Posts

If I Ran the NFL

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As a child, I became a Minnesota Vikings fan and memorized National Football League statistics. Sometimes I made up fictitious leagues. I created nicknames and uniforms for these teams in my mind’s eye. I also rooted for competitors like the United States Football League to succeed. Because the NFL has become a multi-billion dollar monopoly, a new league will unlikely give them a serious challenge soon. The USFL recently made a comeback but has since merged into what’s now the United Football League, a minor league playing in the spring. In recent years, I’ve cut back on watching NFL games . To save time, I watch highlights on YouTube (especially when the Vikings are playing well). I also don’t like recent changes the league made. If, by some act of God, they made me the NFL commissioner, I would like to see the following things happen: Expansion. The league now plays a few regular-season games in London and Mexico City. Many U. S. cities desire an NFL franchise. Eight might be to...

A Warning to Woke Preachers

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Like many God-fearing Americans, I was grateful to see Donald Trump return to the White House last Monday. I watched the inauguration at Rodney Howard-Browne ’s church (which played on the video screens during their Winter Campmeeting). I was happy to hear the president declare, “We will not forget our God.” However, some clergy aren’t happy about this. Among them is Episcopal bishop Mariann Edgar Budde, who oversees 86 churches across D.C., and Maryland, with 38,000 members. She previously made critical remarks about the president during his first term in office. On the day after Trump's second inauguration, Budde delivered the homily at an interfaith prayer service held at the Washington National Cathedral. The final part of her sermon was directed at President Trump who sat in the front row. Here are portions of what she said:  “Millions have put their trust in you. And as you told the nation yesterday, you have felt the providential hand of a loving God. In the name of our ...

A Christian Response to the California Wildfires

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For the past few days, wildfires have devastated the Los Angeles area. Since January 7th, the fires have claimed at least 27 lives, forced over 200,000 to evacuate, and destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures. Some were houses owned by Hollywood celebrities.  One Facebook friend wrote a post claiming the fires are divine judgment. I don’t believe it’s an " act of God ." For one thing, the Pasadena Jewish Temple plus some churches have burned down. Approximately 20% of Californians are evangelical Christians. Actor Mel Gibson (who directed “The Passion of the Christ”) lost his home. It’s unlike Sodom in Genesis 19, which was destroyed after only four righteous people fled the city. I’ve also heard reports of homes supernaturally spared from the wildfires. Unfortunately, questionable posts have circulated about one of them. Take a look at the photos of the preserved houses above. Notice how they differ. One shows a house with two chimneys plus a charred house to the...

Why I Left Mint Mobile

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For almost a decade, TracFone was my cell phone carrier. Because I often use Wi-Fi and have a Google Voice number, I didn’t need to spend much money on a cell phone plan. Gradually, other pay-as-you-go options emerged that offered better rates, especially for data.  At the beginning of 2024, I switched to Mint Mobile because of this promotion for new customers: buy three months of service and get three more for free. I chose their 15 GB data plan with unlimited talk and text. That cost just over $84 (approximately $12/month). Mint Mobile’s service had been okay. However, I didn’t like the requirement of a large upfront payment with greater discounts for longer commitments. I prefer a month-to-month plan. Another turn-off is having to pay increased rates to keep their service.  In July 2024, I called Mint Mobile to request my Port PIN and account number so I could change carriers . A rep named Ace kept pressuring me to stay with them. Normally, that would be reason enough...

Is the “Daniel Fast” Really a Fast?

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Many Christians are starting 2025 by fasting of varying lengths. Some ministers who I respect recommend fasting no more than three days. Yet, I’ve heard testimonies of people who had supernatural encounters during longer fasts. Jesus Himself did a 40-day fast before starting His earthly ministry. There are also debates as to what defines a fast. Some pastors encourage their congregations to do partial fasts by skipping a meal or two. Others endorse what’s called a “Daniel fast.” That involves abstaining from selected foods like Daniel did while the Israelites were held in Babylon. In Daniel Chapter 1, the prophet and his friends only had vegetables to eat and water to drink for ten days. What was the result? 15   And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies.   16  Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave the...

Should We “Lock the Clock?”

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I’m thankful that Donald Trump will return as president of the United States on January 20th. However, I don’t necessarily agree with one of his proposals. Trump has talked about eliminating Daylight Saving Time. Some experts claim that “springing forward and falling back” has negative health effects. Therefore, they advise we should “lock the clock.” I prefer to have more daylight hours in the evening to do street evangelism. When I recently wrote about this on my social media pages, one man connected with me on LinkedIn replied, “I am sorry but other than more daylight the ill effects literally kill people and have no other positive benefits. Only harms. I would possibly support moving 1/2 an hour and leaving it alone permanently after that. The economic costs also outweigh the benefits. It is quite costly beyond people having more ill health and death from heart attacks and strokes and accidents. There is no positives beyond longer days, only negatives.” I have difficulty believi...

The Christmas Spirit

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During my childhood, I enjoyed watching Christmas specials on TV. This past Wednesday, I found one on YouTube I don’t recall seeing before. “ Christmas Lost and Found ” featured the claymation characters Davey and his talking dog Goliath. In this 1965 production by the Lutheran Church of America, Davey repeatedly complains, “I don’t feel Christmas.”  Davey tries various things associated with the holiday such as putting up lights and eating Christmas cookies. His dad also gives him money to purchase a tree from a new kid named Kenny. After Davey bought presents for his family and friends, Goliath suggested his owner now felt the Christmas spirit. Davey replied, “All I got is no money left.”  Meanwhile, Davey’s sister Sally set up a nativity scene in their home. That inspired him to gather his friends and perform a Christmas pageant in the town theater. Davey portrayed one of the wise men singing “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” Sally played Mary. Goliath insisted on being a ...