Socialism vs. Christianity ~ Taking vs. Giving

Posted on January 26, 2019 by

I’m at that point in life when you realize that ideas and trends repeat themselves. Solomon noticed that a long time ago, and his comments regarding that phenomenon include an observation that serves as a warning we ought to carefully consider at this point in our nation’s history:

That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which it may be said, “See, this is new?” It has already been in ancient times before us. There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 (NKJV)

Sequels, Prequels & Reruns ~
There are at least two noteworthy things here. One is that things tend to come around more than once, but then there’s also the compelling reminder that we tend to Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Politics, Faith, Family, and Culture, In the News, Insights, Right Side Up, Wake Up Calls | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

The “Real” Wall Debate ~ Politics vs. Principle

Posted on January 19, 2019 by

Last week’s post, Walls ~ A Moral Imperative?, waded into the provocative issue of morality in regard to the proposed Southern border wall. The “wall,” and in some cases even the suggestion that it be built, was declared by certain prominent political leaders to be “immoral.” I found the situation interesting, but my objective in writing the piece was not to reinforce an ideological position, quite the contrary. I wanted to sidestep the Democrat vs. Republican, Liberal vs. Conservative dichotomy and consider what God’s perspective on the issue might be, given His readiness to weigh in on such matters. It seemed reasonable to me to check out the Biblical record and have a look at the situation through a lens not offered by the media.

An Interesting Reaction ~
As shocking as it is to contemplate, at least one reader of last week’s post was less than blessed with it and expressed unambiguous disapproval with what I had written. The reason for her thumbs down response was not based on any specific point, but was encapsulated in Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Politics, Faith, Family, and Culture, In the News, Insights, Right Side Up, Wake Up Calls | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Walls ~ A Moral Imperative?

Posted on January 12, 2019 by

When there are issues in the public arena that draw comments from every Tom, Dick, and Harriett with a keyboard, I tend to avoid adding to them. But sometimes, even though an issue may be getting beaten to death by the media, I feel compelled to respond. This is one of those times.

When I keep hearing Speaker Pelosi’s declaration that a wall is “immoral” being parroted by her associates in the mainstream press, I cannot ignore it. One of our commitments in my publishing endeavors is to maintain an allegiance to God’s truth, regardless of whether or not it fits popular public opinion. So, I’d like to suggest that we pull away from political rhetoric and party talking points long enough to examine what God’s opinion might be when it comes to the issue of walls. With the political firestorm going on these days, it’s important to look carefully at walls in light of Continue reading →

Posted in Faith and Politics, In the News, Insights, Right Side Up, Wake Up Calls | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Immune System Maintenance ~ Protecting the Protector

Posted on January 5, 2019 by

Not that it ever works, but for years I’ve suggested that if anyone decides to surprise me with some kind of party or event, they should let me know in advance. That way, I could put it on my calendar and be prepared. Then I’d at least be able to react with appropriately rehearsed facial expressions and impromptu comments that Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Family, and Culture, Insights, New Year's, Right Side Up, Wake Up Calls | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

2019 Is Coming ~ The Mirrors Have Spoken

Posted on December 29, 2018 by

Because I don’t have a neck like an ostrich, there are some parts of me that I can’t see without help. That makes me grateful for mirrors when situations arise that require a look at those hidden areas. I don’t mind looking at a few of the more familiar parts, like my face, but I’m very content not to subject myself to an unveiled look at the majority of my external surface area … at least not with the lights on. My dermatologist once had the audacity to suggest that I Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Family, and Culture, Forgiveness, Insights, New Year's, Right Side Up | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Christmas ~ Beyond the Manger Scenes

Posted on December 22, 2018 by

Another Christmas morning will dawn on us in a few days, and in a culture filled with superficial, anemic, transient, and mostly fictional hoopla, our hope and prayer for our readers is that your Christmas experience is deeper and richer than that. When the day has passed and our Christmas contemplations have shifted from making lists and formulating plans to reflections on how it all turned out, our hope is that Christmas will have left all of us spiritually stronger and with a deeper appreciation for what the coming of Jesus means on a personal level.

Easier Said than Done ~
That’s an easy wish to express, but accomplishing it requires that we consider Christmas in a way that Continue reading →

Posted in Christmas, Devotional, Faith, Family, and Culture, Forgiveness, Insights, Right Side Up | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments