Author: Terry Thompson on America

I have a broad area of expertise and interest stemming from a diverse background and a wide range of experience. I am a career military officer and a former pastor. I am an adjunct professor of economics with the John Brown University Soderquist College of Business. I am married to Linda Thompson and have a blended family of three sons and a daughter who have provided us with eight precious grandchildren. My blog posts are a collection of intriguing, diverse, and sometimes controversial topics that impact Americans. The topics provide insight into the ever-changing landscape of our nation’s culture. They highlight current news reports, the economy, religion, history, the military, health, and nutrition. They are meant to be informative, intriguing, inspiring, thought-provoking, and cautionary. They will not necessarily be politically correct or complimentary, but they will be civil and respectful. Hopefully, they will generate dialogue and counterpoint.

My Prediction: Neither Biden nor Trump

Way out on a limb here, and against broad consensus, I believe the two leading candidates for America’s next-term president will be absent from the November 5, 2024, ballot. My opinion of how that would happen is the topic of this post with which few will agree.

I have recently heard many people express something like, “With over 340 million people in America, is this really the best we can find?” Of course, only about 160 million would be qualified to be president, but still. I have to admit, this time last year, I never thought President Biden or former President Trump would be the front runners by huge margins two months prior to the first primary elections. I also have to concede that apparently both will win their respective primaries.

However, I don’t believe that Biden actually plans to serve a second term. Despite his cognitive deficiences, he has to recognize that his other incompentencies and unpopularity would be devastating for our nation. But he also realizes an announcement to not seek a second term would make him a lame duck with little influence for the rest of his term. Trump, on the other hand, will not likely bow out without extremely heavy pressure from his party leaders. I believe there will come a time, probably after the primaries, when his legal encumbrances and his increasingly narcissistic behavior will force his withdrawal from the race. I predict this scenario would set up an unprecedented situation resulting in the most chaotic presidential election in our nation’s history. Thankfully, there are policies and procedures for such a predicament.

First, a little background. Although voters at the primary polls choose their general election presidential candidates, it is technically the Republican and Democratic national conventions that have the final say regarding their parties’ nominees. Convention delegates from all states selected through state processes, and coordinated with the respective party’s national committee, vote on each party’s candidate. Most of these candidates are “pledged” or “bound” to vote according to their states’ majority votes, at least in the first rounds of voting. A few are “unpledged” or “superdelegates” who are allowed to vote their conscience regardless of their state vote. The 2024 Republican Convention at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15-18, 2024, will have 2,469 delegates with 104 unpledged. The Democratic Convention at Chicago, Illinois, August 19-22, 2024, will have 4,532 delegates with 744 superdelegates. If the votes are close, the voting may go several rounds until there is a majority winner. At some point in multiple rounds, the pledged or bound delegates are released to vote their conscience rather than with their state majority.

I envision a case where both Biden and Trump win their respective primary elections, after which both will withdraw from the general election within days before their national conventions. That will allow each of them to claim they would have won a second term while releasing their parties to run other candidates in America’s best interests. Of course, it would throw the conventions into unprecedented disarray. The delegates would coordinate with their respective state committees with the vast majority voting for their states’ second choices. There would likely be several rounds of votes in each convention. Eventually, a Republican and a Democrat candidate would rise to the top and enter the general election.

The next three or four months would see the wildest presidential campaigns of our lifetimes. The two (or three) unanticipated candidates would be doing whatever it takes to sway the massive voting public in a very short period of time. Ultimately, the 2024 making of the election sausage would be from a rare recipe that might produce the best outcome for America in a long while.

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America’s Two-state Solution for Israel Is Wrong

Map of the “Two-state Solution” for Israel and Palestine

Since the inception of the State of Israel in 1948, the U.S. has advocated a separate state for Palestinians within the borders of the Jewish nation. I firmly believe our government is wrong on this issue. Creating a nation of Palestine within the nation of Israel shouldn’t happen, and it won’t happen. Let’s consider the reasons for this position.

Much, if not most, of the world today is screaming, “Free Palestinians,” as their response to the Israel-Hamas war. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are protesting what they perceive as Israel’s aggression against the people our own State Department officially labels as terrorists. Some try to decouple Hamas from the rest of the Palestinians. The truth is there is no such separation. Hamas is the controlling government of the Palestinians, and Palestinians have supported Hamas’s constant attacks on Israel for decades, and they applaud the October 7 massacre and hostage taking. Those legions of Americans who have surprisingly demonstrated their antisemitic bias either don’t understand history or are being overly influenced by pockets of ultra-liberal, anti-Israel hate groups.

Meanwhile, Presiden Biden continues to tout the Two-state Solution that has been our nation’s wrongful position for years. This position proposes that the Palestinians be given the sovereign right to their own land and government within the borders of Israel. The land would be roughly that which currently defines Palestinian settlements in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip (see map above). While Israel has allowed the Palestinians to reside in those areas and more-or-less govern themselves there, the land remains under the soverign jurisdiction of the nation of Israel.

The 1948 war between Israel and the Arab nations resulted in Israel’s firm claim to all the land within its borders. Most palestinians settled in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. During the Arab – Israeli War of 1967, Israel captured and occupied those two Palestinian settlements. Later, in exchange for peace with the Palestinians, Israel agreed again to allow them to live peacefully within the two territories. Then, the Palestinian territories were loosely organized under the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). They have never had a legimate government, and have never been recognized as a nation by the rest of the world.

With the Palestinians relegated to their two settlement territories, Israel maintained a tolerance for the arrangement. But the Palestinians were not satisfied and would not be until they controlled all of Israel. In the mid-1990’s the Palestinian Authority superceded the PLO as a quasi government of the Palestinians. This new leadership structure maintained the stated goal of gaining control of all of Israel’s land and expelling all Jews. The terrorist group, Hamas, had been conducting periodic strikes against Israel during the establishment of both the PLO and the Palestinian Authority and challenging both organizations. Hamas eventually gained control of the Palestinians and are currently calling the shots. Their stated objective is the complete anihilation of Israel.

So, does it appear in the slightest that Israel and the Palestinians could ever agree on being separate nations within Israel’s borders? Obviously not. Under such an arrangement, Palestinians would continue firing rockets into Israel but from a closer range. Israel would lose control of miles of its international borders. Palestinians have not and will not denounce theri objective of destroying Israel. Palestinians would build up a much greater military capability with no oversight from Israel. Israel’s enemy Arab nations could deploy their military forces into a nation of Palestine. Plus, the Palestinians are on record as being adamantly opposed to the Two-state Solution.

The bottom line is that it is ludicrous to think Israel or the Palestinians would ever accept the establishment of separate soverign states within Israel’s present borders. While President Biden keeps repeating the call for a Two-state Solution, and Secretary Blinken continues running around the Middle East trying to convince the Arabs and Jews to support the Palestinians having their own state and government, just understand it is all a political game that will never be won. The only valid solution is for Israel to have sovereignty over all of its rightful land with oversight and ultimate authority over all Palestinian occupants. That is Israel’s stated expectation after Hamas is defeated, and the U.S. should support them in that strategy.

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Who Is Speaker Mike Johnson?

Congressman Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, Speaker of the House of Representatives

After three weeks, four candidates, two floor voting sessions, and constant chaos, the U.S. House of Representatives finally has a Speaker. And it looks to me like the embarrassing, circus-like ruckus, if that is what it took, was worth it to get to this man. Although Mike Johnson is not a household name, he appears to be the right person at the right time to deal with the mess Washington has become. Let’s take a look at just who he is.

Born January 30, 1972, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the 51-year-old James Michael Johnson was the result of an unplanned birth to a teenage couple who were later divorced. Mike’s father is a disabled firefighter who was critically burned in the line of duty. Johnson graduated from Louisiana State University Law Center and eventually became the senior legal counsel for what is now the Alliance Defending Freedom. In this capacity, he worked to oppose laws that sought to legalized same-sex consensual relationships and defended marriage as between one man and one woman. In 2015, Johnson founded Freedom Guard, a nonprofit legal ministry designed to represent Christian clients in lawsuits. While with this organization, he represented the Ark Encounter theme park that was denied tax breaks for requiring its employees to affirm creationist beliefs. He summarizes his legal career as “defending religious freedom, the sanctity of human life, and biblical values, including the defense of traditional marriage, and other ideals like these when they’ve been under assault.”

In 2015, when a Louisiana House of Representatives seat was vacated, Johnson ran unopposed to fill the seat. Less than a year later, Johnson announced his candidacy for the 4th U.S. Congressional District seat held by John Fleming who was running for Senate. Johnson won the election handily. He is now in his fourth term, winning it unopposed. Louisiana’s 4th District obviously loves its congressman.

Congressman Johnson’s congressional career includes Vice Chairman of the Republican Conference, Associate Republican Whip, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, member of the Judiciary Committee, and member of the Armed Services Committee. He is an adamant fiscal and social conservative with a solid voting record for cutting the budget and taxes. He was among the 147 Republicans who voted to delay the 2020 election results until further investigation, and voted against establishing a commission to investigate the January 6, 2021, Capitol incident. Johnson has worked closely with Christian groups including Answers in Genesis, Alliance Defending Freedom, and Focus on the Family. This year, he became chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution and Limited Government.

On October 24, after the third candidate for Speaker, Tom Emmer, withdrew, House Republicans made Johnson their fourth nominee. He was endorsed by Donald Trump. Johnson had, hours before, distributed a comprehensive and ambitious plan to get back to the basics of governing with a timetable for the next 14 months of congressional action. Absent from the plan was any mention of investigations, impeachment, immigration, or any other highly-charged issue. The next day, the House voted 220-209, strictly along party lines, to elect Johnson as the 56th Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He was sworn in that same day after giving a very powerful and patriotic acceptance speech, invoking God, the Bible, and his personal Christian beliefs numerous times.

Mike and his wife, Kelly, were married in 1999 in a “covenant marriage” with stricter rules regarding divorce. Kelly has a Master’s Degree in Education and was a school teacher before founding Onward Christian Counseling Services as a licensed pastoral counselor in marriage and family matters. Mike and Kelly are members of the Cypress Baptist Church in Benton, Louisiana. They formerly co-hosted a podcast, Truth Be Told, where they discussed public affairs and other issues from a Christian perspective. The Johnsons have four children. Hannah, 22, is a law student at Louisiana State University. Abigail, 21, is a student at Louisiana Tech University and plans to begin law school in 2024. Jack, 18, is a high school student involved in multiple sports. Will, 13, in junior high school, is a skilled artist and baseball player.

In this dark and dismal time for our nation and the world when competent leadership is extremely scarce, it gives me reason for hope that God has raised up a faithful Christ-follower to be one of the most influential leaders in Washington and the third in line for the presidency. We must keep him in our prayers, though. He will be persecuted. Newsweek has already run the headline, “Mike Johnson’s Ties to Christian Nationalism Revealed.” I close with a caution. We Christians must keep in mind that this man will not always do and say everything like we want. He has a commendable resume as a man of great faith. But he is a sinner as we all are and capable of disappointing us from time to time. Pray for our country, pray for our leaders, and pray for Mike Johnson.

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The Little-known Truth About Israel

Photo: The aftermath of one of the many rocket attacks of the Israel-Hamas War.

For over two centuries, America has been the staunchest ally of Jews around the world. For over seven decades, we have supported the fledgling, relatively new nation of Israel, often in the face of global opposition. It was largely the influence of the Untied States that secured the UN vote to recognize the nation of Israel in 1949 after their declaration of independence the year prior. Soon afterward, most Palestinians, who were scattered throughout the nation, congregated in what became the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Palestinians eventually claimed those territories as their sovereign land within the new boundaries of Israel. However, the war of 1967, initiated by Arab nations, resulted in Israel’s rightful annexation of those areas while allowing the Palestinians to remain there. A 1993 agreement brokered by Washington after multiple skirmishes between Israel and the Palestinians established a separate “state” for the Palestinians on the West Bank of the Jordan River and the Gaza Strip (see map below) governed by the Palestinian Authority.

west-bank

The Palestinians, still not satisfied with Israel’s existence, continued terrorist attacks, mostly by the militant groups, Hamas and Hezbollah, against the Israelis. In response, Israel rejected the separate states status and began settlements of Jewish families and businesses within the West Bank in the late 1990s. The reestablishment of the “two-state solution,” allowing the Palestinian Authority to govern the West Bank and Gaza, is supported by the Biden Administration. This is a wrongful position for America to pursue. Without control of the West Bank, Israel is indefensible. The just solution would be for the Palestinians to live peacefully within Israel’s borders recognizing the entire nation of Israel without challenging its sovereignty. Israel would be agreeable to that status. So far, the Palestinians, particularly their militants, Hamas and Hezbollah, have rejected anything short of total expulsion of the Jews.

This recent history cannot be separated from the more ancient history that futher legitimizes Israel’s right to its status as a nation. First, we need to understand that the right of the Jewish people to the land of Israel goes back about 4,000 years according to a divine mandate that overrides any ethnic or political consideration. Around 1800 BC, God began the process of establishing His chosen people through Abraham, promising him a specifically defined region of land in the Middle East (now Israel). The original boundaries of this “promised land” described in the Bible covered an area even larger than what is now recognized as Israel. Upon bestowing the land on Abraham and his future descendants forever, God included this statement, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.”

Through the centuries, the Jews have been driven from their land by their enemies multiple times only to return. The last time, they were ousted by Rome in 70 AD not to return as a nation until 1948, a move that had been prophesied in the Bible for centuries. Ezekiel relayed God’s promise, “For I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land.” Furthermore, through all of Jewish history, a remnant of their people has constantly lived in their God-given land, Israel. Israel is the oldest nation ever to maintain its identity, even when it was sometimes without borders. Jews do not occupy Palestinian land; Palestinians live in the land that has belonged to the Jews for almost four millennia. The Palestinians are not a nation. The history of many of them traces back to the Philistines of the Old Testament who were constant enemies of the Israelites. Other Palestinians are a hodgepodge of people from various Arab nations who have migrated over time to the land forcefully vacated by the Jews. Palestinians have never been recognized officially as a nation and have never had a legitimate government. There is no doubt that Israel has rightful claim to the territory within its borders and even more according to God’s promise. Therefore, since the Palestinians refuse to coexist peacefully within Israel, but rather repeatedly attack their host nation, Israel has every right to defend itself against this most recent savage attack by Hamas and finally expel this enemy from their land.

America has been blessed in wonderful and innumerable ways. I believe that one of the main reasons for our blessings is that we have always supported (blessed) Israel according to God’s Word. If we follow other nations, and even our internal antagonists, in criticizing this crucial ally, we place ourselves in grave jeopardy. Yet, a recent Gallop poll indicated that American Democrats favored Palestinians over Israelis, 49% to 38%. The same poll showed Republicans favored Israelis over Palestinians, 78% to 11%. These statistics are another factor for voters to consider in 2024.

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VULNERABLE NATIONAL TREASURES

On a recent visit to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons National Parks, I was consumed by reminders of America’s blessings of natural riches beyond any other nation in the world. God’s breathtaking creation of majestic mountains, flowing rivers, crystal lakes, towering trees, and endless fields can’t be fully captured in words or even cameras. As one absorbs the awe of such magnificence, the thought of losing the stewardship of this treasure trove to an enemy nation or to an internal socialist transformation is unthinkable but increasingly plausible.

Similar to God’s selective choosing of a people almost 4,000 years ago to receive a beautiful and productive “Promised Land” in which to settle, I believe the land we call America was God’s gift to those He chose to settle here and to their descendants. America’s abundant natural resources, industrial development, democratic government, and stunning sight-seeing attractions from coast to coast are unique and must be preserved at all costs.

Our national treasures and very way of life came close to being lost in World War II and were frightenly threatened in the Cold War. Now, again, everything we hold dear is vulnerable. China and Russia are collaborating to become a combined superpower that could invade or at least hold sway over America. Our own government is proving itself incapable and incompentent of governing and protecting. Morality and family values are at a historical low, leaving us spiritually weak as well.

We need to look no further than the ancient nation of God’s people, Israel, to see the consequences of our own situation. In the 6th and 7th centuries BC, the chosen people who had been blessed beyond measure were defeated because of their ungodliness, overindulgences, and weaknesses. Why America has not already experienced the same eventuality as Israel can only be attributed to God’s patience and mercy.

The sad and frustrating fact is that the gloomy scenario doesn’t have to digress to this destiny. The obvioius solution is for our nation’s people to turn to God. That involves reading and living out the teachings of the Bible, praying for guidance and forgiveness, and becoming active in church which is God’s plan for serving His Kingdom. Then, we must elect godly government leaders who will follow God’s direction for America and reverse our trend toward socialism.

I invite your comments and encourage you to share this post.

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What’s the Starlink Train?

If you enjoy the occasional spotting of a satellite or the International Space Station zipping across the night sky, you will go bananas over the newest overhead spectacular, the Starlink train. Although I was generally aware of this recent space venture, I saw a notice about its being clearly visible over Arkansas this week, and it piqued my interest. What I saw was the most surreal sight I’ve ever witnessed in the night sky. Here’s what I’ve learned about this mystical orbital phenomenon.

Over the last five years, Elon Musk’s SpaceX enterprise has been developing a unique satellite network designed to create a whole new concept in internet connection and communication. This breakthrough may be the answer to households and nations underserved in cyberspace access. The ultimate goal of SpaceX is to cover the entire planet with thousands of small satellites leaving not a square mile anywhere without internet connection. Additionally, plans are already on the table for unlimited cellular phone coverage from this system.

Approximately 5,000 satellites are already in low earth orbit (about 340 miles above the earth) with thousands of internet subscribers in the test phase. SpaceX plans to eventually have 12,000 of these satellites in stationary orbit covering the earth. There is even strategic planning that envisions over 40,000 Starlink satellites. The satellites are only 8’ x 4’ x 4” with 60 feet high solar panels attached (See lower photo above).  Each weighs 573 pounds. Future satellites will be considerably larger. Up to 30 stacked satellites at a time are rocket-launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, every two or three weeks and placed into orbit.

Once in orbit, the satellites carried by each launch vehicle are all released in a manner that lines them up in a row 75 miles apart at about 248 miles above the earth. From earth, at a location near their orbit and on a clear night, this “Starlink train” appears like 30 or so stars or planets perfectly aligned moving rather rapidly across the sky (See upper photo above). This “train” circles the earth every 95 minutes at 17,000 miles-per-hour eventually traveling over almost every location on the globe before dispersing to assigned position higher in space. The space trains remain in that in-line mode for a few months of preliminary operation and testing before being commanded by SpaceX to split up, spread out, and climb about 100 miles higher to their permanent positions. They then become part of the integrative network that will ultimately cover the entire earth. These science-fiction-like real maneuvers can be observed on a regular schedule just about anywhere for a few months after every launch. At any given time, there are approximately 20 trains of about 30 satellites each in orbit crisscrossing over the earth awaiting dispersal into operational orbit. Many lower train orbits in viewer proximity are obscured by clouds or haze as well as being too near the horizon to be easily seen. However, over a period of several days, anyone at any location is likely to have a clear view of the amazing sight, although it may require setting the alarm for the wee hours of the morning. A free app is available that gives the times of the clearest visibility of the train for particular areas. It is called “Find Starlink Satellites.” Or, one can go to www.findstarlink.com. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed once you see it. The wow!-factor is absolutely worth the inconvenience.

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We Must Rescue the U.S. Military

Having retired after 24 years of proudly serving the greatest military in history, I am sad to say I could not serve under today’s top defense leadership. The Commander-in-chief of America’s armed forces, President Joe Biden, and his commanding generals have corrupted and weakened what was the world’s most formidable fighting force making it historically inadequate in just two-and-a-half years. Washington has forced the woke culture of government into the military, and our warriors must be rescued. Let’s look at some specifics.

A recent Army classroom video sets up a scenario of a biological female soldier who has declared herself to be a male and has officially re-registered her gender as “male.” She has not undergone a surgical sex change. The Army moves her into a male barracks. The video instructs the male barracks residents that, “Soldiers must accept living and working conditions that are often austere, primitive, and characterized by little or no privacy. Understand anyone may encounter individuals in barracks, bathrooms, or shower facilities with physical characteristics of the opposite sex despite their having the same gender registration.” The instructions go on to say, “Transgender soldiers are not required or expected to modify or adjust their behavior based on the fact that they do not ‘match’ other soldiers.” The video closes by stating that the instructions “apply to working, living, and recreational environments on- and off-post during duty and non-duty hours.”

In 2001, the Pentagon budget began containing gender transition treatment including genitalia modification surgeries for service members. DoD policy now states, “Transgender soldiers can openly serve with the government providing hormone therapy, mental health care, and surgeries they might require.” As of this month, the Pentagon has spent $15 million in the past five years to treat 1,892 transgender troops including $11.5 million for psychotherapy and $3.1 million for surgeries.

The Navy’s required professional reading program has added books that openly promote leftist creeds. One such book is How to Be Antiracist by leftist scholar Ibram X. Kendi which argues that “capitalism is essentially racist.” In a congressional hearing, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) asked Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, whether he agreed with Kendi. Milley said that he wants to “understand white rage.”

Last year, the Navy began forcing new recruits to watch training videos on “proper pronoun usage.” One video emphasizes the need to create “a safe space for everybody” through the use of “inclusive language including gender neutral pronouns when uncertain of someone’s “gender identity.” Similarly, the Marine Corps announced that they were considering banning usage of “sir” and “ma’am” by recruits in order to avoid “misgendering” someone.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has indicated plans for implementing “Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion” hiring standards, which would place factors like race, gender, and sexual orientation ahead of merit for determining promotions and commendations.

Last month, Biden’s National Security spokesman, John Kirby, declared that abortion is a “sacred obligation” of the U.S. military, implying that abortion access is vital to military readiness. Kirby said, “Our policies, whether they are diversity, inclusion, and equity, whether they’re about transgender individuals who qualify physically and mentally to serve, to be able to do it with dignity, or whether it is about female service members or female family members being able to count on the kinds of health care, reproductive care specifically, that they need to serve, that is a foundational sacred obligation of military leaders.” The U.S. military has openly funded out-of-state travel funds for individuals who serve in the Armed Forces and want an abortion.

The U.S. Air Force this year authorized travel costs for service members to attend “pride” events. The Air Force also encourages commanders to “plan and conduct” activities related to “rainbow month” including drag shows. This was shortly after the Navy employed a “drag queen” in a recruiting video.

These are just a few of dozens of examples of your taxpayer dollars financing the Democratic liberal agenda to advance wokeism in the military. As America is facing heightened tensions with China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran that could lead to nuclear war, this is no time for social experimentation being forced on our brave military men and women from the top down. Day after day of training in acceptance of deviant behavior robs critical time our service men and women desperately need for training in the defense of our nation. Military commanders’ primary focus on fighting and winning must return for the survival of America. It apparently won’t happen until sanity returns to the White House and the Pentagon in the form of patriotic conservative leadership.

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Let’s Not Worship the Worship

Worship music styles, especially in protestant churches, have been consistently controversial for a half-century. Sadly, many faithful, well-meaning Christians feel they have to defend their worship preferences as if defending God Himself. I believe some people tend to worship their style of worship more than they worship the Almighty.

I wince every time I see a social media post criticizing contemporary worship and lauding traditional hymns as “superior.” The argument is usually that current and future generations are missing the theology and doctrine the exudes from the hymns. Granted, hymns teach us more “about” God than do most contemporary lyrics. But contemporary lyrics are mostly deep expressions of love and thanksgiving “to” God. There is a need and a place for both in Christian church services.

I have been singing in church for over 70 years congregationally, in choirs, and on worship teams. For the first three decades of my life, I and every other protestant Christian sang the hundreds of good, uplifting hymns from various hymn books. There was very little singing to the Lord, and a lot of singing to each other. The lyrics were mostly instructional and inspirational. They were written to help us reflect on God but were somewhat lacking in helping us share our hearts with Him. Recent generations have sought a more balanced worship and have made some course corrections toward a more intimate connection with God in our corporate worship and praise.

The question should be who are we directing our worship toward. If it consists predominantly of theology and doctrine from the hymn writers, the congregation is the audience. God doesn’t need to hear us repeat our interpretation of the Word He inspired. He desires to hear our love songs to Him. Psalm 22:3 says, “God inhabits the praise of His people.” I imagine He is pleased when we sing about His teaching, but He doesn’t “inhabit” teaching. He joins us when we sing “to” Him. Would an earthly father rather hear his children tell other children that their father is good and should be obeyed, or would he prefer hearing, “I love you, Dad?” We are made in the image of our Heavenly Father who desires what we desire from our family.

Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” The message of Christ is found in Bible teaching, in sermons, and in hymns. But singing to God with gratitude in your hearts is done primarily through intimate worship and praise songs. I believe this verse from Colossians is our direction to include both hymn lyrics and contemporary lyrics in our worship services.

And let’s not get hung up on whether to use hymn books. Hymn lyrics are just as meaningful when projected on screens and arranged for contemporary styles of music. Likewise, all instruments are pleasing to God if the instrumentalist is playing for Him. The Psalmists reference numerous different instruments to accompany worship voices and dances.

So, unless a church is worshiping with heretical lyrics, let’s refrain from criticizing how a congregation chooses to worship. Leave that up to that congregation and God. Follow John 4:24 and worship in spirit and truth. Worship with both the heart and the head. Contemporary lyrics are mostly from the heart, and hymn lyrics are mostly from the head. Neither should be exclusive, and neither should be excluded. Instead of condemning either, celebrate and respect both.

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The Absurdity of Pride Month

Pride Month is the U.S. government sanctioned, protected, and supported celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people during each month of June. Most Americans support its purpose and activities. Yet, it is the most controversial, divisive, unbiblical, irrational, and absurd custom that we recognize as a nation.

In June of 1969, a police raid on the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York City, started riots and protests throughout the country. The next June saw “gay liberation” marches and protests in most major cities. President Clinton, in 1999, declared each succeeding month of June as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. President Obama proclaimed the month to include all of the LGBT community. This month, President Biden called on Americans to “celebrate the great diversity of the American people and to wave their flags of pride high.” Therefore, regardless of how much the practice of deviant sexual behavior offends millions of Americans, our government officially supports not just its recognition but also its legal priority and celebration. With that government cover, those who celebrate the actions of the LBGTQ population are emboldened to expand the limits of our cultural norm each successive year.

Compassion should always be shown toward every human being. But tolerance of immoral behavior should not be shown. Anyone who considers the Bible as the true Word of God cannot deny God’s rejection of sexual deviation from His natural design. He loves every person of every sexual preference, but He despises the “exchange of their natural function for that which is unnatural.” (Romans 1:26) It is a dangerous situation when our nation officially celebrates what God detests.

It is the height of absurdity when anyone’s lifestyle defies biology, science, natural law, and common sense. From the beginning of time, the entire animal kingdom has been given the bodily functions for male and female procreation. We also all possess the physical and spiritual ability to fulfill our natural family roles based on our biological gender. Departure from this universal norm has contributed to the downfall of societies throughout history. In a half-century, our nation has moved dramatically from disapproval to acceptance to often-radical celebration of deviant sexual lifestyles.

There are dozens of things for which America has designated a month to celebrate. Some are trivial (September is Pizza Month), most are worthy (October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month). Only one month promotes pride in controversial, divisive, unbiblical, irrational, and absurd human behavior. I have been somewhat encouraged this month by observing more than usual pushback and counter statements from those feeling pressured to celebrate behavior they oppose. If you choose to challenge the Pride Month messaging this month, please do so peacefully with compassion for the messenger.

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Let’s Put Ryan Binkley on the Debate Stage

Fox News will host the first Republican Primary debate in August at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. A criterion for candidates to be on the debate stage is to have 40,000 donors by July. Ryan Binkley is a long-shot presidential candidate from Dallas but is everything Christian conservatives could hope for. Continue reading to see why your donation of just a dollar to his campaign is important in assuring his presence in this essential debate.

In an earlier post, I introduced Ryan Binkley who has officially entered the race for president of the United States. If you are like me, you are very concerned about the direction of our great nation, and you don’t see a candidate you can really get excited about supporting. Although Binkley is unknown nationally at this point, I believe that, if you will take a look at him at http://www.binkley2024.com, you will be extremely impressed. He is currently campaigning aggressively in Iowa, and it is imperative that America see and hear him in the August debate.

After looking over his website, you will probably agree with me that he would meet your every desire for the presidency. But you will likely also conclude that being unknown, being short of funds, and lacking political experience make him a highly disadvantaged candidate. However, I encourage you to not discount the power of our Lord in this. If God wills that he become the solution to our decades of poor leadership, it will happen!

The 40,000 individual donor requirement has nothing to do with donation amount; it is just about numbers of donors. Technically, if all 40,000 donors just donated a dollar, he would qualify for the debate. If you agree that he deserves to at least be included in the initial debate, I urge you to hit the “Donate” button on his website and give $1, $5, or $10. Then, ask others in your household to do the same. It’s not much money to ensure that this godly man gets national exposure. Even if you are convinced that he doesn’t have a chance to be elected, isn’t it worth a couple of bucks to have his Christian voice heard? His debate comments alone could be a powerful message America needs to hear.

Please give this your prayerful consideration. God just may be doing something historic here, so don’t miss out on it. Click on http://www.binkley2024.com. Then click on “Donate.”

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