him.

Between these two extremes are many who see a present aspect to the kingdom (now being realized, in which devout Christians have vital roles to play). If this thinking goes too far, critics call it “over-realized eschatology,” but don’t let that phrase bother you. A sad example of this is the teaching that total healing of the body is available to all who have sufficient faith.

We who are between the two extremes believe firmly in the visible, personal Second Coming of Jesus, when the Kingdom of God is fully, decisively established on earth (Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7, 19:11-16).

We also believe in the present form of the Kingdom of God. It’s “behind the scenes” and we are working on it. Yet we await the future form of the Kingdom. It will definitely NOT be “behind the scenes” and it will come without our effort.

These questions come up as we offer the two petitions to God in prayer:
• What is the present form of God’s Kingdom like? Where do we see it?
• What will the future form of God’s Kingdom be like?
• How should we pray for each of these?

The Present Kingdom

• It was inaugurated during Jesus’ earthly ministry as he encountered and defeated the forces of evil (Matthew 12:28). After his resurrection Jesus ascended to Heaven and was enthroned as king (Acts 2:32-36).
• It is seen in how the work of Christ is applied to those who become his followers. God has enabled them to “share in the kingdom of light.” They have been “rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought…into the kingdom of the Son he loves [Jesus].” They now have “redemption, the forgiveness of sin” (see Colossians 1:11-13).

• It should be seen in the life and practices of churches that claim loyalty to Jesus and the Scriptures. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17). Churches must live out this verse.

Christians in the church at Rome were judging and belittling one another over whether one may eat this or that food or drink this or that drink. Paul says, “Stop judging. Stop belittling. You are wasting your time and ruining the church’s testimony when you fuss over ‘food and drink’ –issues that have nothing to do with the Kingdom of God. Instead focus on what is the essence of the Kingdom: righteousness, peace, joy.”

To put it practically, people should be able to see the kingdom qualities of righteousness and peace and joy at work in a church (a microcosm of the kingdom), not judgmental preaching over what people eat or drink. My 55 years of experience in the life of churches show me that we still have a ways to go, although ‘food and drink’ issues aren’t as central to the life of many churches as they once were.

When you pray The Lord’s Prayer, have in mind the blessings of present participation in God’s Kingdom and give thanks for them.

Pray that our churches live out righteousness and peace and joy, and for the extension of God’s Kingdom through evangelism throughout the world.

Pray for our world—for God to intervene against aggressive war, oppression, injustice, persecution, disrespect for human life and other social evils.
Pray for the impact of churches as forces for good in a hurting world. But don’t be naïve to think that the church will ever create a righteous world. *

*Criticism is directed today against “Christian Nationalism” – the term used by critics who react to those who seem to be militant and who see America as a “Christian Nation” that ought to be ruled by the Law of God. There’s an element of truth to this concern. But it’s also a great fundraising accusation by organizations critical of Christian activism.

The Future Kingdom

The Old Testament prophets made reference many times to what we might call “The Golden Age” of God’s rule. The New Testament sees this age as the result of the Second Coming of Jesus. Here’s how Isaiah described it –

The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore. (Isaiah 2:3-4)

The “Golden Age,” then, is a time for the universal knowledge of the will of God and judgments based on that will.

It is also a time of universal peace. The United Nations building in New York has a “swords into plowshares” sculpture outside it. The best we can hope for prior to Jesus’ earthly reign is “proximate peace.” It should be pursued with vigor but also with realism about humanity’s willful quest for power and the spoils of conquest. This is not the hour to dispense with the “swords and spears.” It is the time to “pray and keep the (gun)powder dry.”

So when we pray The Lord’s Prayer with the future Kingdom in mind, we rightfully mourn the sufferings brought on by sinfulness in this present age—personal sin and corporate (systemic) sin. We rightfully look beyond all we can do about it to the day when God will finish the task.

We pray for God to vindicate the martyrs “who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (Revelation 6:9-10). Join in their prayer.

We pray for those who mistreat us as we lay aside retaliation and vengeance. “‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord.” God will make things right in the coming Great Day. See Luke 6:27-31 and Romans 12:17-21.

We pray the prayer of the church: “Maranatha. Come, O Lord” (1 Cor. 16:22).

The Kingdom of God in Song

“Hosanna” by Brooke Ligertwood –Our church recently sang this song. It calls for our devotion to God’s present Kingdom cause. It also looks forward to the revealing of God’s Kingdom: “I see the King of glory coming on the clouds with fire…”

I see the King of Glory, coming on the clouds with fire
The whole earth shakes, the whole earth shakes
I see His love and mercy washing over all our sin
The people sing, the people sing

Hosanna, Hosanna. Hosanna in the Highest

I see a generation rising up to take their place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees

Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Yours
Everything I am for your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from Earth into eternity

Other Songs on the Kingdom of God

“I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord”
“Lead On, O King Eternal”
“Rise Up, O Saints of God!”
“Rise Up, O Men of God!”
“The Kingdom of God is Justice and Joy”
“We’ve a Story to Tell to the Nations”
“A Mighty Fortress Is Our God”
“Christ Is Coming! Let Creation Bid Her Groans and Sorrows Cease”
“Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above”
“Is He Worthy?” (“He has made us a kingdom…”) – Chris Tomlin

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Mark Wahlberg

A Lenten Prayer for the Church

Lord, in ancient Israel you gave your promise to King Solomon:
“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Your church needs reformation and revival, Lord! Your church needs your forgiveness and mercy.

With a scornful wonder we see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed. *

Forgive us whenever we become carefree with our beliefs and issues of Christian morality. May we uphold your holy name and your revealed doctrines. May we obey your commandments to honor parenthood, the value of human life, the sanctity of marriage, our neighbor’s right to what they own, and the importance of speaking the truth.

Convict us and guide us to keep the fast that the Lord has chosen:
To loose the chains of injustice, to set the oppressed free.
To share our food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
When we see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from our own flesh and blood? **

Give your people a heart of love for the communities where we live. Forgive us when we don’t seek the well being of our communities as you commanded us to do. May we take our citizenship and our precious rights seriously. May your churches be bright lights lifted high.

Purify your church, Lord. May we be filled with your Holy Spirit, worshiping you eagerly from our hearts. Cleanse your church by the washing of water through your Word, until that blessed day when you present your church to yourself as a radiant, holy, glorified body.

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus. Amen.

* From “The Church’s One Foundation”
** Read Isaiah 58:6-7

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Religious Liberty Vigilance – Governor’s COVID Lockdown Is Finally Over!

“I consider the government of the United States as interdicted by the Constitution from inter meddling with religious institutions, their doctrines, discipline, or exercises.”

– Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Miller, 1808

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March 19 – 3rd Anniversary of California’s COVID Lock-down

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued his heavy-handed statewide “Stay At Home” order.

Business activities were divided into “Essential” and “Non-Essential.” (Liquor stores and marijuana dispensaries were “Essential”. Churches were “Non-Essential.”)
No government should have the right to make that kind of determination.

In conflict with his ban, Gov. Newsom enjoyed dining with lobbyists and friends at the exclusive French Laundry restaurant in Napa Valley (wine country)—appropriately named because the restaurant’s prices will take you to the cleaners.

The governor had the power to issue “no bid” contracts, which he did by the hundreds. Such contracts would be forbidden in more ordinary times.

Outdoor dining was first allowed, then forbidden. A judge would rule that the ban was “not grounded in science, evidence, or logic.”

Constitutional rights such as Freedom of Assembly and Religious Freedom “took it on the jaw” during the lock-down. Among others, Grace Community Church in Sun Valley (John MacArthur, pastor) defied the ban in spite of threats and actions by Los Angeles County. Religious freedom prevailed. The State of California and Los Angeles County paid the church’s legal costs of $800,000.

The lock-down experiences nationwide should give us grave concern about how quickly cherished rights, thought to be guaranteed, can be removed. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]April is Indeed a Taxing Month!
For Preachers and Religious Organizations Too!

Church/State separation and the First Amendment allow for churches and religious organizations to be tax-exempt. Taxing religion would have a chilling effect on its free exercise. (See Walz v. Tax Commission of New York City, 1970.)

Like everyone else, clergy naturally search for ways to avoid paying unnecessary taxes. And religious organizations look for ways to minimize the impact of government on their enterprises. Nothing intrinsically wrong with such searches. But some solutions they choose are less than honorable.

Here are five examples of clergy, churches or religious organizations that cross a line that shouldn’t be crossed.

1. Religious organizations that avoid financial openness by reclassifying themselves as churches

The government recognizes the valuable social role played by non-profit organizations. These organizations are exempt from taxation and donations to them are tax deductible. But in return the government requires these groups to submit IRS Form 990, an ominous form the instructions for which will tax the mind of any reader who peruses them.

Form 990 is available to the public, except for Schedule B which lists major donors. Imagine the harassment that would take place if Schedule B were available, giving the names of donors to every critic!

[Form 990] includes important information about the organization, including
annual revenue, salaries of key employees, names of board members and large contractors, and the amount of money the organization spends on its core mission. Also highlighted are the amounts it spends on administrative and fundraising. This information is valuable to donors wanting to assess the effectiveness of a ministry. [Ministry Watch]
Churches are exempt from Form 990. The assumption is, donors to churches are “close at hand,” able to observe how well they operate or if they operate dishonorably. They do not need the disclosures Form 990 makes possible. (This assumption is mostly correct, in my opinion, but any church where it is not correct thereby gives members good reason to leave it.)

So guess what? Many tax-exempt charities are reclassifying themselves as churches. And this raises big problems in my mind. One is theological—these entities simply are not churches in any biblical sense. For one thing, people don’t enter their organization through baptism and don’t express unity in Christ with one another through frequent partaking of the Eucharist.

A second problem is the lack of disclosure that results, since a Form 990 will not exist and hence there are no contents open for inspection.

Bad practices thrive in darkness. This truism relates not only the individual organization, but to the marketplace in which it operates. Where there is a lack of information, trust goes down and disinformation can flourish. Donors lose confidence in individual organizations and society loses confidence in the value of the entire sector they represent. [Ministry Watch]

A third problem is that the absence of the “sunshine” given by Form 990 increases the influence of critics of religion who always look for ways to increase government scrutiny and, if possble, end tax exemption for religious organizations that hold, in their opinion, views that shouldn’t be tolerated.

[Resource: William Cole Smith, “When Is A Church Not A Church?” Ministry Watch, Dec. 19, 2019]

2. Pastors who don’t pay into Social Security

Many years ago pastors didn’t have to pay into Social Security—this was optional. Those days are long gone. But I guess the word hasn’t spread well, or we’ve turned off our hearing aids rather than having to hear it.

Pastors are required to pay into the Social Security system unless they file Form 4361, which declares they are opposed to government assistance programs like Social Security as a conviction of their faith (not just because they’d rather not pay it or think they’d do better having the money to invest elsewhere).

In Form 4361 the minister certifies to the IRS, “I am conscientiously opposed to, or because of my religious principles I am opposed to, the acceptance (for services I perform as a minister, member of a religious order not under a vow of poverty, or Christian Science practitioner) of any public insurance that makes payments in the event of death, disability, old age, or retirement…” And there is more, including giving notification to one’s ordination body of this conscientious opposition.

Very, very few pastors can claim this exemption in good conscience. Others who file Form 4361 either choose to lie about their convictions or else sign without reading the details and perhaps after getting bad advice, which is a lapse in due diligence.

I have known cases where pastors avoided paying into Social Security and also never got around to making comparable investments for their retirement years. To make matters worse, some lived in church-owned parsonages and therefore had no real property to sell or to live in during retirement years. This is sad and regretful and could have been avoided.

A word to church leaders: Please realize that a pastor is considered “self-employed” for purpose of Social Security and therefore pays “both halves” of Social Security and Medicare taxes. That currently totals 15.3%!
Enlightened congregations will want to offset some of a pastor’s Self-employment (Social Security) tax. Just as they pay half of regular employees’ Social Security taxes (7.65%), they equitably reimburse half of a pastor’s tax.

3. Pastors who don’t pay Social Security (Self-employment) tax on their Housing Allowances

There are real tax rules and then there are tax rules that don’t exist. One of the latter is the notion that the Housing Allowance a pastor receives (or the fair market rental value of a church-supplied parsonage) isn’t subject to Social Security taxes. I’ve talked to pastors who are adamant about this. They are adamantly wrong.
See IRS Publication 517, Social Security and Other Information for Members of the Clergy and Religious Workers, “Self-Employment Tax: Figuring Net Earnings,” #4 of “Amounts included in gross income.” Also page 9 – Exclusion of minister’s housing from Income Tax: “This exclusion applies only for income tax purposes. It doesn’t apply for SE tax purposes.“

4. Pastors who don’t report income from weddings, funerals, and the like

A pastor is pretty much on an “honor system” for reporting earnings from ministries such as weddings or funerals. Usually he is paid in cash. Most speaking engagements at churches are exceptions to this—the minister will probably be paid by check. But unless the compensation received in a year is $600 or more, a church is not required to report it to the IRS and supply the pastor with a #1099 for tax reporting purposes.

Pastors must keep good records and report (on Schedule C) all income for services rendered, whether in cash or not, along with expenses.

5. Churches that don’t take into account the taxes and expenses pastors commonly incur

When I was serving a church in Indiana I once had a conversation with a candidate for the state assembly, no less. He was amazed when I told him that ministers paid taxes! Assumptions like this are not rare. But we should never find them among those who set a pastor’s salary, benefits or expense account.

When providing services for weddings, funerals, speaking engagements, etc., ministers will pay about 50% in taxes and costs, once state and federal income taxes, Self-employment Tax (for Social Security) and expenses are factored in. This means a $100 honorarium is really a $50 honorarium.

Enlightened congregations will see to it that such realities are taken into account when setting wages and deciding honoraria, for example in their wedding policies or for guest speakers. Pastors will be given expense accounts to cover use of auto, books, continuing education and more.

In conclusion I hasten to say: most religious charities are conscientious and dedicated to their ministries. Likewise, pastors I know are dedicated and sacrificial to their callings. They believe they have a duty before God to pay taxes and respect the law.

At the same time, I acknowledge we have often been weak when it comes to tax issues. We listen to gurus and convince one another that we don’t have to report some income or pay some taxes. I attended a ministers meeting once where a tax expert spoke and then listened to comments. At one point he said, “I can’t believe some of the things I’m hearing here today!”

The Apostle Paul was greatly concerned that his handling of funds for the needy be above reproach. His word should echo with us all: “We are taking pains to do what is right, not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men” (2 Corinthians 8:21 NIV).[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

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March 2023 Newsletter

Posted on February 28, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”March 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”1304″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]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.

If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!
Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay everyone according to
what they have done? – Proverbs 24:10-12 (NIV)[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]On Leaving a Church or Denomination

When Is It Time to Go?

I’ve seen splits in congregations and denominations. At least one church in my denomination had a 3-way split—we tend to do things in three’s! I’m thankful not to have experienced a big split during my own 55 years of ministry, though a dispute over music style did lead to a 10% loss many years ago—a skirmish in what came to be known as “worship wars.”

Both ugliness and virtue emerge during these times of trauma, and we can choose which to nurture regardless of which side we are on in the debate.

Division in church ministry is as old as the Book of Acts (15:36-41). Paul and Barnabas, Spirit-filled missionary giants, had a major contentious conflict over a man named Mark. He had departed the team once before and Paul didn’t want him on the team again, but Barnabas did. There may have been theological issues beneath the surface. Most splits have these, but also plenty of egotism and self-righteousness, personality conflicts and legalism. One side may be more correct on issues, but at the same time more corrupt in spirit.

In Paul and Barnabas’ case, God overruled and ultimately two successful mission enterprises happened, plus some reconciliation in later years. Sometimes two effective ministries can arise from a separation. Or not, if unhealthy dynamics at work on either side are not addressed.

When there must be separation, it is not a time to blow trumpets and brag about having God and Truth and Purity on your side. It is a time for tears, humility, self-examination, and fresh commitment as individuals and as a community of believers.

What may be justifiable reasons for leaving a congregation? And when is it time to go? Seldom is there a clear line to cross. More often there is a continuum where, at some point, people make subjective decisions that it is time to move on. Don’t judge others in their timing or decisions.

Here I mention four clusters of issues that may justify leaving. There are certainly more. I welcome your replies.

1. Doctrine and Morals
Does the church continue to embrace and proclaim the Classic Truths of the Christian Faith? Or does it put its finger to the wind? Is it moving to adopt some extra-biblical or anti-biblical teachings that reflect trends du jour?

Does the church hold to the moral values that have been reasonably discerned from Scripture by Christians broadly? Or is it, for example, wandering in sexual ethics or away from a deep commitment to the value of human life?

If it is moving into error in doctrine or morals, after gracious efforts to “right the ship” fail perhaps the time has come when it is prudent to move on.

2. Spiritual Gifts and Ministries
Christians differ over what spiritual gifts God gives to his churches today.
I do not have to take sides on this issue in order to make my comments here.

If you believe God has gifted you with particular spiritual abilities and filled your heart with certain passions of ministry, you need to be able to use these abilities and put your passions to work.

The church may disagree that (1) you have these particular gifts or (2) your ministry passions should be fulfilled in this particular church or made priorities by the church. I won’t take sides here either!

If you have “knocked on doors of opportunity” at your church and they won’t open, or you fail to gain the concurrence of church leaders on the use of your gifts perhaps the time has come when it is prudent to move on. You may be able to find a different body of believers where the gifts and passions you believe are yours can find fulfilling expression.

3. Balance and Emphases in Teaching
Jesus warned of teachers who major on minors. “You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:23-24 NIV).

If a church’s teaching ministry majors on minors, or if it is constantly on “hobby horses” and not nourishing the faithful by teaching the great themes of the Bible, perhaps the time has come when it is prudent to move on.

More!
• Is the church’s teaching legalistic? That is, does it hammer on issues of behavior or worship style that really aren’t commanded in the Bible?
• Is the church dabbling in politics? Do you not only need to be a Christian, but also be somewhere on the political spectrum to be accepted? (One of the best words I ever heard was when a new couple greeted me at the door after a service and said, “We’ve been here several times. We are liberal Democrats. And we want you to know we feel very comfortable in this church!” Same should be true for Christians who are conservative Republicans.)
• Is the teaching of the church preoccupied with “Bible prophecy” and its fulfillment before our very eyes?

If a church is into legalism or politics or obsessed with the fulfillment of prophecies, “I’m outta here!”

4. Authority Issues and “Strong Man” Leadership Style
How accountable is the top leadership of the church to a board free to think for itself? Or is the board loaded with pastor-appointed people, pastor’s relatives, or “yes men”? Are people free to graciously question leadership decisions without being told they “should not touch the Lord’s anointed”?

The pastor can have considerable authority but must ultimately be accountable. And the board must be accountable to the congregation.
It should go without saying, pastor and board and congregation are all accountable to God and stand judged by Scripture.

I personally believe a plural eldership of biblical-qualified people (1 Timothy 3:1-7, 5:17-20) is the best form of church government. It isn’t always perfect, but can keep pastoral leadership on course. It also avoids the errors of congregational government (not enough freedom for pastors to lead, for example). And it can deal with alternate authority structures that may arise in the church, such as pressure groups or a group of VSP’s—“Very Spiritual People.” And yes, some churches are “family owned and operated” and the pastor is expected to be a patsy to this ingrained though unofficial authority.

If a church is authoritarian or otherwise haywire on authority or its pastors unapproachable, perhaps the time has come when it is prudent to move on. What other issues do you think justify leaving a church or denomination?

A Final Word: Be a Helpful Communicator to your Pastor –
If your pastor is at all approachable and you are at all able to articulate your concerns clearly and graciously, do your best to let your pastoral leadership know your concerns before you decide to move on. Some who do this will ultimately move on anyway. Others may be able to resolve the issues and be fruitful and blest participants in the future life of the church.

Once you make your decision to move on…well, let me quote from that great expert on etiquette, Emily Post (even though she assumes the pastor is at fault, which often is not the case):

If your desire to make a change is due to the fact that you are not getting what you think you should from your particular faith, or perhaps your views are not compatible with those of the clergyman… You owe him an explanation of your reasons for changing parishes, either by letter or in person. Although it may be difficult, try to be very honest and clear, because while he may be hurt or upset at the time, your criticisms and comments may help him to see some of his failings and to serve his congregation better.
– Emily Post’s Etiquette—A Guide to Modern Manners, 14th Edition (1984)

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]“The Lord’s Prayer” #2 –
Praying for the Honor of God’s Name

The Lord’s Prayer “The Sermon on the Mount”
by Carl Bloch (1877)

“After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.”

– Jesus (Matthew 6:9 KJV)

Mary and I are avid viewers of “Blue Bloods” through all its seasons. We often watch it at the time of our evening meal. So we’ve learned the mealtime prayer this Irish Catholic family uses in most episodes and have made it our own. After pondering this first petition of The Lord’s Prayer we have added new opening words to the mealtime prayer:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Bless us O Lord and these thy gifts
which we are about to receive from thy bounty.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

This reflects the order found in The Lord’s Prayer. First we honor God’s Name. Next we pray for our material and spiritual needs. Both are important and necessary. But the first is first.

The Opening Address: God is both Near and Far

God’s nearness is seen in his “Fatherhood” and in our comfort in addressing him as such.

There are three senses in which God is “Father” –
Universally: God is Father of ALL HUMANITY (Acts 17:28)
Especially: God is Father of his SPIRITUAL CHILDREN
Uniquely: God is Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST
The Lord’s Prayer addresses God as Father of his spiritual children

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.“ (Romans 8:16-17)

Before moving on, I need to address a modern trend. It avoids referring to God as our “Father.” God is our “Father/Mother” or he is our “Parent” or the great Spirit who fills the universe (I guess this means God is “The Force”!).

These are not permissible options. Depart from the Bible’s usage and you have moved from the boundaries of Judeo-Christian thinking and probably into pantheism or some version of paganism. It is a different religion.

God is near, yet he is far – “…in Heaven.” If “Father” draws us to the closeness of God, “in Heaven” confronts us with the greatness of God.

“Be exalted, O Lord, above the heavens.
Let thy glory be over all the earth.”

God is our Father, but he isn’t our buddy.
God is our protector and provider, but he isn’t our butler.
Prayer doesn’t cause God to pop out of a bottle to serve us.

Whenever we say The Lord’s Prayer from our hearts, we confess the greatness of our God. He is close, but he is also majestic. And he is in the seat of authority to govern the course of history and our own lives.

Good worship services will reflect both God’s closeness and God’s greatness. There needs to be a balance here. Great cathedrals bring us before our majestic God. Many Evangelical services, especially Pentecostal ones, bring us before a God who is close (“Reach out and touch the Lord as he walks by…”). Neither God’s closeness nor his greatness is enough by itself. Bring them both together and you will have a service proclaiming that “God is here” both in his closeness and in his greatness, whether in a cathedral or a casual church or anything in between.

The First Petition: A prayer for the Honor of God’s Name

God’s “Name” is all the qualities and character of God made known to us.
For God’s Name to be “hallowed” is for it to be treated as something special and sacred (holy). God’s Name is set apart from all else. We reverence and adore his Holy Name. We must honor and reflect his holy character.

This petition calls on God to lift high his Name. God may do this directly or through his people. Sometimes the Bible speaks of God hallowing his own Name. “I will show the holiness of my great name” (Ezekiel 36:23). The Bible also speaks of God’s people hallowing his Name. “Let them praise your great and awesome name—he is holy” (Psalm 99:3).

The opposite of hallowing God’s Name is to draw God’s Name down into the gutter, to treat it as profane or ordinary, to flippantly toss around his Name.

I suggest there are three ways for us to uplift and not drag down God’s Name:

1. In our WORDS

Obviously, we should never use profanity. We should grieve whenever we hear God’s Name dragged in the dirt this way.

God’s Name also calls us to tell the truth. If God is a God of truth, we should be people of truth. We don’t have to be “under oath” to be truthful.

Avoid this way of profaning God’s Name (Christians sometimes do it):

We use God’s Name to validate a word we want to say or a decision we have made or a direction in life we are taking. “I felt the Lord telling me to say this.” Or, “God led me” to go this way, or to do that. Such claims are made worse in that they put the claimant above assessment if left unexamined.

Even worse, it questions the freedom of the Christian to make his or her own decisions and direction. If God gives me the freedom to do something (that is, it neither is commanded or prohibited in God’s Word), I don’t need to pull God’s Name into some pious phrase to justify it. God has already validated it through the freedom he has given me. Feeling the need to add a pious phrase shows a lack of faith in what God has already said.

2. In our WORSHIP

If we believe God is both great and near, that he is both present and very exalted when we worship, it will greatly impact how we approach worship.

Would we be “on time” (or early!) if a great person were speaking at our church? Would we get the best seat we could get? Would we prepare ourselves for worship? Would we be very attentive and involved mentally and emotionally? Sure we would! But we often are not, because we don’t take seriously our duty to honor God’s Name and presence in our worship. (For a powerful presentation of these thoughts read the first chapter of Malachi.)

3. In our WALK

Beyond our words and worship, our behavior must honor the Lord’s Name. Here is a sad scripture on dishonoring God’s Name (Romans 2:21-24):

You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

In contrast, Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (prior to giving us The Lord’s Prayer), “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Likewise, the Apostle Peter teaches, “Abstain from sinful desires which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good works and glorify God…” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

How we represent God in our behavior may lead others to blaspheme God or to praise God. It’s our decision. Our commitment before God needs to be a determination to live out and lift up the meaning of my favorite hymn:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty,
All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Only thou art holy, there is none beside thee.
Perfect in power, in love and purity.

Bible Insight – Pray the Beatitudes During Lent
(Matthew 5:1-10)

The First Beatitude:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Forgive us, Lord, of our spiritual pride—any attitude that we are spiritually self-sufficient or superior to others in knowledge or faith or spirituality or sense of mission. All we are, we are by your grace.

The Second Beatitude:

“Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.”

People mourn today because of the effects of sin. We mourn illness and death. We mourn persecution and oppression throughout the world. We mourn when evil is done to ourselves and others. We mourn our own sins as we confess them. Help us, God, to mourn with others and lift their heavy burdens.

The Third Beatitude:

“Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.”

True meekness has confidence in Jesus and in God’s promises. Lord, forgive us for our failure to nurture a spirit of meekness. Forgive the contention, strife, rage, abuse, domination and wrongful competitiveness that result. Lead us to fight fire with grace, and leave vengeance in your hands.

The Fourth Beatitude:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.”

Forgive us, Lord, when we go on our self-imposed spiritual diets and allow our lives to crowd out your Word instead of being nourished by it as we should be. We fail to eagerly search your Word, hear it taught and modeled by others so we might better walk in your will and please you in all we do.

The Fifth Beatitude:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.”

Lord, if we have failed, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, to lose the chains of injustice, to share our food with the hungry and provide the poor wanderer with shelter, to clothe the naked, or help the oppressed, we humbly repent and we beseech your forgiveness as we resolve to fulfill this calling better.

The Sixth Beatitude:

“Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.”

Create in us a pure heart, O God. As we see Jesus in your Word and in others, mold us by your Spirit that we might be more like him. May the hope of Jesus’ coming purify our hearts and minds and deeds until that day when our eyes behold him and we are fully transformed to be what we should be.

The Seventh Beatitude:

“Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.”

Father in Heaven, we fail to fulfill “The Prayer of St. Francis,” that you would make us instruments of your peace, bringing love, pardon, faith, hope, light, and joy to our world of strife. We need your wisdom and grace to be reconcilers even as you have reconciled us to yourself through Christ.

The Eighth Beatitude:

“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

Father, your Word warns us that it is through many trials that we enter the Kingdom of God. Living in America, we’ve enjoyed freedom to live out our faith. Let us be warned that this may not last, even as many suffer now throughout the world because they live out their confession that Jesus is Lord.

Forgive our fear and timidity. Empower us with your Holy Spirit so we may face our trials, proclaim Jesus, live out our faith, and draw others to him. Amen.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our Unalienable Rights—All of Them

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

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.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed . . .

On January 22, the 50th anniversary of “Roe v. Wade,” Vice-president Kamala Harris gave a speech in Tallahassee, Florida supporting abortion rights and lamenting last year’s Supreme Court decision. Excerpt:

So we are here together because we collectively believe and know America is a promise. It is a promise of freedom and liberty — not for some, but for all.

A promise we made in the Declaration of Independence that we are each endowed with the right to liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Be clear. These rights were not bestowed upon us. They belong to us as Americans.

And it is that freedom and liberty that enabled generations of Americans to chart their own course and decide their own future with, yes, ambition and aspiration…

Source: “Remarks by Vice President Harris on the 50th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade,”
The White House/Briefing Room/Speeches and Remarks, January 22, 2023

Two comments:

First, the speech is memorable for what it left out. The vice-president omitted the words “by their Creator” and omitted the first “unalienable right” – the right to “LIFE”, followed by “liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” This demonstrates clearly how one can use the Declaration of Independence for whatever purpose, by simply altering it.

Second, I’m intrigued by the words, “Be clear. These rights were not bestowed upon us. They belong to us as Americans.”

This false distinction should not escape our notice. It’s as if the two statements about rights are “either/or” rather than “both/and.” Actually, “either/or,” (“bestowed” excludes “belong”) makes no sense.

In truth, our unalienable rights “belong to us” because they were “bestowed upon us” by none other than our Creator.

These rights don’t rise from the generosity of government, which might someday nefariously attempt to take away what it once gave (as is happening in many parts of the world under leftist rule). No, their “endowment” comes from a source infinitely higher than any government or people.

Government exists not to bestow our unalienable rights but to protect them, to “secure” them—keep them safe. If it does not, it loses its legitimacy, which the Declaration makes clear as it continues: “That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government…”

President John F. Kennedy spoke exactly right in his inaugural speech on January 21, 1961 – “…the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Revival News – A “Revival” is a breakout, often unplanned, of renewed spiritual interest in God, the Lord Jesus, the ministry of the Holy Spirit, worship, evangelism and societal improvement. It brings commitments to Jesus and may lead to many conversions.

As I complete this newsletter word is spreading across the country of a revival at Asbury University in Kentucky. The revival itself is spreading as well. It’s a big story in major media.

I have not seen a genuine revival since the “Jesus Movement” of the late 60’s and early 70’. “Yes, God, do it again!”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1672774688935{background-color: #c6956f !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

A Lenten Thought: “True Fasting” that Pleases God

This is what the LORD says,
Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
To loose the chains of injustice, to set the oppressed free.
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter.
When you see the naked, to cloth them
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
– Isaiah 58:6-7 NIV[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

www.donaldshoemakerministries.com

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February 2023 Newsletter

Posted on January 31, 2023 by admin

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”949″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_custom_heading text=”“A Piece of My Mind”” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:50px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal”][vc_custom_heading text=”February 2023 Newsletter” font_container=”tag:h1|font_size:30px|text_align:center|color:%232633ef” google_fonts=”font_family:Bitter%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]

Buffalo Bill’s Defensive End Damar Hamlin

“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—was everywhere.” – Barton Swaim, Editorial Page Writer, The Wall Street Journal (January 5, 2023)

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Now is as good a time as ever to be trained in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).

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Why the Current Disinterest in Bible Prophecy?

When I was a young Christian in the 1960’s I was concerned that a disinterest in Bible prophecy seemed to be settling into evangelical churches and youth ministries. This was a BIG change from the 1950’s, when Bible Prophecy was a huge teaching theme. Trends in youth ministry pointed us to focus on the problems of this world and our role in changing things. Prophecy took a back seat, for it was seen as a hindrance to “this-world” ministries.

Everything changed dramatically again with the arrival of The Jesus Movement in the late 1960’s. Many of the “Hippies” who were attracted to The Jesus Movement were kind of “doomsday” people to begin with (the singer Barry McGuire, who converted to Jesus, was already known in the entertainment world for his song “Eve of Destruction”).

The Jesus Movement was highly influenced by the Calvary Chapel churches that grew from it and by Hal Lindsey, author of The Late Great Planet Earth. Calvary Chapels were strongly into Bible Prophecy and were (and still are) strong proponents of the “Pre-Tribulation Rapture.” Youthful Christians were taught that the Rapture could happen at any moment. Songwriters produced songs on prophecy themes (like Larry Norman’s popular pre-trib song “I Wish We’d All Been Ready”). The youth of my own congregation in Long Beach, California started a regular “Jesus Meeting” gathering known as “Last Generation.” Youth-driven interest in prophecy topics had never been greater, I’m quite sure.

The popular film “A Thief in the Night” promoted a pre-tribulation rapture. San Diego-based pastor and author Tim LaHaye, whom TIME Magazine named one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America, produced the immensely popular “Left Behind” series of 12 books that depicted a world in turmoil after the sudden pre-trib rapture of the saints.

Now today we have lapsed back into disinterest in Bible prophecy. One writer said you have to be over 50 to be interested (all those Jesus People are now well over 50!). This could be blamed on the excesses and extremes of some prophecy teaching. Or to the “this-world” orientation of a lot of teaching and ministries today (including efforts to change society). Or simply to a blind spot in our attention to some of the Bible’s key themes.

Whatever the reasons, the current disinterest is nothing new. “I’ve seen it all before!”

Churches, Pastors and Theologians need to be concerned about the current disinterest in Prophecy.

Churches need to intentionally reform themselves through a healthy restoration of Bible Prophecy.

Pastors should create a sermon series on Prophecy Issues designed to reignite interest in Bible Prophecy in the hearts of congregants—a series that is rational, Bible-based, theologically informed, timely and without speculations.

This is a slightly revised excerpt from my 2022 essay, “For Me, the ‘Rapture’ Is
Up in the Air!” The entire 29-page study is available as a blog on my Website.
Upon request, I will send you a PDF copy of the study. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Better Arguments, Less Heat

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger* once told a gathering of bishops and cardinals they needed to lower the temperature during a heated debate.

“The arguments are either convincing or they are not convincing; the tone can either be disturbing or helpful.

I suggest we help each other to take down the tone and strengthen the arguments.”

His reasoned temperance would serve debate well, whether the issue is theology, church policies, secular politics or anything else.
* Cardinal Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. From his retirement in 2013 until his death on December 31, 2022 he served as Pope Emeritus.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

“The Lord’s Prayer” #1 – An Introduction

As [Jesus] was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

– Luke 11:1-4 (King James Version)

When ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

– Matthew 6:7-13 (King James Version)

Over the next few months we’ll take a serious look at the prayer Jesus gave us to pray. Each study will look at one or more of the phrases of this prayer. Plus, this first lesson will give an introductory look at some features of the prayer. My desire is to increase our understanding and use of this prayer. The ultimate goal is to deepen our communication with our Father in Heaven through the teaching ministry of Jesus.

Introductory Teaching for Understanding “The Lord’s Prayer”

1. Jesus gave us The Lord’s Prayer so we would avoid meaningless prayer patterns (Matthew 6:7-8) and develop good prayer habits (Luke 11:1).

“Lord, teach us to pray…” Jesus’ disciples once came to him with this request (Luke 11:1). Jesus’ answer was what we call “The Lord’s Prayer” (2-4). This prayer is also taught in Matthew 6:9-13.

In Matthew’s version, Jesus gives this prayer to correct meaningless prayer habits—habits that are essentially pagan. “Use not vain repetitions,” that is, “Do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words” (6:7). The Greek verb for “babbling” is interesting—“battalogetō” (“to babble, to stammer, to speak without thinking”). It’s what we call an onomatopoetic word—its meaning comes from how it sounds, like “bang!” or “swish”. Don’t keep praying “batta-batta-batta-batta”—don’t pray any prayer that sounds like babbling!

Our God is not like the gods of paganism. He stands ready to hear. In fact, “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (6:8).

So we pray with simplicity and with faith. God doesn’t weigh prayer by the pound. He hears the little child. “The Lord’s Prayer” is excellent for its simplicity. New converts often don’t want to pray out loud in public because, they think, they don’t know how. What they mean is they can’t pray like the “prayer giants” they hear praying at church. In reality, we should learn from the simple prayers of new converts.

I’ve been in prayer gatherings that go “batta-batta-batta.” I’ve been guilty of trying to pray with fancy words. I need to hear the lesson here.

2. The Lord’s Prayer gives us both a pattern to follow (Matthew 6:9) and actual words to say (Luke 11:2).

[Mt. 6:9] – “pray like this” – a pattern to follow. You don’t have to use the exact words, but learn to pattern your prayer life using this as a guide. You never have to wonder whether or not you are praying “in God’s will” if you are praying after the pattern of The Lord’s Prayer.

In Luke 11:2, Jesus says, “When you pray, say…” We can actually pray the very words of The Lord’s Prayer. We should never frown at the practice of Christians who recite the prayer privately or in worship liturgy. If anything, we should do it more often than we do. However, we must never allow The Lord’s Prayer to become like the empty repetition it’s supposed to prevent.

3. Jesus gave The Lord’s Prayer to us. He never prayed it himself.

Certainly Jesus prayed and practiced certain points of this prayer. He hallowed the name of his Father in Heaven. He prayed, “Not my will, but yours be done.”

But he never prayed, “Forgive my sins.” Nor did he pray to “our Father,” but rather to “my Father.” The Gospels underscore Jesus’ unique sonship. See John 20:17 NIV – “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.” The Lord’s Prayer is really “The Prayer of Jesus’ Disciples.”

4. The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that God must always come first. While our needs are important, God is all-important (as in the two “love commands”).

When Jesus taught the two “Love Commandments” he made it clear which was first (“Love the Lord your God”) and which was second (“Love your neighbor”). See Matthew 22:37-40. Both are important and necessary. But the first is primary.

So it is in The Lord’s Prayer. First we pray for God’s honor and kingdom. Second we pray for our needs. Both are important and necessary. But the first is primary. How often do we focus first on our “needs” and “wants” and fail to put God’s honor first (or even to mention it)?

5. The Lord’s prayer has (1) an opening address and (2) six petitions (two pairs of three).

God is addressed as “our Father in Heaven.” We will see that this address is vital and must not be changed. Six petitions follow: three for God and his honor, three for us and our needs.

6. The traditional doxology at the end of the prayer was added to later manuscripts and is not part of the original prayer.

It may disappoint, if not alarm, some Christians to learn that the phrase “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” is not original to the Gospel of Matthew. Certainly, though, it is outstanding and true (and how could we sing Malotte’s The Lord’s Prayer without it?). It is proper to add these words to worship liturgy following The Lord’s Prayer.

7. Finally, it is important to see the differences between the Matthean and Lukan versions of the prayer.

Matthew has these statements not found in Luke [based on readings from The Greek New Testament, Society of Biblical Literature Edition, 2010]:
“Our” before “Father”, plus “…who is in heaven.”
“…your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
“…but deliver us from evil.”

Matthew’s prayer is for forgiveness of “debts” whereas Luke says “sins.”
A warning about the necessity of forgiving the sins of others (using the word “trespasses”) follows the prayer in Matthew. So here we see two of the many words that are synonyms for “sin.” (Public prayers typically use either “debts” or “trespasses.” What matters is that we all speak the same word together!)

There are no contradictions here. Nor do these differences affect the meaning of the prayer, except that Matthew’s word on forgiving others is explained. We may assume that Jesus taught about this prayer on many occasions.

Beginning next month we will examine the opening address and the petitions in The Lord’s Prayer. These introductory points will aid us as we look at them.
I encourage readers to check out the Internet to find an abundance of lessons and information. I also recommend Praying The Lord’s Prayer by J. I. Packer.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

First Amendment Liberty Vigilance –

Tolerance, Diversity, Inclusion

Leftist Cancellations

The First Amendment limits the power of government. But it would be wrong to ignore the pedagogical effect of The First Amendment on the attitudes, conduct and policies of people and organizations in the United States. Below are two accounts of actions and attitudes (by government or businesses) that do not reflect the spirit of The First Amendment.

Will renowned neurosurgeon Ben Carson’s name be scrubbed from the Detroit school named after him?
Very possibly, if some school board members and activists have their way. Regardless of his medical accomplishments and public service and his role model for aspiring students, many resent his service in the Trump Administration, where he served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Carson grew up in Detroit as a disadvantaged child.

The school’s website has glowingly stated why it was named after Dr. Carson:
The school is named in honor of the acclaimed Detroit-born, African-American pediatric neurosurgeon Dr. Benjamin Carson. As a pediatric neurosurgeon…
Dr. Carson was honored with the 2008 Presidential Medal of Freedom for his contributions. The school aims to honor the contributions Dr. Carson has made not only to the global medical community, but also as a role model for Detroit students with aspirations and interests in science and medical fields.
– The Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine in Detroit

Former Surgeon General Jerome Adams, who served in that role during the Trump Administration, found that jobs can be hard to come by.
He explored jobs in academia but received rejection notices from university officials who worried that he would be badly received by their left-leaning student bodies. Some corporations decided he was too “tainted” to employ.
In September of 2021, Purdue University President Mitch Daniels hired him as executive director of health equity initiatives. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1598373738095{border-radius: 3px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Back
The Badge
“Blessed are those who
maintain justice.” – Psalm 106:3

Line-of-Duty Deaths in 2022

Around 2 p.m. on December 29, 2022 Deputy Isaiah Cordero, 32, pulled William Shae McKay, 44, over for an unknown traffic violation in the city of Jurupa Valley, CA.

“As (Cordero) approached the vehicle, the suspect produced a (handgun) and shot the deputy,” Riverside (CA) Sheriff Chad Bianco told reporters Thursday night. Deputy Cordero died of his wound.

After an intense freeway pursuit McKay was shot and killed during a shootout between him and deputies.

Though McKay pulled the trigger, the sheriff pointed to the criminal justice system as the one that ultimately failed his department.

“This terrible tragedy should have been prevented by the legal system,” Bianco said at Thursday night’s news conference. “McKay has an extensive, violent past and was convicted of his third strike in November of 2021.”

McKay was a “violent felon” whose criminal acts began in the 1990s. Bianco said the shooter should have been locked away under California’s “three strikes” law. [December 30 News Account]

The killing of McKay was justifiable and righteous. The deputies did the will of God. The judicial system did not “seek justice” as it should (Roman 13:1-7; Micah 6:8).

Deputy Cordero was the last Line of Duty Death (LODD) in the U.S. recorded in 2022.* The total LODD in 2022 was 229. This number represents a decrease of 66% over 2021, when 669 LODD were recorded. The main reason for the decrease was a significant reduction in Covid-related deaths from 474 to 73.

Still, Covid was the leading cause of LODD in 2022 in spite of the dramatic drop. Other main causes of LODD in 2022 were:
• Gunfire (66)
• Automobile crashes (32)

These three causes led to 171 LODD, or 75% of the total deaths in 2022. Also important to notice is that 330 law enforcement officers were shot and there were 80 attempts at ambushing an officer last year.

The traffic stop is one of the most common enforcement exercises by observant, pro-active law enforcement officers. The “routine” traffic stop is anything but routine and cannot be treated as such. The approaching officer is at a tactical disadvantage. There is distraction and danger from oncoming traffic. Tinted vehicle windows obscure what the officer can see, especially dark front seat windows, which might be illegal.

Those in the vehicle need to comply with the officer’s orders. Officers must be firm and yet show appropriate courtesy. On top of all this, some of the public are always ready to pounce on officer conduct, at the slightest suspicion of rudeness or excessive force.

A Hancock County (Indiana) police officer pulled over murder suspect Bryan Kohberger and his father, Michael.** Traffic on the Interstate made it hard for the officer to hear occupants of the vehicle.

This traffic stop, following the fatal shooting of Deputy Cordero, underscores the inherent risk of traffic stops.

* The second LODD in 2023 was also a Riverside County Deputy Sheriff—Darnell Calhoun, killed by gunfire on January 13, 2023.
** Whether this and one other stop were done at the request of the FBI is now disputed.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row css=”.vc_custom_1672774688935{background-color: #c6956f !important;border-radius: 5px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_column_text]

Social Media and the Explosion of Anxiety

“Anxiety, we know, is felt by heavy users of social media. A 2019 report from the Berkeley Institute for the Future of Young Americans suggests that the rate of university students with anxiety disorders has doubled since 2008, from 10 percent to 20 percent. [The report] attributes this to increased time on digital devices, social media in particular, as well as financial stress.

“In particular, students who spent more than twenty hours of leisure time per week on digital devices were 53 percent more likely to have anxiety than young adults who spent fewer than five hours a week doing so.”

– Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Morality—Restoring the Common Good in Divided times (Basic Books, 2020), from pages 272-73

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APPENDIX: Parents’ Constitutional Rights may be violated when a teacher pursues a “Transgender Agenda” in the classroom
By Eugene Volokh (The Volokh Conspiracy, June 2, 2023)

June 2023 Newsletter

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APPENDIX: Recent Court Decisions and the
Non-Establishment [of Religion] Principle
By Eugene Volokh (April 22, 2023)

April-May 2023 Newsletter

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March 2023 Newsletter

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February 2023 Newsletter

Tolerance, Diversity, Inclusion

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APPENDIX: Parents’ Constitutional Rights may be violated when a teacher pursues a “Transgender Agenda” in the classroom By Eugene Volokh (The Volokh Conspiracy, June 2, 2023)

APPENDIX: Recent Court Decisions and the Non-Establishment [of Religion] Principle By Eugene Volokh (April 22, 2023)

Tolerance, Diversity, Inclusion

APPENDIX: Parents’ Constitutional Rights may be violated when a teacher pursues a “Transgender Agenda” in the classroom
By Eugene Volokh (The Volokh Conspiracy, June 2, 2023)

APPENDIX: Recent Court Decisions and the
Non-Establishment [of Religion] Principle
By Eugene Volokh (April 22, 2023)