Tag Archives: Spiritual Disciplines

Operation “Just Cause”

I awakened this morning with the war in Iran on my mind, and the Lord’s decision to remove an evil entity from the Earth, in whole or in part. I felt like I should blog about it. It’s almost as much about words as bombs seemingly, in the world’s media. But what aspect of the complex but simple issue would the Spirit have me communicate, if any? I tried to communicate about it simply in the midst of “Rising Lion,” saying a simple way to see the correct side of the conflict, God’s side in the conflict, is, “Love Israel, and hate violence.” Or, “Love what God loves, and hate what God hates.”

Operation “Just Cause”

I’m somewhat conflicted in writing about the war. The Lord tells us to seek to live quiet and peaceful lives and work with our hands. The Scripture also tells us that Jesus, with spiritual warfare often swirling around him, simply “Went about doing good.” He stayed connected to His Father by early morning prayer in solitude and in nature. That’s what God wants for us, and of us, in our day of devices, distractions, speed, and screens. So we can live our best lives now in healthy relational, emotional, and spiritual ways. Those are the realms of the soul. We must care for our souls with intentional focus, actions, and habits. That’s the main thrust of my most recent book, God Stays Near.

It’s for these reasons I unplugged from TV news years ago and never looked back. It’s one of the best things I ever did for my soul and my relationship with God and others, as well as, enjoying life.

But this regional war waged against Israel for several years has erupted into a war with Iran. That has captured my attention for a number of reasons. I’m a former fighter pilot (F-4 & F-16), and the air-war tactics and execution naturally interests me. Anything to do with Israel on the world scene interests me from a prophecy standpoint, and because God’s faithfulness to the nation in preserving it and fighting against her enemies is a historical and biblical lesson on God’s faithfulness. This attribute of God is of the utmost importance to Israel, but also to the whole household of faith—Christ’s followers who enjoy the same promises, protection, presence, and provision from the same God.

To those who read the Bible often, the war makes perfect sense. It fits with how God has dealt with nations from ancient times to the present. That’s why I named this war “Just Cause.” I also like the fitting names Israel gave to “Rising Lion,” and to the present operation “Roaring Lion.” The US operation name “Epic Fury” also is fitting and descriptive. Yet behind it all is the God who rules and reigns over nations, and by his grace keeps us from destroying ourselves. He does so as he executes His judgments and justice, according to His Word, the Bible, and His plan stated in the same.

Purim 2026

This war kicked off during Purim. So it could be called the “Purim War.” Read the book of Esther in the Bible to gain a historical perspective of a war against the Jews in ancient Iran (Persia) circa 474 BC. You will see where and how the Jewish feast of Purim originates, celebrating the faithfulness of God through the millennia.

I find myself wondering how much Americans know about the ancient origins of the conflict and the modern landscape of nations and players in this struggle. I asked two older navy vets at my barbershop recently. They replied in similar fashion, “Well, we can’t let Iran get a nuclear weapon.”That’s true and probably the very biggest reason for the war.

Then I asked a young mother of three from our church. She replied, “I don’t really know what started it, the issues, or what’s going on.” I told her I wasn’t sure she needed to know those things. She’s caring for small children, her family, and holding down a job. Those things required all of her attention and that’s fine. I told her I’d send her a text highlighting the main points in case she wanted to know, and she said she’d love that.

Issues of the Purim War

Taylor, “It’s a just and needed war to dethrone a violent and evil regime wanting to destroy Israel as their main goal, and an active enemy of the United States. They were about to have a nuclear weapon, and certainly they have the will to use it. The regime is a cancer that needs be removed from the earth. They’ve been responsible for over a thousand US deaths in the past 50 years.

They continue to launch missiles and drones at civilians in Israel and their neighboring Arab states while the USA and Israel only target military targets and military infrastructure. It’s the 10th day of the war. The Lord has given the just-cause forces unusual, even supernatural, success. Hopefully the Iranian people will seize the opportunity to rid themselves of the evil regime and take back their country soon.

There is an underground church in Iran of maybe a million people. Pray in the midst of this Arab/Muslim war in the region, hearts will open to the Gospel of Jesus. And that God will have mercy on innocents and peace lovers as He brings justice on the violent murderers of this regime. That’s a thumbnail summary, and it’s certainly helpful to know which is the right side, and more important to be on the right side of such a war. I hope this helps with perspective and for prayer purposes.”

“…Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:11 NASB1995)

“Now the Lord said to Abram, ‘Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father’s house, To the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and so you shall be a blessing; and I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.’” (Genesis 12:1-3)

“Then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.” (Lev 26:42)

“O Lord, You showed favor to Your land; You restored the captivity of Jacob.” (Psalm 85:1)

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An Iranian Woman Speaks to the Press

An Iranian Woman in an IRGC family comes to Jesus / Remarkable insight and journey

Free eBook This Week!

For those of you who read books on iPads or Kindles or other eBook platforms, you can get my latest book, God Stays Near, Faith and Flight, for FREE April 16 through April 20 by clicking here!

All my books are about devotion to Christ and inspiration and motivation for living out that faith, even though they all have a slightly different bent and emphasis.

“A Friend of the King“ is about David’s faith in God and what he teaches us about God and friendship — primary motivations for followers of Christ.
“God Came Near” is a real-life story about God’s activity in our family’s life, beginning with the supernatural healing of our daughter.
“Puzzling 2020“ is a 70-chapter worldview devotional for Christians or thinkers about how a Judeo-Christian or Biblical worldview makes sense of the pandemic and living in our day.
“God Stays Near” is a sequel to God Came Near, about how God has been as near and faithful in our 60-70s as in our 20-30s, with adventure flying stories, and insights about the traditional spiritual disciplines of our ancient-future faith.

Thanks for giving God Stays Near a look, and please give it a rating with a 2-3-sentence comment, along with a prayer that it travels to those who might benefit. Please share this blog or the link to the book as widely as you can. Thank you!

Shalom, and blessings as you journey!

Dwayne

“Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” Jesus (Matthew 24:35)

Good Friday Reflection (from an earlier post)

New Book – God Stays Near

Here in the mid south we are in a deep freeze that’s a bit unusual for us with 4-8 inches of snow blanketing the area and temperatures near 0º F or -18º C! It’s a great day to stay by the fire and read.

I’m announcing the arrival of my new book, God Stays Near – Faith and Flight, which became available as a paperback from Amazon February 17th. A hard cover and eBook version will follow shortly. The short blurb on the book’s cover reads:

“A former American Airlines captain and USAF fighter pilot tells stories about faith and flight during the retirement chapter of living and how God has stayed near for joy, protection, and adventure. Included are stories of flying to Alaska, Idaho, Honduras, and picking up a new airplane from the factory in the Pacific NW with a friend—all flying adventures he never saw coming when retiring professionally. Intermixed are stories of current and past faith adventures that continue to shape flight through life as God stays near. Woven in the mix is advice to peers and the next generation on how to experience God and enjoy life to the full until the end via the spiritual disciplines—the habits and rhythms of the ancient-future faith in Jesus Christ. You will enjoy these stories of faith and flight and be inspired to adventure in your realm.”

The book is very real and personal too, as it may be my last, except possibly photo books, for meditation and devotion. I tell about an airplane crash I had in January two years ago, about some of my most personal spiritual experiences, and God’s faithfulness and leading through these chapters of life — staying near.

The cover is from a painting by a treasured friend Ralph Irwin (1936-2019), an artist who did the art work on my first book, A Friend of the King, and was by my side on many kingdom missions in our communitty of faith in Fort Smith, Arkansas, as well as in Belize. I had a strong spiritual impression to use this artwork even before I knew which direction the book would take. The book is largely about “soul care” or practicing the ancient spiritual disciplines or habits and rhythms that serve to keep our souls healthy, vibrant, and knowing God better each day and year of our sojourn. There are spirits involved, angels light and dark, from a different realm, but active in our realm and interacting with us, many times without our notice, especially if we neglect these practices and fail to maintain spiritual sensitivity.

I think when you read the book, you’ll get it as you go. We’re all on a journey, to enjoy and live the gift of life and choice that is magnanimously given by our Father in heaven. We travel, as the title to Ralph’s painting suggests, “From Portal to Portal.” There are spirits involved. It’s best to understand how they operate, especially those who are enemies, and stay connected to the Father of Lights.

Here’s a quote from the book: “As an international airline pilot, I had the opportunity to spend many days in Paris, London, and Madrid. I would frequent the Louvre, the National Gallery, and the Prado art museums. The number of paintings of angels and demons in conflict from the early Middle Ages to the Enlightenment in these world-famous art repositories is staggering. I used to think, ‘Wow, these people were superstitious!’ But now I think they were more in touch with reality and the spiritual realm than modern humans.”

That’s a tiny, but important aspect of the book. I hope you’ll give it a look and profit from it spiritually for the rest of your soul and the rest of your days. Reading is a spiritual discipline, as is solitude, slience, meditation, and taking time alone to think and hear from God. So stay warm, cozy up somewhere with a blanket or cup of coffee, and read a good book. Godspeed on your journey.

Click here to order

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).