Signs & Wonders Blog

When I first flew on an airplane as a ten-year-old in 1974, my parents had bought me a special outfit that I got to enjoy wearing. That came to my remembrance after U. S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy recently made headlines with a new “ civility campaign ” ahead of the busy holiday travel season. During a press conference this past Monday, Duffy said, “…whether it’s a pair of jeans and a decent shirt. I would encourage people to maybe dress a little bit better, which encourages us to maybe behave a little better. Let’s try not to wear slippers and pajamas as we come to the airport.” Having used public transportation numerous times, I’ve occasionally dealt with fellow passengers who were rude. I believe there is a connection between sloppy attire and sloppy behavior. Dressing better seems to influence people to have better manners. When we look our best, we usually act our best. Years ago, people dressed up more in public. Nowadays, some individuals travel in outfits like they...

While in elementary school, I developed an interest in learning Spanish. That was triggered by watching “Sesame Street” during the early 1970s when they went bilingual. Later, I watched another show on PBS called “Villa Alegre” (“Happy Village”). Around that time, my fifth grade English teacher taught us some Spanish. I could’ve taken Spanish classes in high school and college, but my interests drifted toward computers and music. After becoming a street evangelist, I wish I had learned more Spanish. Nowadays, there are many Hispanics in America who don’t speak English. Most of them come from Catholic backgrounds. Therefore, a majority believe the gospel but haven’t yet made a decision to be born again.  Up until a few years ago, I simply gave Hispanics gospel tracts in Spanish. If I encountered one that knew some English, I'd witness to them by speaking simple words but mixed in a few Spanish words I knew to build rapport. That resulted in a few salvations. Then I started using...

In the old Looney Tunes cartoons , a statement occasionally made by Bugs Bunny was: “Did you ever have the feeling you was being watched?” The truth is God is always aware of what we’re doing. Jesus said in Matthew 10:26, “For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.”   I once heard Dennis Burke say, “God keeps the books.” Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” Fortunately, our mistakes can be washed away by the blood of Jesus if we ask for forgiveness (1 John 1:9). Still, Christians need to remember that nonbelievers watch professing believers like a hawk. A major slip-up can damage one’s testimony. Recently, I read a story online that illustrates this truth:  A man was being tailgated by a woman on a busy boulevard. Suddenly, the light in front of him turned yellow. He stopped at the crosswalk, even though he could have beaten the red light by accelerating through ...

Tomorrow is the golden anniversary of a tragic event that unfolded on Lake Superior. On November 10, 1975, the American freighter Edmund Fitzgerald embarked on a journey from Superior, Wisconsin, with a cargo of iron ore. The ship didn’t reach its intended destination of Detroit. The Fitz succumbed to a colossal storm. 29 lives were lost. A year later, Canadian singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot released “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which became one of his biggest hits. I was 12 years old then, and considered purchasing the single, except my mother hated the song. I ended up taping it while listening to “American Top 40.” Casey Kasem revealed that the ship’s crew were all experienced men. The captain had been sailing the Great Lakes for 44 years. Other details of the sinking were uncertain. Casey thought the ship might have gone down during the early morning hours of November 11th. That would have coincided with storms (often called “November witches”) occurring on that same ...

At the time of this writing, the U. S. Government has been shut down for a month due to ongoing disagreements between Republican and Democratic leaders. Among those affected are individuals collecting welfare. Nearly 42 million Americans (that’s 1 out of 8) are no longer receiving food stamps or what’s officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This past Friday, two judges ordered the Trump Administration to keep SNAP benefits in place. Judges cannot legislate from the bench, especially when funds aren’t available unless approved by Congress. The president has stated, “I do NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. Therefore, I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible.”  Regardless, the welfare system in this nation needs to be revamped. Many individuals receive more money staying unemployed than working. It seems ...