THE SAD STATE of AMERICA!

Good morning, blog readers, from mostly cloudy and cool (34 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I did not see any of God’s creatures, but was thankful to God for a safe and nice walk! This headline from Robert Williams of the Gatestone Institute says volumes about the decline of America as a nation: “How the US Abandoned Israel under Biden.”

In the article, Williams reported: “Israel must again be a safe place for the Jewish people. And I promise you: ‘We’re going to do everything in our power to make sure that it will be.'” – US President Joe Biden, October 18, 2023.”

It did not take long, however, for the Biden administration to completely turn that promise on its head. The reversal began with US demands on Israel to scale down military operations, which were already scaled down …. “Israel implemented more measures to prevent civilian casualties than any other nation in history …. Israel’s use of real phone calls to civilians in combat areas (19,374), SMS texts (64,399) and pre-recorded calls (almost 6 million) to provide instructions on evacuations is unprecedented.” John Spencer, chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, United States Military Academy West Point, newsweek.com, January 31,2024.

The only relevant country that has apparently not been invited to the ‘urgent’ discussions to reward terrorists unilaterally with a soon-to-be-militarized Palestinian State is Israel. Biden, clearly, seems not that intent on making Israel or the Free World a safe place again. At least not if it might compromise his reelection.”

So, you might ask: “What’s the big deal with Israel since she has often rejected her prophets and, worst of all, the Lord Jesus as her Messiah and Savior. But, despite all that, God, has preserved a remnant (one third, according to Zechariah 13:7-9 to be “the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8) who will enter the kingdom when her Messiah, the Lord Jesus, returns to the earth to set up His glorious kingdom. I can’t wait! But, wait I must and watch, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. And, pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6).

And, if you are still not a believer in Jesus, why not become one right now by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). And, if you do, I’ll see you in heaven! Blessings, Doug (2/22/24)

TELLING the TRUTH: PART THREE!

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cool (28 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw, get this, 15 deer! Thank You, Jesus!

Yesterday, I shared with you the second part of a three-part story of a “healthy 12 year old girl, named “Maddie” who loved to dance, play soccer and spend time with her friends, until she suffered “a severe systemic reaction to her second dose of the COVID-19 shot. She then struggled through 11 ER visits and four hospital admissions in the year and a half that followed which have left her unable to walk or eat. She receives her nutrition via a feeding tube, suffers from constant pain, vision problems, tinnitus, allergic reactions and lack of neck control and more, all as a result of the COVID-19 “vaccine” which was supposed to be “safe and effective.”

Yesterday, I also mentioned that I had a similar, but different, experience which you can read about in my first book, “When Thorns Remain” which, I believe, is still available on Amazon. You see, almost 40 years ago, I came down with a pneumonia which landed me in bed for a month. When the month was up, I went to the doctor for a chest X-ray which, even though it revealed my pneumonia was gone, I still feel like I had it. And, since then, I have had all kinds of strange reactions to medicines, tests, procedures, including four different “sleep studies” with four different diagnoses. The latest “thorn” (rashes and itching) which, as of today, no medicines or creams help.

As difficult and painful it is at times, I need to remember what Jesus said, in John 16:33, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” Yes, dearly beloved in Christ, He is our “blessed hope (Titus 2:13)” and is coming to take us out of this messy and evil world. Praise God! But, in the meantime, as believers in Jesus, we need to: watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Jesus until He comes. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, why not become one today by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessings with love and prayers for Maddie, her family and all who are ill, Doug (2/21/24)

TELLING the TRUTH: PART TWO!

Good morning, blog readers, from clear and cool (25 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a shooting star! Thank You, Jesus!

Today, I would like to bring you the second part of Dr. Joseph Mercola’s analysis of Maddie de Garay who, according to Dr. Mercola, “within 12 hours of her second dose of the Covid-19 ‘vaccine, suffered a severe reaction that left her wheelchair-bound and on a feeding tube.”

Dr. Mercola continued: “When Stephanie de Gary allowed her three children to sign up for Pfizer’s COVID-19 clinical trial for 12-15-year olds, she assumed the worst that could happen was anaphylactic shock – and in that case, they’d be treated with an EpiPen and be fine. From her daughter’s perspective, the trial was a way to keep up with a close friend who had already signed up for it. It also didn’t hurt that the trial offered monetary compensation of $119 per visit. This is what prompted all three of de Garay’s children to sign up for the COVID-19 shot trial, which changed the life of de Garay’s daughter Maddie. A healthy 12 year old girl prior to the trial, Maddie loved to dance, play soccer and spend time with her friends.

She suffered a severe systemic reaction to her second dose of the shot and struggled through 11 ER visits and four hospital admissions in the year and a half that followed. Injuries from the shot have left her unable to walk or eat – she receives her nutrition via a feeding tube – and suffering from constant pain, vision problems, tinnitus, allergic reactions and lack of neck control. As though the physical trauma weren’t enough, Maddie and her family were continually dismissed by the medical professionals put in place to help, ignored by the U.S. Food and Drug administration and denied the care needed. Instead, the family was told Maddie’s problems were psychological, and she underwent cognitive-behavioral therapy. to no avail, as one might expect.”

Lord willing, tomorrow, I will continue Maddie’s story and share a testimony from my own experience of a similar nature which has followed me now for some 40 years. In the meantime, if you are a believer in Jesus, “fix your eyes on Him” (Hebrews 12:2) and know that, as you “draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, you will receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need (Hebrews 4:16).” And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, you can become one today by simply agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessings with love, Doug (2/20/24)

TELLING the TRUTH: PART ONE!

Good morning, blog readers, from clear and cold (16 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a deer and a dog! Thank You, Jesus!

Today’s headline, from Dr. Joseph Mercola, made me both mad and sad: “Child Injured in COVID Jab Trial Is Ignored!”

In the article, Dr. Mercola reported: “Maddie de Garay signed up to participate in Pfizer’s COVID-19 clinical trial for 12 to15 year-olds in early 2021. Within 12 hours of her second dose, she suffered a severe systemic reaction that left her wheelchair-bound and on a feeding tube.

Maddie’s severe adverse reactions have been ignored by Pfizer, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She’s received no help from any of them, financial or medical, and Pfizer even went so far as to lie about her status, describing it as ‘functional abdominal pain’ in a report to the FDA.

One government official who isn’t turning a blind eye to the devastating effects of the COVID Shots is Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo. In a January 3, 2024, press release, Ladapo is calling for an end to the use of COVID-19 mRNA shots, citing concerns about DNA fragments in the products.

According to the FDA’s guidance on DNA in vaccines, ‘DNA integration could theoretically impact a human’s oncogenes -the genes which transform a healthy cell into a cancerous cell,’ and ‘may result in chromosomal instability.'” The FDA has not provided any evidence that DNA integration assessments have been conducted to address the health risks listed in its own guidance on DNA in vaccines, published in 2007. Consequently, the mRNA shots are ‘not appropriate for use in human beings,’ Ladapo says.”

Lord willing, I will continue this tomorrow. Oh, and one more thought: This made me think of one of the “signs” which Jesus gave us, leading up to HIs return: “And because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold” (Matthew 24:12) which makes me think Jesus’ coming may just be sooner than later. Regardless, as believers in Jesus, we are called by Him to watch, wait, work, witness for, walk with and worship Him until He comes. And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, you scan become one right now by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessings with love, Doug (2/19/24)

THE CALM BEFORE the STORM?

Good morning, blog readers, from cold (23 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk under clear skies, I saw the “heavens declaring the glory of God! (Psalm 19:1)!” Thank You, Jesus!

This morning, as usual, I went to the USGS website to check out the last 24 hours of 2.5+ earthquakes from around the world and in the U.S., only to find there had been: 3 “moderate” (5.0-5.6) quakes in Tonga and 12 “minor” (2.6-3.3) quakes in 5 different states ( Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho and Texas). No big deal!

Question: “Was Jesus a liar or are we still in the early stages of the “birth pains” He spoke about in Matthew 24:7, 8 and Mark 13:8?” I am thinking we are still in the early stages of the birth pains since I know for a fact (John 14:6) that Jesus is “the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6). And, I also know, from Acts 17:30, 31, “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men (and women) that all people everywhere should repent (agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16), because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man (Jesus) whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men (and women) by raising Him from the dead.” Glory to God!! So, keep watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes. Blessings, Doug (2/18/24)

And so, dearly beloved in Christ, be patient and know that Jesus is coming for us! I like what Paul wrote to the believers , in Ephesians 4:15, 16: “Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men (women) but as wise, making the most of (redeeming the time” in the KJV), because the days are evil.” Blessings with love in Christ, Doug (2/18/24)

BEWARE of the LION!

Good morning, blog readers, from clear and cold (10 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk which was cut in half by the cold, I did not see any of God’s creatures! Thank You, Jesus, for keeping me safe!

This morning, in my devotions, I was reading through Paul’s second letter to Timothy and was struck by verse 1 where Paul wrote: “Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.”

First of all, thank you to those of you who have served in the military. I was never in the military, but did serve as a hospital chaplain for 25 years and a police chaplain for 13 years where I was an eyewitness of the hardships that both of them face.

Sometimes, I think that, as Christians, we forget that we are in a war against an enemy, aka, the devil who, according to Peter, in I Peter 5:8, “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Peter then added these very important words in verse 9: “But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.” And, if you dare, read Hebrews 11:17-40 to see what some of the saints in the Old Testament went through for God and Jesus. And, should the Lord tarry, we might just be put to the test like they were. So, dearly beloved in Christ, let us keep watching, waiting, working, witnessing for, walking with and worshiping Jesus until He comes.

And, if you are not a believer in Jesus, why not become one today, even right now, by simply agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessings in Christ, Doug (2/17/24)

TRUE or FALSE?

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cold (20 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw a little dog! Thank You, Jesus!

Since yesterday, I have not received any questions from you. So, I decided to write about something I saw on “Christian Cinema” which concerned me greatly. The headline read: “Pray every day this Lent on Hallow.”

Now, I don’t know about you, but I had never heard of “Hallow” before. According to Wikipedia, “Hallow is an American, Catholic meditation and prayer app owned by Hallow, Inc. which provides audio-guided Bible stories, prayers, meditations, sleep, and Christian music.”

Pictured in the ad for “Hallow,” were: Father Mike Schmitz, Sister Mary Bernice, Actor Mark Wahlberg, Sister Miriam James and Actor Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus on “The Chosen.”

As I listened to listen to several of the above speakers, I heard Father Mike tell his audience, “If any of you would like me to bless your religious objects, see me after the presentation.” Note: All of the speakers were Roman Catholic.

Now, I don’t know about you but, based on the Word of God, I believe that salvation comes only to those who have been saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ , His death, burial and resurrection (I Corinthians 15:1-4) and not by any “good works,” as Paul told us in Ephesians 2:8, 9.

So, if you are trying to work your way into heaven, please stop right now and simply agree with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (I Corinthians 15:1-4; John 3:16). Blessings with love in Christ, Doug (2/16/24)

JUDE 6!

Good morning, blog readers, from snowy and cool (32 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk in the snow, I saw: 3 deer and got two “honks” from a truck driver! Thank You, Jesus!

Today’s question is from Mark and Diane who asked: “Please explain Jude 6. Who are the angels he (Jude) is referring to?” Let me give you two opinions from two men I highly respect: Charles Ryrie and William MacDonald. Ryrie explains: “They are the fallen angels whom Satan persuaded to cohabit with women (Genesis 6:1-4) and who were confined immediately because of the gross nature of that sin.” William MacDonald offers a slightly different opinion: “It seems from Scripture that there have been at least two apostasies of angels. One was when Lucifer fell and presumably involved a host of other angelic beings in his rebellion. These fallen angels, in Jude 6, are not bound at this time. The devil and his demons are actively promoting war against the Lord and His people.” As our son, Scott, once said: “They’re both bad!”

Paul, in Ephesians 6:12, reminds us that “our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”

Thanks, Mark and Diane, for the question. Hope that my answers help. And, if you are reading this and are not a believer in Jesus, please know you can become one right now by simply agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessing with love in Christ, Doug (2/15/24)

BOOKS!

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cool (24 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: 2 deer! Thank You, Jesus!

Jessie B,

Thank you for your interest in knowing where you can get my books.

All my books are available on Amazon. They are:

“When Thorns Remain,” an autobiographical account of some “weird” health issues I have had over a period of almost 40 years.
“I Trust You Know,” a diary of my daily devotions over a period of nine months.
“Laughing with Luke, a humorous look into the Gospel of Luke.
“Acting with Luke, a Bible study of Acts 1-14”
“Birth Pains: An Introduction to Bible Prophecy.”
And, I am working on a sixth book, “Discernment,” which I hope to have published soon and which I also believe is lacking in the church today. Thanks for asking. And, may the Lord bless you with “insight and understanding (Daniel 9:22),” as you read!

Sincerely in Christ,

Doug

P. S. If you are reading this and are not a believer in Jesus, please know you can become one today by agreeing with God you are a sinner who needs a Savior Who is Jesus (Romans 3:23, 24) and believe He died on a cross for your sins, was buried and raised from the dead (I Corinthians 15:1-4) to forgive all your sins and give you eternal life (John 3:16). Blessings in Christ, Doug (2/14/24)

LOVE THEM LIKE JESUS!

Good morning, blog readers, from cloudy and cool (29 degrees) Wisconsin where, on my morning walk, I saw: a bunny! Thank You, Jesus!

Today’s question comes from Patti: “Since we are supposed to love all I find this very hard to do Even loving the President and all the awful government , how does one love all the terrorists and terrible people that are coming over our borders to rape, rob and torture us? How do we love them? I find this very hard to do. Even loving the President and all the awful government that is doing terrible things to us people. These to me are not God-loving people. They are more like the devil. Are we to love him too? No way!” We are not to love the devil, but to be aware of his schemes and lies (John 8:44).

Thanks, Patti for the question. Here’s a couple of Scriptures which might help. Paul wrote, in Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we are yet sinners, Christ died for us.” And, in Romans 3:23, he also wrote: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” In other words, we all deserve to go to hell for eternity. But, because of God’s love for us, through Christ, His death, burial and resurrection, we can have all our sins forgiven and eternal life.

So, what are we to do in the meantime until Jesus comes? In the chorus of one of my favorite Christian, singing groups, Casting Crowns: “Just love her (him) like Jesus, carry her (him) to Him, His yoke is easy, His burden is light. You don’t need the answers to all of life’s questions, just know that He loves her (him), stay by her (his) side and love her (him) like Jesus.”

And, as far as loving the President, the first and, maybe best, thing we can do for him is to pray for him and all our government leaders which Peter commanded us to do in I Peter 2:13-17. In verse 17, the expression to “honor the king” means to “value” him. No ifs, ands or buts! Hope this helps.

Lord willing, I will answer another question. tomorrow. Please be patient with me, as I am getting lots of questions. May the Lord Jesus bless you with faith or more faith in Him. Love, Doug (2/13/24)