Category Archives: Be A Man

Articles relating to and celebrating manhood, being a man in service to others, and to the King.

Self Control

“Know Thyself” (Pythian proverb on ancient temple in Delphi, Greece)

KNOW THYSELF
CONTROL THYSELF
BE WHO YOU WANT TO BE

That’s what I was hearing as I awakened just now.

Self-control (selfctrl) is also a ministry my young friend Ian has founded with his wife Hayley. It’s so needed and crucial to happiness and long-term joy. It means making decisions time and time again that make you who you are and who you want to be—who you choose to become.

If you get to know Jesus, that’s who you’ll choose to imitate. He’s the best!

Ian is my mentee. Well, that’s what he calls himself. I call him a friend. We have a lot in common, even though he’s younger than my son at about half my age. What we hold most in common, and most dear, is a love for Jesus and His ways.

I know Ian well. We went on a mission to Africa last summer and were roommates. The young church we went to support in Uganda was a loving community. But Africa was a hostile spiritual atmosphere, and meeting the challenge of spiritual warfare for the first time with a friend like Ian was a bonding experience. We’ve also spent more than a few hours sharing lives, struggles, and choices in the Old Pine coffee shop or my living room. I consider our friendship a treasure and look forward to knowing Ian even better as we encourage each other, pray for each other, and fight more spiritual battles—battles that are increasingly about self-control.

We live in a culture, country, and time where people are out of control. They have cast off restraint. They no longer believe or know that the person who exercises the most self-control enjoys God’s favor, long-term happiness, and a character worth having.

Self-control and these character traits can be experienced, won, and achieved by Practicing the Way. That’s the name of the new book by John Mark Comer. It’s also the practice of Jesus’ followers throughout the centuries—our ancient-future faith’s habits, rhythms, and disciplines. It’s a way of living life above the fray. It’s spending time with the Master daily so you can focus on the most important issues—those of character—and experience the power of His Spirit to help you as you go.

I’m going to pour a cup of coffee and read my Bible now. Godspeed to you on your journey, and happy Labor Day!

“As the deer pants for streams of water,
  so my soul pants for you, my God.”
(Psalm 42:1 NIV)

“Take my [Jesus’] yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
(Matthew 11:29)

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
(Mark 8:36 KJV)

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:23)

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
(Galatians 5:22-23a)

OshKosh B’Gosh

When I tell my friends I just returned from Oshkosh, most of them ask, “What’s that?” A few will blurt out the slogan, “OshKosh B’Gosh,” which is the name brand of a famous line of children’s clothing, known especially for its marquee striped overalls, based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, since 1895. But most any pilot will recognize it as the host city of the world’s greatest, largest airshow and aircraft display every summer since its inception in Milwaukee in 1953. Here’s an editorial about this year’s event, known as EAA AirVenture.

I just returned from the 2024 edition last week. It was great, as usual! The 2024 numbers aren’t in yet, but last year’s 70th anniversary saw 677,000 aircraft enthusiasts attend the week-long show. They got to look at 10,000+ aircraft, a fleet that makes the Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh the world’s busiest airport during the event. Pilots conducted an average of 148 takeoffs or landings per hour, with up to three airplanes landing on big colored dots painted on three runways at the same time, then turning off into the grass, taxing to parking spaces guided by an army of well-orchestrated volunteers. Amazing!

It’s like a huge city springing up out of the ground almost overnight at the regional airport of Oshkosh, a city of about 70,000 located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago. People are there to gawk at airplanes and talk about airplanes — the oldest flying to the latest, greatest, newest technology. Military, civilian, home-built, factory-built, aerobatic — you name it, and it’s there.

One of the main reasons I went this year, besides my love of aviation and the camaraderie of flying friends from NWA and FSM (Fort Smith, AR), was to share the experience with two young aviators. Shepherd is an engineering college student who won an AOPA scholarship in high school, paying for him to get his pilot’s license. When I first met him at church, he expressed to me an interest in becoming a missionary pilot. I told him that although I was a retired military and airline pilot, I didn’t know much about that, but I would help him in any way I could. I immediately thought of Oshkosh and remembered that all the mission aviation organizations are represented there in one place each year.

The second young aviator, Samuel, is the son of one of my best fighter pilot friends. He’s seventeen, a senior in high school, has already soloed, and is working toward getting his private pilot’s license before beginning engineering university year after next in Missouri. He wants to be an airline pilot. Excellent! I thought, and his dad agreed, sponsoring his way up to the event with Shepherd and me.

There’s too much to say about the show in a blog, so I’ll let my photos do the talking. But I will report that Shepherd spent several hours talking to mission organizations and pilots serving around the globe in some beautiful, challenging places to fly — providing airlift, humanitarian, medical, language translation, and spiritual ministry to groups in great need of such.

I went around with Shepherd much of the time and learned there was a great deal I didn’t know about mission aviation. I knew the two biggest organizations, MAF and JARS, were there, but there were more than a dozen similar support organizations forming a big, beautiful community of aviators and worldwide support personnel — many needing pilots, especially now, as there is a worldwide shortage of pilots. Moody Bible Translators has an aviation school in Spokane, WA. MMS Aviation in Ohio trains mechanics and pilots for the mission field. So does the Texas Air Corps in Bullard, TX. Samaritan’s Purse was there, and Samaritan Aviation (a separate organization) serving the remote villages of Papua New Guinea. And that’s not half of them. Christ’s kingdom is bigger than you think and growing all the time, without fanfare, just loving and serving people.

This was an exciting development to experience, learn about, and hopefully facilitate young aviators to find the path forward in their flying dreams and aspirations. I hope you’re as inspired by the photos and these fine young men as I am. Shalom.

Oshkosh 2024 Photos

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“If I take the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will lay hold of me” (Psalm139:9-10).

“Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles” (Isaiah 40:31a).

Sex and Freedom

Happy July 4th! I recently stood with an eighty-something friend on his wooden deck sticking out in space from his home atop a mountain perched on a cliff. After standing in silence for a good while peering over mountains, lakes, valleys, and forests beneath an azure sky punctuated with white clouds, he pipped up and said, “I liked your book [Puzzling 2020], except for one thing — that three-letter word you used so often.” I smiled at him quizzically and said, “What word, John?” “S-E-X,” he spelled out for me.

Smiling, I shook my head and told him the book was written for a multi-generational audience. And I couldn’t be sure that the younger generation even knows what the Bible says about sex. This book was a 70-chapter devotional that describes the Christian or Biblical worldview and hopefully makes it as compelling as it is.

I wrote a few chapters on the subject based on history, philosophy, psychology, and the Bible, hopefully expounding the truth and what God reveals to us about the gift of sex—its best, most enjoyable, and highest uses. My overall summary was: “Sex is a beautiful servant but a terrible master.”

Introducing Thessalonica

Thessaloniki, the second largest city in Greece (one million people), was founded in 315 BC by the Greek general Cassander, who named it after his wife, Thessalonike, sister of Alexander the Great. By Roman times, it had become one of the most important cities in the empire following Greece. It was one of the first churches established by the Apostle Paul in Europe, and it was the first epistle Paul wrote to any church (50 AD). These Christ followers were important to him relationally and personally, as is clear by what he says and how he says it. It’s also clear that sexual misconduct was common and prevalent in the Roman Empire approximately halfway through its thousand-year existence. It was one of the first things Paul addressed, urging them to lead self-controlled lives as God teaches for their good and His glory. In other words, Rome looked a lot like the West and the USA today.

This makes their story poignant and relative to ours. Last week, before July 4th, I heard the first sermon on sex I’ve ever heard preached in more than fifty years attending chruch as an adult.  Our young PhD pastor, Ben Wilson, delivered it right out of I Thessalonians and from the Spirit of God, who gave Paul the message in the first place. It’s well worth viewing.

I’ll give you a summary of Ben’s message, but the facts and details are important to know and internalize, so don’t stop short of hearing him out. God made sex for our enjoyment, and He prescribed how to enjoy it most fully — one man and one woman in marriage. Anything else actually dilutes and divides the pleasure and satisfaction possible. And, one experiences bondage instead of freedom. 

Tozer says idolatry is: “Having thoughts about God that are unworthy of Him.” If you think your ideas about sex are better than God’s, then I would suggest you don’t know God as well as you ought. He’s good and wise and gives good gifts to His children.

About idols, the Bible tells us: “They have ears, but can’t hear, eyes but can’t see, legs but can’t walk, hands but can’t feel — those who worship them become like them.” Don’t let this happen to you! Know and choose God’s ways concerning sex. Self-control isn’t a deterrent to freedom but an avenue to freedom. Godspeed as you journey and live free!

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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law [emphasis added]” (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV).

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline [emphasis added]” (2 Timothy 1:7).

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom [emphasis added]” (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Adventure Malaysia

This week, I returned from Malaysia, where eight friends from our church went on the friendship, mission, and travel adventure of a lifetime. Our leader, who lived with his family in China in the past and is connected to some manufacturing company, made a friend in Malaysia who invited us to come.

This friend is a Malaysian pastor, and he introduced us around to some of his friends who served as our hosts and guides as we explored the Island of Borneo (now known as Sabah, Sarawak, and part of Indonesia). We concentrated our exploration on the cities of Semporna, Lahad Datu, and Tawau in Sabah and the islands easiest to visit from there for snorkeling and sightseeing. Two of our young guides were pastors, so we asked if we could experience their churches. They obliged. 

We found the people friendly, and they welcomed us into their lives and culture. Not being more knowledgeable, I assume this is more of the Indigenous people group. Malaysians are known for their hospitality, and there are many people groups and cultures living there. We saw no other Americans while we were exploring that part of the island and only a few European travelers. The populations we encountered were mainly native Malaysians and Chinese tourists.

Thankfully, Tim and wife Lindsay could guide us on food choices along with our hosts. The food was delicious and inexpensive — adding to the adventure. And several in our group were much more “foodies” than I had known.

Malaysia and neighboring Indonesia are primarily Muslim. There is a fair amount of religious freedom, with segments of the population being Buddhist, Hindu, and Christian. On our arrival day in the country, we decided to rest a bit from the long (35-hour) travel and recover from jet lag. Tim was familiar with the city from his business travels, and using Grab (Asian Uber), he snagged us a couple of cars to transport us from the airport hotel to the Batu Caves, a beautiful, unusual Hindu religious site.

Then, we used Grab to get to downtown Kuala Lumpur to see the impressive city center with business and government buildings, including the Petronas Towers, the world’s tallest twin skyscrapers at 88 stories. They are officially a bit higher than the Sears Tower in Chicago, which held the tallest building record for many years. We also strolled through Chinatown, which was a short ride away.

We returned to the hotel for our friends’ briefing on the country, had a good night’s sleep (I think!), and the next day, boarded another three-hour flight to Sabah, our main destination for the visit. I had traveled with these friends to Honduras the previous year, so I knew they were tough and would soldier through the travel without complaint. 

Our reward was soon a nice hotel in Semporna, where we hung our hats for the entire stay, except for excursions and flying out of Tawau. The people were friendly and helpful, our hosts were gracious, and the scenery exquisite. It was just like I imagined the South China Sea to look, maybe better. Peaceful, serene, beautiful white sand with aqua-blue water housing coral reefs and the most colorful array of fish imaginable — along with comfortable temperatures and a gentle breeze moving palm trees and clouds with its sway. Enchanting.

Our guides welcomed us into their lives and families, showing us that the Spirit of God moves similarly to people all around the globe. And around the globe, it is! Thirteen time zones different from CDST, south of Vietnam and north of Australia, get you in the area as the peninsula of Malaysia extends off the south tip of Thailand. And off the very south tip of Malaysia is the tiny, powerful island, city, and nation of Singapore.

It’s far. For pricing and connections, we elected to go east through Qatar on Qatar Airways (15 hours from DFW), connecting to Malaysia Airlines (8 hours) to KUL, Kuala Lumpur.

Overall, it was a trip, a cultural and spiritual experience none of us will soon forget. Grateful for the experience, the company, and our new friends, we returned to our homes, families, and friends who held down the fort so we could experience this culture, place, and people for ourselves—an unforgettable experience.

Malaysian Friends Photos

Malaysia Travel Adventure

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“The Lord has made known His salvation; He has revealed His righteousness in the sight of the nations” (Psalm 98:2).

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many islands be glad” (Psalm 97:1).

“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15).

Charles Simpson Celebration

Charles Simpson, a man whose influence touched the lives of many, bid farewell to Earth on February 14, 2024, leaving a profound legacy in each of us who knew him.

Several hundred folks from around the country and globe gathered to joyfully celebrate his life and legacy. It was a true party, as one would expect. Stephen, Susanne, and the CSM leadership team, guided by the Holy Spirit, orchestrated a gathering of joyful, expectant, grateful, humble, accomplished, spiritual warriors and warrioresses at Covenant Church, Mobile, AL, to celebrate the gift that Charles Simpson was and honor the man he was.

When I received the invitation, I wondered how they would pull this off. Let the people assemble two hours before the service begins to hug necks, tell stories, and catch up on each other’s lives and what Charles meant to them, for starters.

Once the official service started, one got the idea that Charles himself had laid out the plan, and Stephen (and the other speakers) said as much. “I hate long funerals,” Charles said. He gave each speaker a certain amount of time, mostly five minutes, which was mostly honored. His children may have been given a little liberty on the time or taken a little liberty, but it was beautiful and special.

I won’t try to recreate what Stephan, Susanne, Charlyn, and Jonathan said. I will say that what the ladies shared was very real, honoring, candid, relational, and beautiful. The whole service was recorded as a YouTube video, which is worth your time to experience for an inside look at the beauty we all beheld at some distance.

Don Poythress led us in worship. Michael Coleman delivered the eulogy. Bishop Joseph Garlington brought some special music and words of insight about Charles. To the surprise of many, Pastor Aaron Früh, Charles’ personal pastor for the last few years, welcomed us and provided us with some surprising pastoral insights into Charles’ final days.

Most of us were there for four hours, from 10 AM to 2 PM, and it seemed like thirty minutes—also seemed that time didn’t matter. The Spirit moved like a Gulf breeze through the family gathered to honor Charles, warming hearts, giving revelation, and bringing a soul-stilling peace.

It was even more special to experience it with some West Monroe, LA, friends who knew Charles well and had been similarly impacted by his life, teaching, and preaching.

To top it all off, many of the crowd ambled over to the fellowship hall for an authentic Cajun meal of seafood gumbo, cheese grits, collard greens, pork, chicken, and more. Indescribable deserts were centered around a large plate piled high with apple fritters, which we learned Charles enjoyed daily with his dog as part of their breakfast. Who knew?

My heart is smiling, and I’m rambling. The reality is that I have no words to describe God’s unfathomable reach and majesty. I also struggle to find words to describe the depths and impact of a man so given to knowing God, experiencing His Spirit, and making Him known to others most of the hours and days of his life. Such a man and friend was Charles Simpson. To God be the glory.

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[Click here to enjoy some photos and videos from the event.]

As I think of Charles several Scriptures come to mind, like Psalm 1, Psalm 23, Malachi 4:2, and Psalm 112:4. With a heart smile, I’ll end with this one:

“I will be your God throughout your lifetime— until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you” (Isaiah 46:4 NLT).

I invite you to pray with me the Aaronic Blessing over Charles’ family, ministry, and closest friends:

“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26 NIV).

Charles Simpson 1937-2024

One of the most influential men in my life has departed this earth for heaven. This morning, I sit in silence and solitude by the fire, grateful—full of joy and peace. I’m still inspired by his inspiring life, incredible Bible teaching, and leadership within the church as a minister of the Gospel and along the pathways of life wherever he went. And go, he did, to the ends of the earth and crisscrossing the country until he fell ill a few months ago.

Reflecting now, I think it was his fear of the Lord, humility, and close walk with God that touched me most. Also, it was his familiarity with the Holy Spirit and the way he flowed in the Spirit so effortlessly. “A person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an argument” is one of his quotes that comes to me now and often. He lived that and helped me do the same — a quiet assurance of faith that comes from spending time with God in His Word, meditation, and obedience to what you hear.

A quote from his website says it succinctly, “Embracing the truth with our lives. In an age of confusion and challenge, there is a great hunger for clarity and courage. We believe that we are called to stay rooted in the Bible, to listen to God’s Holy Spirit, and prophetically declare what we hear Him saying in this generation.”

A friend from Louisiana just texted me to ask if I was coming to Charles’ Celebration of Life service. It’s a hike from here, but I’m planning to go—to honor one of the most humble, gracious, influential, and godly men I have ever known and to celebrate his life with friends who knew and walked with him.

I read many of his articles in New Wine Magazine and listened to many hours of recorded teaching and sermons before I met Charles. Then, once on an F-4 deployment to Gulfport, MS, a squadron mate and I drove to Mobile, AL, to hear him speak on Father’s Day an incredibly inspiring and insightful message, “The Missing Man.” It was the first time I saw him and shook his hand after hearing his Spirit-given, razor-edged wisdom and truth in person.

By the grace of God, I eventually had a couple of one-on-one conversations with him. With a small group of friends, I also visited his home for an evening of coffee and conversation. Just last year, he graciously wrote an endorsement of my latest book, Puzzling 2020.

I have no words to communicate what the man means to me for the infusion of the Word and Spirit he deposited in my life or was a catalyst for the Lord to deposit in my life. I can only sit in silent awe with a joy-filled and grateful heart, reflecting on the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living to His servants and friends.

I just read a blog by Charles’ oldest son, Stephen, which caused my heart to swell again with thanksgiving, love, and joy.

I remain very quiet in my spirit—thankful. My heart is full of quiet joy to have known him. What a race! And victory won. And Sabbath rest for him… the first Easter with his Redeemer and Friend.

Easter Shalom to you all.

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“One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts” (Psalm 145:4).

“O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come” (Psalm 71:17-18).

“On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand” (Hymn by Edward Mote, 1834).

Ray Grimes In Memoriam

This week, the family laid Ray Grimes to rest in the Fort Smith National Cemetery after an honoring memorial service. You can read his obituary here.

You can’t really put a person’s life in a few words or wrap up a full life in a few thoughts. Yet these times of honoring the departed seem to call for that or be given to it. It’s a time to ponder the meaning of life, and reflect on the life we are assembled to celebrate and honor.

Time and tradition has brought us to recall the seemingly-most-important facts about a person’s life. Seventy-nine years old. Married forty-six years. Raised two boys to successful adulthood. The description of family members and friends remaining. Those facts do say a lot, and perhaps the most about a man.

But it seems there is a lot more that isn’t said. And we’re left to ponder that for ourselves.

The Bible gives us hints of how our Creator God sees life and death. In Job we’re told, “Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to the old” (Job 12:12). Solomon tells us, “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth” (Ecclesiastes 7:1) He also tells us it’s better to go into the house of morning than the house of feasting” (Ecclesiastes 7:2). One can assume this is to consider our days and consider our lives while we have breath.

God honors a long life lived on the earth. He honors faithfulness. He honors those who honor Him. He knows life is a beautiful gift to be lived. And He knows it’s hard at times with warfare involved. He sees it all. May we come to see things like He sees them and live in this light.

Then the Bible tells us, “Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones” (Psalm 116:15). And way back at the beginning of the Bible, God tells us, “Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:32).

Three Songs

Ray’s sons, one of whom is my son-in-law, wanted three songs played by his favorite artists that were their dad’s favorites. They bundled some family photos with them. In retrospect, they tell us a lot about Ray’s life and any life — three of the most important things in life.

First was A Father’s Love, which speaks to our heavenly Father’s love also. Then Me Without You, which speaks to the importance, even preeminence, of relationships in our earth journey. Lastly, Amazing Grace tells the most important part of the story on earth and in eternity — God’s presence with His people. Rest in peace, Ray Grimes.

[More Photos]

Christmas and Hanukkah 2023

On an early-morning, 3-mile walk around our neighborhood with my wife, we stopped at a restaurant for breakfast. Soon, our conversation turned to soul care — reading the Bible habitually, praying, staying in a community of faith — and abiding in the Light.

“Soul care” seems to be jumping out to me everywhere. Ron, my neighbor, came into the yard yesterday evening, catching me putting the last touches on our Christmas angel, and he was there for the lighting ceremony just as the sun was setting and Hanukkah was beginning. While enjoying a beautiful moment and sunset, our conversation turned to “soul care” — the habits, disciplines, and rhythms of the Christian faith and subsequent peace.

Hanukkah is from the Hebrew word for consecration. Hanukkah, according to dictionary.com is “A Jewish festival lasting eight days, celebrated from the 25th day of the month of Kislev to the 2nd of Tevet in commemoration of the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees following their victory over the Syrians [168 BC] under Antiochus IV, characterized chiefly by the lighting of the menorah on each night of the festival.” Sometimes spelled Chanukah, it is also called the Feast of Dedication or the Feast of Lights.

Bethlehem Light

On our morning walk, we also discussed that “people believe what they want to believe.” When it comes to Bethlehem, can you really overlook such a carefully placed puzzle piece? You can if your heart doesn’t want to know, see, or believe.

On the same note, if you do want to believe there is a God who cares, Who is there, and always does what He says from generation to generation, then pause at Bethlehem. Open your eyes, your ears, your heart, your soul, your spirit, and peer in wonder at a humble Baby and the very heart of your Creator God.

The sky was full of light that night! Happy Hanukkah.

Christmas and Hanukkah

What do these two have in common? Other than both will begin on the same day December 25, 2024 — light! Those living in darkness will see a great light in Galilee of the Gentiles (Isaiah 9:1-2, Matthew 4:14-15). A prophet, priest, and King is born in Bethlehem, Judah, as predicted by the prophet Micah (5:2). Bethlehem, “the house of bread,” is a fitting beginning for Jesus, who would call himself the “bread of life.” The Lion of Judah, the Son of David, was born in the same town David was, 1000 years earlier. Seems like too big a coincidence, doesn’t it?

The religious (those trusting in their own knowledge and works) didn’t see it. Check for yourself. Does any prophet come from Nazareth? (John 7:52). Who else doesn’t see? And who does? That’s a fascinating study within itself as you follow Jesus’ life and ministry on the pages of the Gospels.

It’s by invitation only! But the guest list is immense, in keeping with the wealth and goodwill of the Host. There is an RSVP stated or implied, and that’s our only responsibility, apparently. 

Please, stop what you’re doing. Put worldly cares and your to-do list aside. Enter into the joy of the Lord, where there is feasting without strife and rest — where there is true life.

Take care of your soul. Start living your faith or keeping your faith in an ever-increasing and deepening fashion. There dwells light and life — love and joy.

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“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity” (Micah 5:2).

“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isaiah 9:1-2).

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst’” (John 6:35).

“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).

Love What God Loves

As barbaric and evil as the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by its Palestinian neighbors in Gaza was, the anti-Semitism that has come to light around the world since then may be even more disturbing. There are people marching, rioting, burning flags around the world, and threatening violence against Jews who probably don’t know a Jew or who have never met a Jewish person. How do you explain that? Outside of dark, evil spirits?

Yes, people are jumping up and down around the world, protesting for media attention, burning Israeli and US flags, waving Palestinian flags, and defacing and destroying property while they chant “Free Palestine” or “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” 

Not surprisingly, in a recent survey, American college students were asked about the chant  “From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free.” They were asked which river and which sea. An overwhelming majority of them did not know. Their guesses were as preposterous and humorous as they were sad and telling — telling that college-educated adults in the US have so little grasp of the history, religion, geography, and politics of the region, as well as the Bible.

My own experience asking three college students in our church wasn’t all that different. That’s also telling. The referenced sea and river are the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. The PLO popularized the phrase in the 1960s, calling for themselves to have a state that encompasses all of Israel and for Israel to have no country or state at all.

Those familiar with the Bible will recall that God gave Abraham, Issac, Jacob, and their descendants forever the land from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River, a much larger part of the Middle East. Israel’s boundaries under King Solomon about 1000 BC — 1700 years before Islam — were as large as they have ever been, but the whole possession hasn’t been under Israeli control yet. All the while, for 4000 years,  since Abraham, Jews have lived in the land. They just didn’t have an officially recognized nation since the Romans destroyed and dispersed them 70-73 AD, that is, until the miraculous return to the land after WWII and the rebirth of their nation on May 14, 1948.

“Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west” (Joshua 1:4— also see Genesis 15:18-20, Genesis 26:3, Genesis 28:13).

So that is a little history and geography lesson. Maybe a theology lesson, too. Grab your Bible and some history books, or do some valid research on the web. This is going to be an important issue going forward to the end of time. You should know what you believe and why it’s important. You should know what is right, historical, just, and true — the facts.

Jesus said, “You shall know them [people] by their fruit,” by what they do, not what they say. Have a serious look at what both sides in the conflict have said and done throughout history, especially since 1948. Then, draw your own conclusions. 

In the meantime, you can dwell on the Bible-stated truth that God hates violence, and God loves Israel. You will always do well to love what God loves and hate what God hates.

“And God loves Israel, declaring, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness’” (Jeremiah 31:3). “The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked, those who love violence, he hates with a passion” (Psalms 11:5).

Those who do not love what God loves and hate what God hates, those who passionately support violence and hate Israel, are shaking their angry fists at God. This never ends well for them, their political organization, and those who support them.

This is how to make sense of it, even with the smoke and media haze — misguided secular-humanist deception. Harvard? Pit? MIT? CNN? BBC? Beware of deception!

Be aware of these verses: “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie” (2 Thessalonians 2:10b-11).

Choose the age-old wisdom and most basic Bible teaching, “Fear God and keep His commandments.” Or if that seems out-of-date or too draconian for you, “Love What God loves, and hate what God hates,” and you’ll be fine and fare well.

Shalom and Godspeed on your journey to truth — also righteousness, peace, and joy.“For the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

“From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” Indeed, that’s what Israel is in the process of doing right now. They are freeing Israel /Palestine from a people who love violence, oppress their own, practice lawlessness and injustice, hate Israel, their neighbors, and fire rockets and missiles at them incessantly. You reap what you sow. There is One who sees to it.

May our gracious Creator and King exercise justice and judgment mixed with mercy. It’s His to do. And He is the only One who can.

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“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever” (Revelation 5:13).

[An article I wrote about end times events in 2018]

A Time for War — Day 19

A Time for War — Day 19

Those who know me know I don’t watch the news much — that is an understatement. I speak to that and why in my latest book Puzzling 2020. It’s something along the lines of these verses and what they convey:

“Who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil, he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. Your eyes will behold the king in his beauty; they will see a land that stretches afar” (Isaiah 33: 15b-17a ESV).

It’s also so that I can be still and quiet in my spirit and hear impressions from the Holy Spirit. I’m a fighter pilot and a warrior at heart, so I can get as stirred up as anyone. But I try not to do so. Not being tied to the news aids my joy and effectiveness in living the kingdom life God has gifted and planned for me. The following verse speaks to this aspect of living:

“Be still, and know that I am God.
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10).

Who’s Reporting Can I Trust ?

All the above said, I can quickly tell you who’s reporting to trust, or at least that I trust — Amir Tsarfati, a Jew living in Israel. He has a historical, Biblical, and God-fearing perspective. He also has served in the IDF and has military insights and battle-field awareness. I would call it finger-on-the-pulse awareness of how the Israeli defense forces and intelligence community are thinking about the defense of Israel and her people. Also, what’s really happening there on the ground.

Objective, truthful, no hype, to the point — that’s how I see his messages and briefings. If you want to know the man, and hear some of his reporting click below.

Recent Amir Tsarfati Interview where he shares his own life story and Biblical/historical perspective on the nation of Israel. Who is Amir Tsarfati and what is the truth about Israel?

Amir Tsarfati  War Day 17 Report

His Bible teaching is best accessed on his YouTube channel, Behold Israel.

His military and world perspectives are best followed via Telegram. [Download this App then enter “https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel” and select “View Channel.”]

Another Good Perspective

I was in a men’t meeting early this morning that concentrates on the spiritual habits, disciplines, or rhythms like reading the Bible, prayer, mediation, etc. so we can hear better spiritually and follow those leadings to live joyful, productive lives while getting to know the King better and better. The leader, Ron, introduced us to another preacher and his Biblical/historical perspective on Israel, and also the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is excellent, so I’ll share.

Here’s Some Related Music With Relevance to Israel Today

Psalm 121 by Joshua Aaron performed in Jerusalem

Zion by Aaron Shust

Raise Us Up by a Hebrew/Arabic ministry I’ve visited in Jerusalem

Pray! For the peace of Jerusalem, Israel, and the world — to the One Who can make it happen and controls world events ultimately. Shalom שלום