The title for this blog has nearly nothing to do with anything. However, it does raise other interesting and incredibly random questions, such as:
What do these people have in common?
And should they ever be allowed to keep a job?
Prohibition: Did it end drunken violence?
A headline read, “Glennon will walk from the Bears with only $18.5 million.” Do you think they needed the word “only” in there?
Speaking of Headlines
Okay, let’s get back on track. This headline reads, “Kamala Harris: We Can’t Have Any Pride ‘When Our Babies Are Being Slaughtered‘”. To this I retort, “Glad to see that she’s now in the pro-life camp for the abolition of abortion. (If only it were so.)”
By the way, the story’s subheading says, “The California senator made a powerful plea after the Florida school shooting.” Seems possible that the editors might have wanted to be quick to distance Harris’ quote from any connection to murdering babies in the womb.
Another headline read, “Father of Florida High School Shooting Survivor Misled Fox News, HuffPost by Sending ‘Doctored’ Email in Attempt to Discredit CNN Town Hall”. Leftist apologists were quick to use this story in defense of the fake news operation. But sadly, this story proved nearly nothing in the abstract. The kid, or his father, could have deleted the words in question. CNN, or one of its employees, could have inserted the words in question. So, everyone will continue to believe what they want to believe. We’ve somehow allowed everything to devolve into he-said-she-said.
Does anyone even recall this news item? “Rosenstein: No allegation of American involvement or election impact – in this particular indictment”. I wondered at the time what, if any, impact this sort of thing would have on people like George Soros and his influence on American politics. It appears that the answer to that is, “Minimal, at best”.
Personal Headlines
Before getting onto the meat of this blog here are a couple of “headlines” I published on social media back in the day.
“Imagine Our Surprise!”
This was my way of announcing that during one fine winter weekend I attended the “Best of Frederick Bash” to celebrate my wife Dina once again being recognized as a finalist in the “Best Radio Personality” category, as well as WFMD’s selection as “Best Radio Station” (WFMD is home to “The Faith Debate” show). And while at the event we learned that “Decorating Date Night with Troy and Dina” was that year’s winner for “Best Blog”. How exciting! (Incidentally, we won for each of the first three years we did the show. We’re in the middle of season four right now).
“Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!”
This was my very next headline. It turns out that a stay at a bed and breakfast with my beautiful wife led to a surprise impromptu episode of Decorating Date Night! This was then followed by the “Best of Frederick” celebration with the surprise discovery that Decorating Date Night won in the category of “Best Blog”! And it was all capped off by a surprise opportunity for me to preach God’s Word and share the Lord’s Supper with Christian brothers and sisters at the beautiful Fairview Chapel (because the scheduled minister was unable to attend at the last minute). What a weekend!
I’m still grateful for everyone who voted for our Decorating Date Night video blog! And I’m even more grateful to you for watching our Decorating Date Night videos! By the way, Dina has won more than her fair share of “Best of” awards for her on-air radio work. It’s one of the reasons she came to affectionately be known as “The voice of Frederick”. She’s an exceptionally talented lady in so very many ways. I’m blessed to have her in my life.
And while I’m mentioning things for which I’m grateful, I should give a shout out to Fairview Chapel. I preached at this tiny chapel in New Market an average of twice per year for sixteen years. These thirty-two invitations to proclaim salvation in Christ were, and always will be, significantly special to me.
Now Let Me Get My Preach On
Implore the government to do more. Advocate for special interest groups to spend less. Point a finger at school leadership. Ask churches and denominations to step up their game. Blame Hollywood and the media. Be angry at conservatives, progressives, capitalists, hypocrites, pundits, and activists. Do any and all if this, if you must.
But please also:
Love your enemy. Be gracious toward the people who disagree with you. Demonstrate patience with those who are argumentative. Be a generous hearer and generous reader. Take time to build true friendships. Model the behavior you hope to see in others. Build up families and strong values. Defend the truth with kindness and authentic honesty. Encourage individual flourishing by offering assistance without creating dependency. Aid others in pursuing their potential and in recognizing the ways in which they can contribute, have value, find purpose, and understand how they are necessary to the world around them. Humbly admit your own faults, frailties, and biases. Have self control when frustrated. Be forgiving when angry. Seek wisdom from outside yourself.
And if you believe in God, professing to trust in Jesus Christ as your Savior and King…. then please, when you say that your prayers are with the hurting and heartbroken… actually pray. Truly pray. Go to your Lord with what’s on your heart, and be attentive to hearing what’s on His heart for you.
(Each of us will surely fail to do all that ought to be done, or will at least fail to do it perfectly. So, I encourage my brothers and sisters to depend on the finished work of the One Who has already perfectly done it, and to walk in the way of this blessing.)
Remembering Billy
The vast majority of the remainder of this blog will reminisce about the legacy of Billy Graham who once famously said: “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”
A coworker remarked to me, “I heard this speech. Then Darth Vader chops him with his light saber and… I’m joking. RIP Reverend Graham.”
I responded with a picture of Darth Vader saying, “God is your father.” To this, he answered, “Amen.” But I sort of wonder which “god” he had on his mind as he said this.
Anyway, here’s a nice story about Billy Graham and the man featured in 2014’s award winning movie “Unbroken”.
And Some Words From My Friend Bernie Beall
This was written upon Billy’s passing into glory –
Dear Friends,
As you have almost certainly heard by now, today Evangelist Billy Graham went home to his heavenly reward. To give glory to God and to remember his life and ministry, I’d like to share an excerpt of an email about him that I sent out the week of his 99th birthday this past November. (I’ll include this forwarded message below). Plus, since I am a ‘quote collector’ (a delightfully inexpensive hobby), I’d like to share with you my Top Ten Billy Graham Quotes:
- “Though many people have come to Christ as a result of my participation in presenting the gospel to them, it’s all the work of the Holy Spirit.”
- “You’re born. You suffer. You die. Fortunately, there’s a loophole.”
- “God proved His love on the cross. When Christ hung and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, ‘I love you.'”
- “No man ever loved like Jesus. He made the blind to see and the dumb to speak. He died on the cross to save us. He bore our sins. And now God says, ‘Because He did, I can forgive you.'”
- “God is unchanging in His love. He loves you. He has a plan for your life. Don’t let the newspaper headlines frighten you. God is still sovereign. He’s still on the throne.”
- “I’ve read the last page of the Bible. It’s going to turn out all right.”
- “I can tell you God is alive because I talked to Him this morning.”
- “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.”
- “The framers of our Constitution meant we were to have freedom of religion, not freedom from religion.”
- “The fact is, we cannot truly face life until we have learned to face the fact that it will be taken away from us.”
Bonus Quote: “God will prepare everything for our perfect happiness in Heaven, and if it takes my dog being there, I believe he’ll be there.”
Here’s the “Forwarded Message” That Bernie Referenced Above
Bernie Beall (of Great Commission Families) sent this email on November 11, 2017:
Dear Friends,
99 years ago this week, Billy Graham was born (11/7/1918), so he turned 99 this week!
In 1996, more than two decades ago, he & Ruth were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal in a formal ceremony in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. In the room with him as he spoke was Ruth, sitting in red in the front row. Also in the front row were Newt Gingrich, Al Gore, Strom Thurmond, and Bob & Elizabeth Dole.
Interestingly, the statues in the background were of James Garfield (Ohio) who was the only minister ever elected President, and Roger Williams, (also a minister, from Rhode Island, holding a Bible) who is famous for using the biblical metaphor (later used by Jefferson) correctly stating that the ‘wall of separation’ had the singular purpose of protecting the church from the state, not the other way around. See Isaiah 5:5.
The full program with Billy & Ruth Graham in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda is online here (67 minutes). Remarkably, C-Span has made a clip with 204 seconds of the core of Billy Graham’s evangelistic appeal. I have often quoted the middle sentences of Billy Graham’s speech to people I’ve taken to the Rotunda: “From time to time I’ve wandered through this hall and looked at all those statues. And I’ve stood in front of some of them whose biography I knew a bit about. And I thought to myself, there’s one thing they have in common. They’re all dead. Secretary Brown [previously mentioned/explained] has joined them. And one day, you will join them. Are you ready for that day?”
[Note: North Carolina is lined up to replace one of their two state statues in the U.S. Capitol with a statue of Billy Graham. They are only waiting for one more thing to happen: Billy’s home-going.]
God’s great blessings to you,
In Christ,
Bernie Beall – Great Commission Families
“With Families at Heart and a Heart for the World!”
Before Wrapping
Here are a couple of Faith Debate episodes to checkout
What is the State of the “Apostolic Church” Today?
Much of what’s called “apostolic” in the church today doesn’t measure up to the biblical model, says Barry Starliper in his book, “The Apostle Jesus: The Kingdom Among You”. What’s the state of the “apostolic church” today, and how does it measure up to the church model that’s found in the pages of the New Testament? To talk about these questions, Barry and I were joined by Dr. Neil Acheampong, the pastor of Covenant Family Chapel (and the radio ministry preacher heard on WFMD each Sunday morning at 9:30a). The original air date for this show was 2/11/18.
What are the Strengths, Weaknesses, and Even Potential Dangers of the “Apostolic Movement”?
How can “self-styled apostles” who might be interested in exerting control over other people be distinguished from a true apostolic ministry which takes after the ministry of Jesus Christ? A local author raises just these very questions in his book “The Apostle Jesus: The Kingdom Among You”. He is joined as a guest on this show by Neil Acheampong, another local author (and pastor) who has written “It’s Time to Dream Again” and “Maximizing the Power of Fasting”. The original air date for this show was 2/18/18. The Faith Debate broadcasts over the radio each Sunday morning at 9am on WFMD.
Many blessings to you,
Pastor Troy Skinner
