Signs & Wonders Blog

Two days ago, the 2024 Summer Olympics began in Paris, France. The Olympic Games are to celebrate sportsmanship and unity among nations. However, controversial moments have tainted past Olympiads. In 1968, two American runners raised gloved fists as a Black Power salute after winning medals in Mexico City. The two got expelled from the Olympic Village. There have also been tragedies, such as Palestinian terrorists killing Israeli athletes during the 1972 Munich Games. The Opening Ceremony of this year’s games included a drag queen parody of The Last Supper. It has been widely criticized by Christians and their supporters. American Catholic Bishop Robert Barron called it “gross mockery.” Jewish commentator Dr. Eli David labeled it an "outrageous insult to Jesus and Christianity.” Elon Musk said it was “extremely disrespectful.” Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker quoted Galatians 6:7, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked .” Friends have flooded my Facebook newsfeed with rem...

In U. S. history, four presidents have been assassinated: Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, and John F. Kennedy. A few others had attempts on their lives before, during, and after occupying the Oval Office. One of the latter was Donald Trump . Eight days ago, the 45th President (who’s seeking a return to the White House) got shot during a rally in Pennsylvania. The bullet grazed his right ear seconds after turning his head. Many have called this a miracle. At the Republican National Convention this past Thursday, Trump stated, “…I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of Almighty God.” Trump’s close brush with death reminded me of another famous American who experienced providential protection. Years before becoming our first president, George Washington had come close to getting killed numerous times while fighting in various battles. In a letter to family members, Washington wrote, “By the miraculous care of providence I have been protected beyond all ...

A boy once asked his mother for a bicycle. She replied, “Maybe if you pray, God will bring you one.” So he knelt and prayed, “God, if You give me a bike, I won’t sin for a year.” The boy then walked outside and saw his mother’s statue of the Virgin Mary . Suddenly, he felt guilty because he couldn't avoid sinning for that long. Instead, he grabbed the statue, hid it in his toy box, and declared, “God, if You ever want to see Your mother again, give me a bike!” Some God-fearing people own replicas of Mary, Jesus, or other characters in the Bible. It’s one thing to honor the Lord or departed saints. It’s another to bow down to statues that have no power. The Bible calls that idolatry. 1 Corinthians 6:9, Ephesians 5:5, and Galatians 5:20 say that no idolaters will inherit the kingdom of God. It amazes me how some people can worship idols or figurines t h at are just plain ugly. Not far from my former home church and a friend’s place in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, there’s a buildin...

Even before committing my life to the Lord, I knew homosexuality was wrong. The thought of same-sex couples having intimate relations repulsed me. Nevertheless, I grew up around at least two guys who I discovered years later were homosexuals. One was a neighbor who lived two houses away from   my childhood home   in Moorhead, Minnesota. David was a bit eccentric. He had tall plants growing in his front yard that looked like a jungle. A year after I moved to Minneapolis, David died of AIDS. My parents told me he had admitted to them of being gay. Another was a junior high classmate whose locker was next to mine. Thomas seemed popular with the girls and even became class president. So it surprised me when I eventually learned of him becoming a homosexual. In 2011, Thomas died unexpectedly of a heart attack at 46. Although he wasn’t friendly toward me at school, I still hate to think of this guy being in hell. Three years before his death, Thomas got “married” to his long-time pa...