February / March 2006
Dear ones,
The work of clearing debris and restoring services on the Gulf Coast
goes on. We have a display of selected photographs on the Web site;
if you have not yet seen them, please do. Services are still crude-to-non-existent
in some areas; Internet access is still a matter of "catch as catch
can" for me (thank God for the Ocean Springs library, still the
only one functioning on the coast). Greg Porter and his crew are still
feeding 2,500 meals a day on the beach, and church teams continue to
arrive to help. It will be years, literally, before the aftermath work
is finished, and the coast will never again be what it was; but progress
continues to be made. Now, there is much to share.
THE POSITIVE ASPECT OF TRAGEDY
In the midst of the disaster on the Gulf Coast, many aspects of the
aftermath have been wonderfully positive. In stark contrast with the
situation in New Orleans, people here immediately began to salvage what
could be salvaged, take care of their families, and then reach out to
one another with help. Government agencies at all levels, from shattered
local agencies to state and federal, immediately went to work. In spite
of the inherent inefficiency of bureaucracies, and, in spite of media
propaganda to the contrary, those government agencies did the best they
could; and the battered Mississippians appreciated their efforts. Then
the Christians began to arrive, bringing water, food, gasoline, clothes
and their chain saws. They came from all over the country, and they
are still coming! Seeing and experiencing all this has been greatly
encouraging to me, and has softened my somewhat jaded opinion of human
nature. Last week, however, a package arrived in the mail that contained
a completely unexpected, and unforgettable blessing. I am at a loss
for words to categorize it, so read on...
CAST THY BREAD ON THE WATERS
The return address on the package told me that it was from Larry Edwards
in Grand Junction, Colorado. Inside was a battered little New Testament,
wrapped in a letter. In the letter, Larry explained that in 1976, when
he was making the coast-to-coast bicycle trip, he had camped at out
farm in Kentucky (our farm was then a registered campsite on the transcontinental
bike route). He recalled that we had invited him into our home for dinner,
and for breakfast the next morning, and that I had given him my own
New Testament to carry with him on the rest of the trip. Since Larry
had read in my newsletter that I had lost all my Bibles in the hurricane
except for the one I was carrying, he thought I might want the one I
had given him so long ago.
When I opened the tattered New Testament, literally falling apart from
long, hard use, I read on the fly leaf, "Lt. Tom C. McKenney, 061761
USMC, USNS Gen. Black, San Diego-to-Kobe." It was the Testament
given to me by the chaplain on the troop ship, on my way to Korea via
Japan! It was also the same one I had carried with me in Vietnam. Head
injuries and age have eroded my memory, and I had forgotten that it
had ever existed; the waters of 30 years had passed under the bridge
of my life since that morning on Crooked Creek. Now, reading the letter
and holding the little Testament in my hands, I faintly recall witnessing
to one of our campers, and telling him how important it would be for
him to read the Word daily.
The thing that has hurt the most in the vanishing of our home is the
loss of all the heirlooms. Now, unexpectedly, an heirloom I had completely
forgotten, has come back upon the waters. I am going to frame the Testament,
and the letter, in a shadow box; God has restored to my family a precious
heirloom. Thanks, Larry, for a wonderful gift.
SOME UNFORGETTABLE IMAGERY!
I have seen a lot in my long life, but have never seen anything to compare
with the "before and after" pictures of landmark buildings
that were destroyed on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Hurricane Katrina,
on the Sun Herald Web site. You will see the beautiful homes and other
landmark buildings as they were before the storm; and then you will
see that photo transition before your eyes into what remains. Like the
terrible general destruction, you can't really know how bad it is without
being there; but you will have a much better idea as you watch those
beautiful old homes and other landmarks disappear forever. Please look
at these; if you don't have computer access yourself, ask someone to
do it for you (and I'll bet that your children or grandchildren can
do it easily). Go on the Internet to the site of the Gulf Coast Sun
Herald at www.sunherald.com; scroll down to "Before and After Katrina";
then Scroll down to "Flash Animations"; and then click on
the various buildings. I suggest that you begin with The Chimneys. You
won't forget it.
THE WAR AGAINST CHRISTMAS
The success or failure of most retail businesses for the entire year
depends on sales during the Christmas season, essentially, the months
of November and December. Why? Because during this brief period, more
than 50 percent of annual retail spending in the U.S. is done. In short,
the excitement over Christmas has become crucial to the American retail
economy; that is why retailers begin to play Christmas music in October,
hoping to encourage the "Christmas spirit" (which has come
to mean buying a lot of stuff). What began as a spiritual celebration
has become a dominating commercial monster. Some have fought to resist
this commercialization; for most of my life the Knights of Columbus
have carried on an annual advertising campaign to "Keep Christ
in Christmas." It hasn't worked, but I admire them for trying.
Meanwhile, a general attack on Christmas has developed. For at least
a decade now, the ACLU has carried on a vehement war against manger
scenes. One Connecticut mayor wryly observed that the reason they hate
nativity scenes is that they don't have 3 wise men and a virgin in their
entire organization. But this year the God-hating change agents (the
ACLU, joined by such groups as Americans United for Separation of Church
and State) went all-out to remove all religious reference from "the
holidays." The battle was more out-in-the-open, and its ferocity
was at an all-time high. Even use of the word "Christmas"
had to go. Huge retailers like Home Depot advertised "Holiday Trees,"
studiously avoiding use of the "C" word. Public schools, afraid
to mention Christmas, had "winter festivals." Many business
and government offices forbad employees from saying "Merry Christmas"
to one another, allowing only the secular "Happy Holidays."
(ANS, PWB, et al)
Christian and traditional groups fought back, with some defeats and
some victories; but isn't the whole thing a logical absurdity? (This
absurdity is amusingly expressed in the little Christmas play about
Sherlock Holmes that Sally wrote, available free to all who request
it.) The God-haters can't have their holiday cake and eat it too. Trying
to celebrate Christmas without Christmas is like a Super Bowl without
football, a World Series without baseball. They simply can't have it
both ways. Trying to celebrate Christmas without Christ is at least
as ridiculous as trying to ride a unicycle without the wheel.
AND AN INTERESTING RESPONSE BY CONGRESS
Reacting to all the turmoil over the war on Christmas, the House of
Representatives got involved. On 15 December the House passed a resolution
"protecting the symbols and traditions of Christmas." The
vote was overwhelmingly positive, 401-22; I mean, after all, what politician
is going to go on record against Christmas? But 22 of them did. They
were all Democrats. (NM)
WHOSE CHILDREN ARE THEY? THE CULTURE
WAR HEATS UP
The right of parents to decide what their children are exposed to has
traditionally been settled and unassailable; parents have had complete
responsibility for, and authority over, their children. This is no longer
true. And public schools have traditionally been bastions of safety
for our children. This, also, is no longer true. Public schools are
increasingly becoming anti-Christian, anti-morality, change agents,
used to undermine and destroy traditional morality and the children's
innocence. A case in point is an elementary school in Los Angeles, where
children as young as six were subjected, without parental notice or
consent, to a survey of sexual matters which had never entered their
minds. The survey was not only extremely graphic, but (as is so often
the case) was designed so as to challenge traditional morality and encourage
the children to experiment with sex. After some children came home complaining
to parents about the troubling questions, a group of angry parents filed
a complaint. They were told, in effect, to "get lost"; so
they filed suit against the school district. On 2 November a 3-judge
panel of the very liberal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals (Far West plus
Hawaii), upholding a lower court ruling, ruled unanimously against the
parents, stating that parents "have no constitutional right to
prevent public schools from providing information [on the subject of
sex] to their students, in any forum or manner they [the school officials]
select." In plain terms, the court said that parents have nothing
to say about what their children are taught once they pass through the
school door. So, the federal courts on the West Coast have declared
that public school bureaucrats now have much of what was once called
"parental authority." The court went on to make itself even
more ominously clear: "In summary, we hold that there is no free-standing
fundamental right of parents to control the upbringing of their children
by introducing them to matters of and relating to sex in accordance
with their personal and religious values and beliefs...once parents
make the choice as to which school their children will attend, their
fundamental right to control the education of their children is, at
the least, substantially diminished."
A NEW LOW IN ANTI-CHRISTIAN TV
I don't think any of you "Good Word" readers will be watching
such filth, but you may want to know about the latest offering on prime
time TV. NBC is launching a new program called "Book of Daniel,"
and it is a new low in anti-Christian TV. The program features a family
in which the father is a drug-addicted Episcopal priest, his wife drinks
martinis for lunch, his 23-year-old son is a homosexual Republican,
his 16-year-old daughter deals in drugs, and his 16-year-old adopted
son is sexually involved with the Bishop's daughter. Jack Kenny, creator
and producer of the program, is himself a homosexual. What is by far
the worst part of the program, however, is their made-to-order, flesh-and-blood
Jesus, complete with white robe, long hair and beard, who frequently
visits the dysfunctional priest, hanging out with him as a pal, frequently
giving him bad advice, contradicting clear teachings of Scripture. If
everything else about "Book of Daniel" were right, this alone
makes it pure blasphemy. Some NBC stations have refused to air it and
it is losing some sponsors.(BP/ANS)
A POINT TO PONDER
As the assault on public morality intensifies, it is interesting to
note the word most on the public mind. Dictionary publisher, Merriam-Webster,
maintains an on-line dictionary. In 2005, the word most often looked
up by its 7 million users was "integrity." The definition
they found was "to affirm adherence to a code, incorruptibility."
One must wonder why. I see this as an encouraging sign that, in spite
of the relentless attack on morality and traditional values in our education
system and the media, there is still something in our national psyche
that isn't ready to abandon the concept of integrity. (PWB)
"INCLUSIVE" CHURCHES: SPIRITUAL
DEATHTRAPS
There is a Lutheran church with which I am familiar; it is much given
to good works and social welfare. Not long ago, it invited in a Buddhist
monk who explained the beauties of Buddhism, sat the little children
down in a circle on the floor, and taught them to meditate. Does this
matter? Yes. Is it unusual? No. A very great many churches of the "old
line" denominations long ago abandoned the authority of Scripture
and increasingly embraced a more "inclusive," "I'm OK-You're
OK" message. It is essentially "feel good" religion that
accepts almost anything "spiritual," including paganism, and
proclaims the lie that there are many paths to the same mountain top
of paradise. This, of course, makes a liar of God, who declared repeatedly
that there is no other god but Him (for example, see Isaiah 45). It
also makes a liar out of Jesus, who declared that He is the only way
to God (Jn 14:6). And it makes liars out of St. Paul (I Tim 2:5) and
St. Luke (Acts 4:12).
Prominent actor Richard Geer grew up in such a church. He says that
in his Methodist church he was never taught that Jesus is the only way
to God, and that its teachings did not answer his questions about life,
so he turned to Tibetan Buddhism. In a profound expression of his confusion,
he states that although he believes in goodness and wisdom, he does
not believe in God. He hopes that one day he will "be able to clear
myself and expand myself and become everything I want to be—become
a Buddha." He says that beyond what he was taught in his Methodist
church, his search for truth took him to Transcendental Meditation,
then Zen, and finally to "a personal relationship with the current
Dalai Lama." More than one Methodist leader will have to answer
to God for what happens to Geer, and to the many others with whom he
sincerely shares his spiritual confusion. (PBS/ANS)
LOVE AFFAIR: HOLLYWOOD AND HOMOSEXUALS
The irrational love affair between Hollywood and the homosexual culture
goes on, in spite of facts and economic reality. At this year's Golden
Globe awards, the pro-homosexual film "Brokeback Mountain"
took four awards, Felicity Huffman (of TV's "Desperate Housewives")
won the best actress award for her role as a male-to-female transsexual,
and the best actor award went to Philip Seymour Hoffman for his portrayal
of homosexual writer Truman Capote in the biographical film, "Capote."
Incidentally, none of the three films did well at the box office. Hollywood
producers tell us that in all their sick glamorizing of self-destructive
sin they are "just reflecting the culture." Privately, they
will tell you that what they are doing is trying to change the culture,
to one in harmony with their own wretched values. (ANS)
A MOVIE TO RECOMMEND
Meanwhile, there are a few excellent movies being made, and one I can
highly recommend is "End of the Spear." This is the story
of the martyrdom of five missionaries in Ecuador 50 years ago, the eventual
salvation of the Indians who murdered the missionaries, and the process
of forgiveness on the part of their families. One of the five martyrs
was young Nate Saint, the pilot of the small aircraft that took the
five into the domain of the Indians. Elisabeth Elliott, wife of one
of the martyrs, Rachel Saint, Nate's sister, and others stayed in Ecuador
and eventually won those Indians to the Lord. Our late dear friend,
Phil Saint, older brother of Nate, later went into the jungle, found
the man who had killed his brother and baptized him on the same sand
bar where the killings had taken place. This is a true story of tragedy
and the ultimate triumph of love; and, unlike the award-winning homosexual
movies mentioned above, "End of the Spear" made it into the
box office Top Ten. (ANS/BP)
IDOLS OF THE HEART: THE POWER OF PORNOGRAPHY
In the last days of Jerusalem, shortly before Nebuchadnezzar's final
destruction of the city and the carrying-away of the survivors as slaves,
the people were completely given over to the worship of idols—the
pagan nature-worship of Canaan, which was (and still is) the orgiastic
worship of sex and reproductive power. Recent archeological excavations
of that level of ruins in Jerusalem have found such idols in virtually
every home. Worse yet is the fact that the priesthood was secretly doing
the same things (see Ezekiel 8), and doing them in the Temple of God.
And it all involved pornography, much of it actually painted on the
walls inside the Temple.
The prophet Ezekiel confronted the members of the Sanhedrin (religious
rulers of Israel) with the fact that their idols were just as real as
those statues the people worshipped, although they were concealed in
their hearts; and he told them that their sinful behavior was fueled
by pornography. Laying bare their secret sin, he said that they set
up idols in their hearts, and put "the stumbling block of his iniquity
before his face." They were told not only to turn from their secret
idols, but also to "turn away your faces" from the pornographic
images they secretly had (Ezek 14:1-8).
This could have been written today. Consider the secret sins, always
sexual in their outworking, that have become idols in the hearts of
God's people today, including many of the priests and ministers, idols
in their hearts, perverted pleasures more important to them than pleasing
God, and which drive them to victimize those entrusted to them for protection.
For so very long this sin, this idolatry, was kept secret within the
walls of churches, rectories and parsonages; now this hidden sickness
in the Church is being laid bare, revealing the wreckage of innocent
lives with lawsuits involving billions of dollars. And, consistently,
this perverted idolatry is fueled by pornography.
The revealed need in the Church is two-fold: get the pagan idols of
perverted sex out of our hearts, and "turn our faces" from
all pornography. It seems that the nature of people really doesn't change,
and the Word of God is as fresh and relevant today as it was in the
time of Ezekiel.
THE PROFIT FROM PORN
Income from the sale of pornography in the United States alone is greater
than the combined profits of the National Football League, National
Basketball Association, and Major League Baseball combined. (ANS/AFR)
ONE UNFAILING FRIEND
Dr. Laura Schlessinger has written a new book called Bad Childhood—Good
Life. In it, she makes an interesting observation. She said that people
who have had a difficult childhood (abuse, molestation, neglect, etc.)
need a lot of "true grit" in order to resist responding to
their pain and rage by engaging in destructive things—drugs, sex,
etc. And, she said, most people are able to produce true grit in themselves
most strongly when there is someone in their lives whom they can count
on to love them and to be there for them. And, she said, for most people
(based on faxes and emails she's received) that someone is God. One
woman wrote to Dr. Laura that the verse from Psalm 27 became very important
to her: "If my father and my mother have forsaken me, the LORD
will take me up." It is a great reminder to us all. The one person
who will always be there for us, no matter what, is the LORD. (Sally
Mahoney)
WHERE DO TEACHERS SEND THEIR CHILDREN
TO SCHOOL?
According to a recent study by the Thomas B. Fordham Institute of Rochester,
NY, public school teachers are nearly three times as likely to send
their children to private or religious schools as are other parents.
The reason, according to USA Today, is that public school teachers believe
that religious and private schools provide stricter discipline and achieve
higher academic standards than do the public schools. (USAT/ANS)
TOLL-FREE PHONE NUMBERS FOR CONGRESS
You may now call your Congressman and Senators in Washington, toll-free.
The numbers: House, 1-800-972-3524; Senate, 1-800-962-3524. They respond
to your calls (as few as six calls can decide a vote).
MARTY’S CORNER
Katrina Five Months Later: As of early January, you can now slowly drive
on the coast highway from Pass Christian to Biloxi (about 25 miles).
In Biloxi, you have to get back on the interstate to go farther east.
The first time I went that route, I found myself holding my breath—then
taking deep breaths. It's all gone...big lovely homes, smaller well
kept homes, churches, businesses, libraries, streets, historical places
are either gone or rubble. Even though you know what's ahead because
you’ve seen the pictures or have heard verbal accounts, you keep
hoping something you remembered is there...but it isn't. And you realize
it will never be the same—you can't rebuild the history and culture
that is now gone.
Added to that, within a month of the hurricane, Mississippi enacted
a law giving casinos the right to be land based and the casinos with
hotels are gobbling up much; cities are declaring areas “needed”
for new city planning (counting on the 2005 imminent domain ruling by
the Supreme Court); and insurance companies are denying claims by declaring
the losses due to “water” even though the winds (on video
tapes) show destruction 2 hours before the water came. Older retired
couples who worked all their lives and now have no home (their children’s
homes are also gone) are faced with not enough money—or lifetime—left
to build a home. Men in their 80’s look to the horizon and say,
“I’ll just have to get a job….” Please pray for
them.
However, thanksgiving comes in the form of teams that have come from
all over the United States, working endless hours alongside the local
residents. Christian services beginning with Praise and Worship are
held each evening at God’s Katrina Kitchen, a huge feeding tent,
where I spent time talking with college age youth. They said that they
are only eager to go “back home” so that they can tell everyone
what it’s like and recruit more to come back with them and help.
They’re a blessing and, as always, hope for the future. Hope not
only for the help they bring but also for their steadfast commitment
to the Lord.
BEWARE THE CULTURE OF DEATH
Judges, Chapter 15, tells the story of Samson's falling in love with
a Philistine girl and his desire to marry her. Samson's parents reluctantly
agree (the girl was a pagan), they go with him to Timnath, and host
a betrothal party (which we would call the rehearsal dinner, except
that Samson's lasted for 7 days). There is a conflict over a riddle,
and Samson and his parents go home. When Samson returns, with a gift,
to consummate his marriage, he discovers that the bride's father, to
spite Samson, has given the girl to one of the Philistine "best
men" (there were 30 of them) as his wife. Samson's famous revenge
(burning their wheat fields with foxes and firebrands) causes the Philistines
to retaliate by burning the bride and her family to death in their home!
Really (read the story)! Samson himself was guilty of a lot of killing,
perhaps because he associated so much with Philistines; however, even
in that violent time and place, this cruel act of vengeance seems to
us a shocking over-reaction —outrageous—barbaric—unthinkable!
Ah, yes; but remember that they were all pagans, and in paganism life
is cheap; there is no such thing as our Christian concept of the sanctity
of life (it does, remember, flow from Cain's crime and the 6th Commandment);
those pagans even burned up their own babies as sacrifices to their
evil gods. Yes, life was cheap then.
But here is a sobering thought: our "Christian" culture is
quickly becoming like those pagan Philistines; in fact, pagan worship
is being glorified and celebrated in some of our "old-line"
churches, as the widespread killing of our own babies by abortion is
leading logically to the killing of the aged and the handicapped. It
may soon seem logical to burn to death innocent people whom we blame
for our misfortune. Yes, it could happen here, just as it did in ancient
Philistia, and for the same reason.
LIFE EXPECTANCY INCREASES
According to the Center for Health Statistics, the average life expectancy
in the U.S. continues to climb, reaching a new high of 77.6 years. One
factor in the increase is a decrease in deaths from heart disease, cancer
and stroke. (PWB)
UNSUNG HEROES
In the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the establishment media tend to
report whatever they can find to make our effort look bad, and ignore
the heroism and sacrifices of our troops. One such unsung hero is Navy
Hospital Corpsman Luis E. Fonesca. While serving in Iraq with the 1st
Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, his amphibious assault vehicle was hit
by an anti-tank rocket. Five Marines in his vehicle were wounded, two
with traumatic amputations. Ignoring a hail of enemy fire, he carried
the five casualties out of the burning vehicle, into the relative safety
of another vehicle, stabilized them and administered morphine. After
that vehicle was hit, he organized litter teams and moved all the casualties
to a third vehicle. Carrying one of the wounded Marines himself, over
fire-swept open ground, he moved the casualties to a fourth vehicle
which evacuated them to the battalion aid station. When presented the
Navy Cross, the nation's second-highest valor award, Fonesca said that
he was just “doing my job—I wish I could have done more.”
Doc Fonesca, we salute you!
HOPE FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG ADDICTS
Teen Challenge is a program for treatment of drug and alcohol addicts,
established by Assemblies of God minister Dave Wilkerson 45 years ago
(“Cross and the Switchblade”). The therapy is based entirely
on bringing the addicts to a saving relationship with Jesus; it is the
power of the Holy Spirit that “sets the captives free,” under-girded
by a heavy diet of Scripture. In 1999 Northwestern University published
a study of graduates of Teen Challenge; the study group consisted of
those who had been out of the program and on their own for 7 years.
They found that fully 86 percent of the seven-year alumni were still
drug and alcohol-free. By comparison, Alcoholics Anonymous, which denies
the power, and the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, teaches its members that
they can be sober (“sober drunks,” they call themselves),
but can never be free. AA encourages connecting with “a higher
power;” but that higher power can be any pagan god, any creature
or idea; in fact, it can be one’s own self. They not only report
that not a single person has been set free in all their existence –
they teach them that they never can be free. So, with the exception
of those who find the Lord Jesus and his power on their own, they never
are. (CBN News/700 Club)
A POINT TO PONDER
We need to set goals; if we aim at nothing, we will hit it every time.
MILESTONES
Married Benjamin Beaton, son of dear friends and board
members Ron and Beth Beaton of Paducah,Ky.,
and Andrea Zawacki, of Georgetown, Ky., in
Louisville, Ky.
A FINAL WORD
Treasure and use each day as if it were your last, and never give up
hope; God has a limitless supply of new beginnings, and He makes beautiful
things out of broken pieces.
You are precious,
(Sources: AFAJ-American Family Journal;
AFRN-American Family Radio News; ANS-Agape News Service; AP-Associated
Press; BP-Break Point; BPr-Baptist Press; C-Charisma; CBN-Christian
Broadcasting Network; CR-Congressional Record; CSN-Calvary Satellite
Network; DR-Drudge Report; EP-Evangelical Press; Fox (Fox News); FOF-Focus
on the Family; FRC-Family Research Council; GN-Good News Magazine; HC-History
Channel; LAT-L.A. Times; Mil-Military Magazine; NR-National Review;
NewsMax.com (NM); NW-Newsweek; NYP-New York Post; NYT-New York Times;
PBS-Public Broadcast System; PWB-Pastors' Weekly Briefing; RTLB-Right
to Life Education Foundation Bulletin; RTLGC-Right to Life of Greater
Cincinnati; USAT-USA Today; USNWR-U.S. News and World Report; VOM-Voice
of Martyrs; W-World Magazine; WND-World Net Daily; WT-Washington Times;
WW-Washington Watch.)