Veteran’s Day Message: My Second 'Sermon'

Thanks so much to Zane and the Cross-O Band! And thanks so much to all our Veterans!

Opening Prayer

If we find ourselves increasing…in numbers, in strength, in wealth, in knowledge, in everything which promotes human and social happiness, let us ever remember our dependence for all these on the protecting and merciful dispensations of Divine Providence.”
–President John Tyler, December 7, 1841, exactly 100 years before Pearl Harbor

Hundreds of Veterans listed at the Crazy Mountain Museum; Cemetery; Cole Drug

Montana’s birthday: Montana is the only state with a triple divide – meaning water from Glacier National Park flows into the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson Bay. The Montana Yogo Sapphire is said to be the only gem from North America included in the Crown Jewels of England. This year’s Capitol Christmas tree comes from the Kootenai National Forest. It started its trek from Montana to D.C. recently. (Senator Daines email)

Writer—plagiarize and edit myself—slightly stream-of-consciousness message tonight…

Wise Founding Father

I have quoted America’s first president in many of my articles over the years. I most often cite one particular statement. But first, I want to ask what you think is George Washington’s greatest legacy for America? His victory over the British and others during his superb military career? His legendary aversion to bullets, flying through is jacket but not him? His prayers and ability to retain vague order and morale at Valley Forge among his rag-tag army? His becoming the first president of the United States? His amazing choice to step down from power and popularity after two terms – setting a standard that remains with us today? His marital fidelity to Martha in their beautiful mansion at Mount Vernon – even though he loved another woman? Or is it enough that his name and face appear on schools, streets, currency, and cities all over the country?

For myself, I consider the evidence of Washington’s faith in the biblical Trinity to be his greatest legacy – both for himself and for his country.

Ok, now for the quote. This is how General Washington replied when the Continental Congress offered him near-dictatorial powers around the end of America’s War for Independence, in 1783:

“Instead of thinking myself freed from all civil obligations by this mark of their confidence, I shall constantly bear in mind that as the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firmly established.”

How can we describe this? Wise – seeing his potential to destroy a good thing through personal ambition. Humble – not believing himself to be the epitome of America. Merciful – seeking to establish liberty through means that themselves bolster freedom, unlike, say, much of the French Revolution. Noble, courageous, and dutiful also come to mind.

Good leaders are wary of their own success and of the faith others have in their success. I love the tone this set for his later life (such as stepping down from the presidency). Matthew 25 says those who are faithful over a few things will receive greater responsibilities in the future.

From the Flag to the Cross

I love and respect this flag behind me – but I love and need this cross even more. I do not know about you but I believe many Christians in America overemphasize current events, politics, and politicians. We are rightly grieved over widespread godlessness in our culture. But God may let certain evils wax strong in our nation because His people trust too much in man and too little in Him for the future.

Consider Isaiah 31: “Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many, and in horsemen because they are very strong, but who do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the Lord!”

This often occurs after a tragedy, such as the deadly hurricanes or mass shootings we have seen recently. It is important to recall that these things were unthinkable prior to Genesis 3. It can be easy to look to the government for help, or criticize it for its response.

Of course, many committed Christians jump in to aid despondent victims—bearing and honoring the name of Christ on the ground and in prayer from a thousand miles away. Yet as the weakness of men’s efforts inevitably sink in, attention to those efforts often ironically increases—with God sliding onto the back burner in many people’s minds.

Not that “letting go and letting God” has any biblical basis. God made man to rule over the world and commands His people to love one another. But for Christians combatting evil and suffering, God needs to be their ultimate motivator, enabler, sustainer, and goal. This can be hard!

In contrast to Isaiah 31, believers can proclaim Psalm 20—on good days: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Even on bad days, the man of God can cry Psalm 42: “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.”

I humbly desire to remind believers—as I remind myself—that our love for Jesus and security in Him are supposed to supersede all other objects of affection and sources of peace. This is pivotal in redirecting ourselves from the flag to the cross.

Is Man or God Normal?

The word “normal” can have positive, neutral, or negative connotations. For example, if you call your day “normal,” maybe you were pain-free for the first time all year, possibly nothing strange happened, or perhaps you were bored. As for God, the Bible proclaims His praises so boldly that calling Him “normal” could sound blasphemous.

To answer the title question, juxtapose the common activities of man and God with their original or actual nature. If man is normal, then his thoughts, words, and deeds often or always match his nature. The same goes for God. In this sense, “normal” relates more to accurate versus inaccurate than positive versus negative.

I believe man is entirely abnormal. In the creation story, God called His work “very good” after He created Adam and Eve. They had never sinned, there was no curse, and life and reality were as similar to heaven on earth as we ever knew.

No one knows how long the first man and woman followed God’s original plan for their lives—a day, a decade? But until that first transgression, they were not only innocent—they were normal. Their actions matched their nature, which was both moral and immortal. Through wickedness we became permanently abnormal. Death and danger threaten every soul—except those whom Jesus Christ glorifies in heaven following repentance and faith in Him.

What about God? Does His conduct match His character? If normal means living out exactly who oneself is supposed to be, then God is the embodiment of normalcy! The Bible supports this again and again. A favorite of mine is in James 1: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.” Were He less than normal, the universe would be in chaos—if it would exist at all.

God’s perfect track record includes offering love, grace, mercy, and justice to all of His creation, particularly in sending Jesus Christ into this world as “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14). Yet when the Son of God died on the cross and rose again on the third day—the least imaginable but most powerful event in history—Jesus also did something even greater than extend salvation to all who believe in Him. John 17 cites Jesus and God, His “righteous Father,” as giving glory and love, one to the other…and that is the most normal thing the biblical Triune God ever does!

How Much Can We Know God?

Merriam-Webster’s defines “knowledge” as “the fact or condition of knowing something with familiarity gained through experience or association,” or as “the circumstance or condition of apprehending truth or fact through reasoning.”
If we have knowledge about something, we communicate about it with some level of authority. If a baseball pitcher tells you about curve balls, you accept his comments intuitively. If he tells the “Mona Lisa” is a mountain in Qatar – then you end the conversation!

This goes for knowing someone, too. If I tell you about my two boys, you might politely listen and believe what I am saying. If you did not, I may reasonably take offense. But if I don’t know you, and if I am in no position to have any information about your family, yet I try to inform you about them, I might offend you.

Street-level English usage weakens the power of the concept of knowledge or knowing. “Do you know so-and-so?” “Yes. I met him once a few years ago.” The correct answer should be, “No. But I met him once a few years ago.” The difference is subtle, but significant.

Knowing someone – including God – requires some effort on our part, along with some kind of permission and / or enabling on His part. Romans 5 calls it “access.” The NKJV of the Bible notes the “knowledge of God” three times in the Old Testament and five in the New Testament. The phrase “know God” occurs twice in the O.T. and five times in the N.T. Each time, knowing God is portrayed as good, not knowing Him is shown as bad.

Knowing God is very possible, because of how available God has made Himself to mankind – such as in creation, salvation, and ultimately, glorification with Him forever. But do you ever ponder how much, quantitatively, we can ever know God?

Take your spouse, your sibling, your child, your parent, your best friend. What percentage of their beliefs, dreams, feelings, personalities, skills, and schedules do you think you know? Fifty percent sounds pretty good.

Let’s try a quick test. Whether you last saw that person a minute ago or a month ago, where is he or she this instant, what are they doing, and how is their day going? How many times today, and at what intensity, have they prayed or reminisced about anything great or terrible in their past? Maybe you know their biggest fears, sins, talents, and hopes: but do you know the last five times each of those things permeated their minds? Are you aware of the minute they woke up today, the last time they coughed, where they were when they last ran out of breath, when they plan on their next physical activity and what tiny goals they may have about it, which book they want to read next, or the most recent time they felt 100% secure in a close relationship?

Well, even if your imagined percentage has shrunk, you still likely know that person better than most people, right? How well we know another person reflects how close we are with them. This goes for God, too.

But man is finite; God is infinite; therefore our knowledge of Him is infinitely small. In fact, I think this logically means we cannot know God at all! Say I want to count to infinity. I count as fast as I can for three days straight: no food, water, or sleep, and I keep counting in the bathroom. Maybe I get to 1 million, which would be about four numbers per second. Not bad (but a waste of time, and no, I’ve never tried it). But at 1 million, despite all my effort, I am not the tiniest fraction of a percent closer to infinity than I was three days ago. If I were, then infinity would not be infinity. It simply would be a really big – but knowable – number!

So, too, with God. He is infinite not only in time and space, but also in holiness, power, glory, love, and even knowledge…to name a few. We can (and should) try our best to get to know Him, but mathematically, at least, we can never know Him one little bit. If we could, then eventually we would be able to get to know Him two little bits, then three, then fifty, and entirely. But in all these cases, He would be less than infinite.

Do you remember the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11? God did not confuse their language and stop their building because He feared them. They never would have made it to heaven anyway! He simply forced them to recall their humanity and humility, and upheld the glory of His name and presence in their midst.

The Bible frequently reveals God’s awesome greatness (incomplete list of 30+ passages, if you want). God is unassailable, unapproachable, and unmatchable. He is vast, holy, loving, merciful, gracious, faithful, powerful, and more. But we toss these words around easily and casually. We have no idea what it is like to have any, let alone all, these traits – perfectly.

This is where the best news comes along. If the infinite God designs and controls these infinite wonders, then He – and only He – can transcend His own incomprehensible nature to create a portal, so to speak, by which we can see and hear and know and love Him. Unlike infinity, the number, which reveals nothing about itself to us, God can and has bridged the gap between us and Himself.

How do we know? The Bible offers many answers. Passages on the “knowledge of God” include the following:

~ Proverbs 2: “Search for [wisdom] as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.”
~ Hosea 6: “I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
~ 2 Corinthians 10: “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
~ And Colossians 1 relates Paul’s prayer that God’s children may be “fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

These verses show it is both possible and advisable to grow in our understanding of God. Their broader contexts also convey that this happens via faith in Jesus, “in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” The Bible describes several of God’s saints as His friends, children, and heirs. And one cannot retain these holy designations without knowing God.

That is it: God is too great to be known at all; yet He has made Himself known to whoever repents of their sins and follows Him. He has made the impossible possible, through the improbable death and resurrection of His Son! I do not know how much God’s children will get to know Him in Heaven. But Revelation 3 provides an amazing glimpse: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. (Note God’s initiative.) If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

Now, that is knowledge!

Conclusion

In his 600-year-old best-seller, The Imitation of Christ, Thomas a Kempis seeks to show people how they can follow Christ completely and constantly. Anything less, for any amount of time, he explains, is not only wrong, but it also should be out of the question. Jesus lovingly and willingly gave His all for us, and He asks the same in return.

I underlined a lot in The Imitation. Of course, a Kempis is not on par with the Bible, but here are some lines I really appreciated:

“A humble peasant who serves God is better than the proud astronomer who knows how to chart the heavens’ stars but lacks all knowledge of himself.”

“Be willing to suffer a little for Christ…there are many who suffer far worse things to achieve worldly advancement.”

“I am unable to offer You the praise and gratitude I ought, even for the least of Your benefits.”

Who is it that can know and follow Christ? The Bible says Jesus came to save sinners, not the righteous. Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s great Russian novel, Crime and Punishment, gives a beautiful picture of this regarding the book’s protagonist: Raskolnikov. After his crime early in the tale, Raskolnikov starts seeing cracks in his worldview which had led him to murder. Someone whose own wrecked life God was redeeming, Sonia, patiently guided him toward truth and repentance.

In a remarkable passage, Sonia concludes reading part of John’s Gospel to Raskolnikov:

“‘That is all about the raising of Lazarus,’ she whispered severely and abruptly, and turning away she stood motionless, not daring to raise her eyes to him. She still trembled feverishly. The candle-end was flickering out in the battered candlestick, dimly lighting up in the poverty-stricken room the murderer and the harlot who had so strangely been reading together the eternal book.”

Closing Prayer

“All of us – at home, at war, wherever we may be – are within the reach of God’s love and power. We all can pray. We all should pray. We should ask the fulfillment of God’s will. We should ask for courage, wisdom, for the quietness of soul which comes alone to them who place their lives in His hands.”
–President Harry S Truman, 1950

Egypt, Egyptians, and the New Me

(Revised version)

Leviticus 19—“The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.”

This verse speaks to the overriding change that Egypt helped produce in me.

I last visited one of my favorite places in the world 11 years ago. Yet Siwa Oasis, the little jewel of Egypt’s Western Desert, still looms big and fresh in my memory.

All of Siwa’s individual traits can be found elsewhere in the world—but I know of few locations that have so many special characteristics in one place. Tens of thousands of palm trees, huge and pure sand dunes, ancient ruins, the mud town of Shali, Cleopatra’s Pool and lots of other springs, the Palm Trees Hotel and Abdu’s Restaurant—both cheap but sufficient—countless bicycle trails and donkey carts, starry nights, and a lack of traffic signals make up this beautiful desert home.

Egypt has many attractions beyond the ancient wonders (or current problems) that receive all the headlines. Even more importantly, Egypt has charming people who also elude media attention—including in Siwa.

Siwans, like the people of other desert havens in the nation, consider themselves citizens of their oasis first, and of Egypt second. They are North African Berber, not Arab or pharaonic, and they retain their own language, culture, dress, and history. Today many speak Arabic and a few speak English, but whatever the linguistic connection or barrier, you can sip tea for hours in local shops with your gracious, smiling hosts. This may result in trading email addresses—and some actually do write you—or even in receiving gifts on your subsequent trip…a year later.

Back in Cairo and Alexandria, people often look at you with dollar signs in their eyes. But if you speak a little Arabic or patron a shop or restaurant multiple times, Egyptians may help you, laugh with you, spend the day with you, or become your friend. Egyptian associates like to pull pranks, but they will feel deeply honored if you ever respond to their requests to hang out. Just note their invitations assume several hours of your time—whether you get stuck in traffic or not.

Egyptians enjoy discussing religion and politics. Muslim friends have asked me genuinely about the nature of the Trinity or the life and death of Christ. One Osama and Mohamad found it funny, because of their names, to drink tea with a Christian American. But personal topics are fair game also: “I am a strong man; I have six children!” Or, “Why aren’t you married yet?” (By the way, I did find my Christian American bride in Egypt!)

Egypt was the first place in which I lived outside my own country. I was excited, but scared, not knowing the people, food, or language—and only trusting one viewpoint about their religion and government. I met my first Egyptian on my Munich-Cairo flight. His friendly enthusiasm for my visit started a rapid, dramatic shift in my approach to this ancient nation, which, after all, was far older than my own. Now I have dozens of Egyptian contacts, including my closest non-American friend.

The spiritual state of Egypt greatly tugs on my heart and informs my prayers. I long to see hearts redeemed in phenomenal communities like Tanta, Dahab, Agouza, and Siwa. Among my richest memories in Egypt was worshiping at Maadi Community Church. Members hail from across the globe. My small group had Czech, Egyptian, Brazilian, or American passports. One morning the pastor invited everyone to turn and face the sunlight—and Egypt—behind us. With hands raised, we proclaimed:

“Shine Jesus, shine; fill this land with the Father’s glory!

Blaze Spirit, blaze; set our hearts on fire!

Flow river, flow; flood the nations with grace and mercy.

Send forth Your Word, Lord, and let there be light!”

I spent nine months in Egypt between 2004 and 2006. The government has changed greatly since then. But after working with many Egyptians in Qatar in 2010-2013, I think the people have only changed a little. When you travel, and live, with a heart that strives to love and learn from others, God might change you more than anyone you meet along the way.

~~~~~~~~

(Originally published by the Maadi Messenger, in Egypt.)

Sweet Grass County Goes to War: The lives of veterans a century ago—before, during, and after their military service

In the summer of 1898, the United States defeated Spain in one of its briefest and most one-sided military victories: the Spanish-American War. Then from 1899 to 1902, America fought a longer and costlier war against the Philippines, ultimately subduing the islands. In that pre-travel period, many young men from Montana participated in both conflicts.

One War Becomes Two

Cubans had sought independence from Spain, and Americans sympathized with them, especially when Spanish rule was harsh. Moreover, American economic interests in Cuba had been surging, and the imperial endeavors of other major powers spurred America to increase its global military and political reach.

For many Americans, the last straw was the sinking of the USS Maine battleship and its 260-plus sailors in Havana Harbor in February 1898. Spain was never proven to be the perpetrator, but the public outcry was unforgiving and impatient. Congress declared war in April, and the subsequent four months saw fighting in Cuba and the Philippines, another disgruntled Spanish colony.

The United States demolished the Spanish fleets in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and won many land battles—most famously the July advance of Theodore Roosevelt’s “Rough Riders” in Cuba. Around 3000 Americans died in the war, most from disease. Combat ended in August, and Spain and the United States signed the Treaty of Paris in December. Spain gave up most of its overseas possessions, and America liberated Cuba—though arguably only technically—and purchased the Philippines for $20 million. America had become a world player.

Yet many Filipinos had desired independence, not another colonial occupation. They rejected the protracted presence of U.S. troops, and war broke out in February 1899 between the recent allies. Each side committed atrocities, and peace stalled for more than three years. Tens of thousands of Filipinos perished, as did some 4200 Americans. The islands finally achieved independence after World War II.

The First Montana

Seemingly far removed from all this, in a state with a name ironically derived from the Spanish word for “mountain,” was a Big Timber laborer named Bird Vestal, Big Timber painter George Pitcher, and Melrose farmer (or engineer, records vary) Oscar Fallang. In May 1898, these men joined Company L of the First Montana Infantry, a volunteer regiment under the command of Colonel Harry C. Kessler, a Civil War veteran and future one-star general.

The 1st Montana was mustered into service in Helena on May 9, 1898. By the end of the month, it was stationed at Camp Merritt in San Francisco with more than 1000 men. While there, one of the Big Timber enlistees, W.J. Hannah, wrote home as follows:

“Armed with their new Springfield rifles and dressed in new uniforms, the men of the regiment appear second to none…There is very little of the ‘dude’ and ‘prig’ element to be seen among our officers or the soldiers…Although few in number, the Sweet Grass County boys are in evidence on all matters of import…The Montana men are more than anxious to go to the front…This moment the regiment is happier than ever before. Each of the soldiers has received $29.64, his pay for two months’ service, and permission to leave camp until 8:30 p.m.”

Hannah decries some issues with old guns and low rations. But he also remarks that Bird Vestal has “superior marksmanship,” George Pitcher is “unsurpassed by the best men in the regiment,” and Oscar Fallang “is a soldier and a gentleman.”

Late in August, the regiment disembarked at the Philippines, where it served with honor for one year. In a pre-travel age, the Montanans were far from home for 17 months until October 1899, when less than 900 returned. Roughly 40 soldiers had died, 100 had been wounded, and 10 had deserted. The adjutant general’s official report calls these numbers “mute but eloquent evidence” that “war is a serious business.”

Three Local Soldiers

Bird Vestal was five feet, five inches tall, with grey eyes, brown hair, and a “ruddy” complexion. So read his enlistment card, which also said he was 21 years old in 1898. But he might have lied about his age in order to volunteer, given that two other sources note he was born as late as 1882. When Bird was young, his parents James and Harriet moved from Oregon to Montana, where his father became a sheep rancher. Just a few years later, his mother died. Yet he evidently overcame this tragedy as he grew up. His father hosted a party for his 11th birthday, he made the honor roll in school—possibly at Springdale—and at 12 years of age he helped guide some tourists through Yellowstone Park. Besides all this, Bird had three siblings—including his older brother Ora, who also served in the military (hence their first name references).

George Pitcher was born in Fort Ellis. His enlistment card shows he was 26 years old, had brown hair, grey eyes, and a fair complexion. Also, he was five feet, eight inches tall. Pitcher was single before the war, but like Bird and Fallang, married afterward. In Pitcher’s case, marriage ended in a catastrophe—abuse, divorce, drunkenness, and finally his own murder.

Oscar Fallang was the second of six children born to Peter and Inger Fallang. Peter served in the Norwegian Army for a few years until 1873, when he and Inger immigrated to the United States. Oscar was born about two years later in Wisconsin, but eventually Peter started a ranch near Big Timber. According to a biographical sketch on the “Progressive Men of the State of Montana” page on archive.org, Peter “does not belong to any secret society, but is a firm believer and active worker in the Lutheran church.” He shied away from public office more than once, but he did become an early commissioner of Sweet Grass County, albeit refusing pay. Peter felt Montana was “one of the best and most promising [states] in the Union.” Oscar joined Company L at age 23, and had blue eyes, light hair and complexion, and a height of five feet, seven inches.

Fighting in the Philippines

The 1st Montana saw action numerous times in 1899. According to one source, Bird Vestal took part in 23 engagements. In its history of the regiment, the Butte Miner states that at least one unit was in combat each day for six weeks in February and March. On February 23, enemy fire killed Second Lieutenant Eugene S. French, of Company L, while he and his men secured a bridge. He actually tried to help some Filipinos who wanted to surrender, but exposed himself to a shot from the trees in the process. He was the regiment’s only officer to die in battle. The military honored him with a formal funeral—yet he left behind his wife and four-year-old son.

Also in February, Colonel Kessler’s superior officer told him his men were in front of the firing line, when they were supposed to be in reserve. Kessler’s prompt response was as follows: “My compliments to the general and tell him to bring up his firing line.” The 1st Montana stayed put. The same general lauded Kessler’s men as “coyotes” which “nothing can stop.” Time and again the regiment displaced the enemy, inflicting greater casualties than it sustained itself.

The first regiment death resulted from disease in July 1898, a month before going to the Philippines; while the final death came in July 1899, also from disease, a month before leaving the Philippines.

Homecoming

Kessler’s soldiers got a huge “welcome home” when they returned to Montana in October 1899. Dignitaries, the state governor, members of the press, volunteers, and “800 lunch boxes” awaited them in Dillon, their first train stop. To those who were from Dillon, a parade, schoolchildren, an arch, flags, Civil War veterans, and a feast awaited them. A town leader addressed them, saying, “The city is yours. If you see anything you want, take it. If you do not see what you want, ask for it; and it will be given to you.”

In Butte, another party awaited the majority of troops who continued beyond Dillon. And for Big Timber’s six 1st Montana veterans—including Bird, Pitcher, and Fallang—a fundraiser had been under way to prepare the town by October 25. Crowds, live music, family and friends, speeches, a reception, and engraved gold watches were given to the returnees.

The following weeks must have been exciting but strange. The men were home—and away from the fighting and free from orders. They could find regular jobs, live in relative comfort, and even consider marriage. Yet maybe they missed their comrades or their adventures, or some may have felt guilty that others were still fighting, as the war dragged on into the new century. And nobody knows if they had nightmares or other symptoms of post-traumatic stress.

The Fourth Soldier

Ora Vestal was Bird’s oldest sibling. He led an extraordinary life for his day, especially given his location and age. He was popular as a teen. When he turned 15, the Big Timber Pioneer mentions that seven boys and 17 girls attended a surprise birthday party for him—“and with games and dancing the evening was very pleasantly spent.” The following year, Ora played a clown during a city-wide masquerade. Before long, Ora enrolled at Montana Agricultural College—today’s Montana State University—60 miles away in Bozeman. He earned a business degree, one of just two graduates from Big Timber at that time at the College.

Around 1896-1897, Ora left the United States for at least a year. Sources are unclear, but he may have volunteered for the Argentine Navy for a time, and his passport likely acquired a variety of stamps in it. When he returned to Montana in late 1897—not even 18 years old yet—he declared he was “only back on a vacation.” (In those days, the local small-town newspaper regularly identified fairly monotonous, or even personal, details of individuals’ lives and locations.) It was evidently a lengthy vacation, as he started bookkeeping at Big Timber National Bank in January. But by mid-1898, with war under way, he signed up for the American Navy and ended up on the USS Yosemite, which went to Haiti and Cuba. He wrote a letter from Philadelphia to his sister Maud, also cited in the Big Timber Pioneer, just before sailing south. He cheerfully described his office, which had “Brussels carpet and China silk curtains”; his responsibilities, such as “anchors that weigh twenty tons”; and his daily routine, which included chores, drills, and reading “a good book.” His signature affectionately read, “I am yours as ever, Ora Vestal.”

After the war, Ora briefly tried a calm life, becoming a bookkeeper again in May 1899. But even in Montana, it seems he could not settle down, as he spent “a month’s visit in the western part of the state” early that fall. Then in October he joined the Army, and bade farewell to his family for the hundredth time. But his younger brother Bird—whom he had not seen in nearly 18 months—and the 1st Montana were still returning from the Philippines. Amazingly, their mutual transition helped them cross paths in Oregon—Ora going to war, Bird coming home.

Before long Ora became a sergeant, “and was in line for future promotion.” He served honorably with his unit for around six months. In the summer of 1900, the Big Timber Pioneer printed two letters by his fellow soldiers. One called Ora “a soldier if there ever was one, and a friend to all.” He had “an almost superhuman endurance…smiling face…congenial way…utter disregard for self” and a “kind and loving disposition.” Officers and soldiers saw Ora as always “ready to help a weaker comrade, intelligent and self-reliant, always ready to volunteer for any dangerous or arduous duty.” Then in May 1900, at age 21, his accomplished life abruptly ended.

Some of Ora’s men were positioned across a river and had run short of supplies. Ora put supplies into an old local boat and began crossing the river. But the boat filled with water, and Ora started swimming the rest of the way. By all accounts he was a great swimmer, and for a time he and his men called to each other. Then silence. The company made all efforts to rescue him, but without success. They never learned whether a crocodile or an undercurrent brought Ora down.

After the War

Bird Vestal seemed to live a good life after the war. He married May Baxter in Missoula in 1900. A year later he joined the military again. In August 1901, Company C of Montana’s reorganized national guard was mustered in Big Timber, and Bird became First Lieutenant. Whether this unit saw any action, how long Bird was part of it, or whether his brother’s adventures or fate inspired him to reenlist—are unknown. After the armed forces, Bird and May homesteaded near Sumatra, Montana. The Crazy Mountain Museum notes that May became a teacher, but died in 1923. Bird moved to Alaska for several years, but he eventually returned to Montana. He died in Harlowton in 1948.

George Pitcher also joined the respectable Company C in 1901. Five years later, Pitcher married Caroline Watkins, but their marriage had big problems from the start. Less than eight years after their wedding, Pitcher had been in trouble with the law multiple times for beating his wife. They separated by 1913.

On October 7, 1914, George visited Caroline’s house while intoxicated and threatened to kill her. She retorted in kind. Then she noticed him through a window, stepped outside, and shot him. She and a neighbor went over to where George lay on the ground. He died within minutes. In a quick trial, the jury accepted their troubled past and ruled that she killed her ex-husband—but acquitted her of murder.

The day after George Pitcher’s death, the Big Timber Pioneer editorialized the killing as follows: “The Pioneer believes that it but voices the universal sentiment by stating that [the] deceased got simply what he had been looking for, and what he should have gotten years ago.” When Caroline was declared innocent, the paper repeated its earlier opinion, adding, “Comment is unnecessary.”

Less than two years after killing her husband, Caroline was back in jail for 12 days. Using a fake name in Livingston, she and an apparent lover violated contemporary city ordinances by seeking “the use of rooms [sic] for immoral purposes.” During her murder trial, she had used her maiden name, Watkins, but in 1916, the newspaper identified her as “Mrs. Pitcher.” The paper also cited the Big Timber police chief as calling her “a woman of doubtful character.” Ironically, the article just above this one was about efforts to recruit the 2nd Montana Infantry “to full war strength” in order to quell trouble with Mexico.

Maybe coincidentally, the same copy of the Pioneer mentioned one more story regarding George Pitcher. A fellow veteran of the Spanish-American War, John Douglas, petitioned a congressman and a one-star general to rebury Pitcher in a national or military cemetery, rather than the one on the edge of Big Timber. But Douglas’ request was denied due to technicalities. Why he hoped to honor Pitcher in this way is uncertain, especially since his name is not on the 1st Montana roster. Pitcher’s body remains at Mountain View Cemetery. But his white military headstone, which has neither a cross nor dates, is now surrounded by dozens of other soldiers’ headstones from wars in the 20th century.

Oscar Fallang served “with distinction” during his time in the Philippines. But he left the military when Company L came home. In 1900 Sweet Grass County elected him sheriff, a job he held for 14 straight years. On Christmas Day 1902, he married Susan Whitfield, who was a teacher. They had two sons together, before Susan died in 1907. That year Fallang became a charter member of the iconic Big Timber Lutheran Church. His name is on the charter plaque in the main sanctuary, as is one of this author’s great-grandfathers. Fallang remarried in 1911, possibly to Susan’s sister Sarah.

When Fallang became sheriff, “the ‘rustlers’ had the county.” But by the time he retired, the last of the “rustlers” had “disappeared years ago.” The Pioneer praised his service: “Throughout the state he is known as an able, honest, fearless, close-mouthed official, one who has made good in every undertaking.” For much of his remaining life, Fallang went back to agriculture. He died in 1952. Sarah outlived him by a decade.

War and Peace

These men are merely four out of 37 from Sweet Grass County to serve in the Spanish-American and Philippine-American Wars. More than 300,000 Americans served in these ostensibly modest conflicts.

Weeks after World War II, the Fallangs received a letter from Oscar Jr., by then a staff sergeant. After serving in the European Theater, his unit was transferred to the Philippines. But in contrast to his father, Oscar Jr. was on “P.I.” during a time of peace. A year later, the islands gained their independence from all foreign powers.

America’s victory and half-century rule over the Philippines overtly benefited the former more than the latter. Yet the great power politics of the nineteenth century granted small powers like the Philippines little or no room for their own freedom. This trend notably reversed itself in the decades after Americans like Ora and Bird Vestal, George Pitcher, and Oscar Fallang bravely served their country.

(Originally published by the Montana Pioneer.)

Prayer Vigil for the Persecuted Church

International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church: http://idop.org/web/

Powerful testimony: https://secure.persecution.com/idop/default.aspx

Exile night: https://www.i-am-n.com/exile-night/

Christian Iraqi girl refugee forgiving ISIS: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ige6CcXuMg

“In our world today, more than 40 percent still have not heard or had access to the gospel, including nearly 70 percent of Niger. Christ does not call us to pursue danger, but he asks our obedience to his calling. Time and again, God has demonstrated his power over the enemy’s attacks and his ability to save. Whether it was the day my teammates and I were surrounded by a mob and about to be burned alive with a fire already lit under our vehicle, the illegal arrest warrants issued as vendettas, being chased from villages by shovels or rocks, or perhaps, the random death threat, nothing surprises God. Rather, it is an opportunity for his glory to be displayed. Still, there may come a day when physical deliverance doesn’t occur. Let it be known on that day, God is still faithful, and the greatest deliverance will have actually occurred. Whether we live or whether we die, Christ is our life, and his glory is the reward. Jesus Christ calls us to himself, not to a life of ease by avoidance, but of intimacy through obedience that we “may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death.” (Phil. 3:10)

–Missionary Nathan Bramsen, 2015: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/church-on-fire

Prayer passages for those at risk of, or currently suffering, persecution:

Psalm 23 Psalm 119:51, 61, 69, 110, 157 Psalm 124 Isaiah 49 Isaiah 53 Matthew 5:3-12, 43-48 Matthew 10:16-33 Matthew 23:34-35 Mark 4:13-20 Mark 13:9-13 Mark 15:21, 34 Luke 6:22-23 John 15:18-25 John 16 Acts 5:29, 40-42 Acts 7:51-60

Acts 8:4 Acts 23:11 Acts 28:16, 30-31 Romans 5:1-5 Romans 8 Romans 12 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 1 Corinthians 13 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 Galatians 4:29 Philippians 1:12-14 Colossians 1:24 2 Timothy 2:9-12 2 Timothy 3:10-17

2 Timothy 4:16-18 Hebrews 11 Hebrews 12:1-3 Hebrews 13:3, 12-16 James 1 James 5:7-12 1 Peter 3:14-17 1 Peter 4:12-19 1 Peter 5:8-9 1 John 3:1, 13 Revelation 1:9 Revelation 2:3, 8-11 Revelation 6:9-11 Revelation 7:13-17 Revelation 20:4

Persecution Today at a Glance

(Source, World Help: http://worldhelp.net/persecuted-church/)

MYANMAR: Myanmar is currently ranked by the World Watch List as the 23rd most dangerous place in the world for Christians.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC (C.A.R.): Violent clashes between Muslim and Christian groups in the C.A.R. make it a volatile place for Christ-followers.

NEPAL: Nepali Christians represent less than 2 percent of the population and are frequently targeted by extremist groups, particularly Hindu and Maoist factions.

IRAQ and SYRIA: Christians in Iraq and Syria have suffered unthinkable persecution from ISIS. Pray for believers who remain or are displaced around the world—that they will lead many Muslims to Christ and that members of ISIS will come to know Jesus. ISIS has forced thousands of Syrian Christians to flee their homes or “convert to Islam, pay a tax, or face death.

NORTH KOREA: Because it is illegal to be a Christian in North Korea, Christ-followers are often completely isolated . . . making fellowship and evangelism extremely dangerous. Pray for Christians suffering torture in labor camps, and that the nation’s leadership will become open to the Gospel. In North Korea, being a Christian is forbidden by law. Public expressions of faith, worship, evangelism, or possession of Bibles have been known to end in execution.

CHINA and VIETNAM: Leaders of house churches are often targeted and closely monitored by police. Pray for the spiritual growth of minority groups and Christians living in rural areas, and for the spiritual awakening of government officials. Christians who operate apart from the government-approved churches of China are subject to discrimination, arrest, and threats.

AFGHANISTAN, PAKISTAN, and IRAN: Large regions of the Middle East are unsafe for Christians and their families. Many face constant threats and assassination attempts. Pray for Christians being persecuted by their families, that the Gospel will invade the ranks of terrorist groups, and that those living under strict regimes will have wisdom and perseverance.

CUBA: Larger church gatherings have been told to disband, and Christian leaders are often targeted. Pray for new believers, that they will receive access to God’s Word and will boldly proclaim the Gospel without fear. Pray also for Christian leaders, that they will receive the ministry training they need.

INDIA and NIGERIA: Christians throughout India and Nigeria face violent persecution from opposing religious groups. Pray for Indian Christians living in states with anti-conversion laws and those being pressured to convert back to Hinduism. Pray also for Nigerian Christians who have been driven from their homes by Boko Haram, and that these militants will come to know Jesus Christ. India is a rich tapestry of culture, ethnicity, and religion. But a hostile political atmosphere is making it difficult for Christians to practice their faith in Christ. Boko Haram, the militant Islamist group, continues to terrorize Christians in Nigeria and has forced millions to flee their homes in fear of capture.

Prayer Vigil for the 2016 Elections

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

As Americans, we have a right and responsibility to change the direction of our great nation and state by voting—every few years. But as Christians, we have a right and responsibility to call on Almighty God for blessing and mercy upon our homeland—regularly.

Americans who disagree with us are still Americans. And American leaders who have yet to find Jesus need at least as much prayer as those who have found Him. God is not a Republican—or a Democrat. The Affordable Care Act is not in the Bible—neither is the Second Amendment. When we pray for our leaders and our country, we must pray for God’s will to be done—not ours. (See the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 or Luke 11.)

Election Day is near. Please take some time to pray as the Spirit leads for our current and future leaders—then keep praying until the next election! Recall that personal and national repentance only occurs among Christians. Below are several chapters of the Bible that contain verses which may help guide your prayers. Praying God’s Word back to Him can be very powerful!

Genesis 18 Exodus 18 Exodus 33 Numbers 14 Deuteronomy 7 Deuteronomy 9 Joshua 5 Judges 10 1 Samuel 12 2 Samuel 22 1 Kings 8 2 Kings 14 2 Kings 19 1 Chronicles 29 2 Chronicles 7 2 Chronicles 14 2 Chronicles 33 Ezra 9 Nehemiah 1 Nehemiah 9 Psalm 33

Psalm 67 Psalm 99 Psalm 117 Isaiah 9 Isaiah 31 Isaiah 40 Isaiah 45 Isaiah 58 Jeremiah 17 Ezekiel 36 Daniel 9 Matthew 5 Matthew 22 Luke 21 Romans 13 Philippians 3 1 Timothy 2 Titus 3 1 Peter 2 Revelation 19 Revelation 21

An Afternoon with an Actor

It was just another winter day on the ranch: plowing snow with my dad’s John Deere tractor. The weather was sunny, calm, and about 20 degrees—a lovely last day of 2015 in Montana.

It is hardly routine for ranchers to spend an hour or two with Hollywood actors. So I did not plan to eat my final lunch of the year with somebody 1000 times more famous than me—according to Google.

Neighbors

As my green machine pushed snow off the road, I passed my late grandparents’ former home one time after another. They had built it as their retirement house in the 1970s. I last entered it before they died some 15 years ago, as it has changed hands two or three times since then.

Our ranch headquarters is three miles to the south, so I knew of some modifications to the house. But its adjacent 20 acres remained pristine: an alpine stream, cottonwood trees, evergreens, hills, sagebrush, car-sized boulders, and mountaintops just eight miles away.

As I drove back and forth, I pondered knocking on my neighbor’s door. I wanted to say “hi” and see the old house. But I also felt shy, since we had met only briefly once before. Finally, I talked with God about it, requesting courage and obedience if He wanted me to make a new friend.

On my very next pass, I saw my neighbor outside. He flagged me down to thank me for plowing his driveway. I was at a bridge, so I pulled over to kick off some snow the plow could not reach. My neighbor asked what I was doing. When I told him, he jogged the 100 yards or so over to his house, grabbed two shovels and his four-wheeler, and drove back to help. We started talking.

Outdoors

My neighbor loves being outside. He had been cutting down dead trees all day. His girlfriend had visited recently. She enjoys running, but this place was too quiet for her. He joked he might have to find someone else, but added it is not just her—some of his Hollywood buddies react the same way: too far from cities, highways, and Wal Mart. For my neighbor, who lives much of each year in southern California, this place is his refuge.

Wildlife and hunting were among the first topics he probed. He is wary of mountain lions, bears, and rattlesnakes—as am I. He usually has a gun on him when he is outside, and like me he would shoot a hostile animal if necessary.

You just shot your first deer, he asked in disbelief. Yes, I admitted; most Montanans harvest their first deer before 33. Well, he said, a friend of his recently had given him some elk steak. Would I like to come inside and eat some? I thought of the tractor, the house, my unused lunch break, my prayer—and said yes.

Indoors

As he led me into his house, I was struck by how much I remembered it—though much had been changed or upgraded. There was the old “ping-pong table room,” and the old “treadmill room”—wait, no that wall was knocked out and there was a nice new fireplace! Half of the rock wall was gone, but lots of nice wood trim had been installed. There was the big stone hearth next to which my grandparents put their Christmas trees, and the tall picture windows against which local black bears stood up and stared inside. And there was the cupboard in which my grandmother’s never-empty cookie tins were kept. Ginger snaps, little Nikki?

I shared some of this with my neighbor. At 10-20 years my senior, he seemed as attentive as if it had been his own grandparents’ former property.

His queries diverted to the steak. Had he never cooked elk before? Or did he want to make sure I liked the end product? Or did he enjoy collecting other people’s tips on cooking game? Whatever the case, he basically had me direct the process. Yes on more seasoning, medium or medium-rare is great, butter is always a plus…

He gave me a water bottle—then shared his own food tip: apples and cheese go well together! At last the meat was ready, and we sat on stools at counters to eat what ended up being a tasty meal.

Movies

If Google is any standard, my neighbor is hardly Hollywood’s biggest celebrity. But he gave one major name after another as being among his past colleagues. He respects most of them, whether they are fun, humorous, intelligent, or hard-working. His most recent movie was with two of the top actors and directors in recent memory.

I was not interested in asking “What is your favorite movie?” or “Have you ever met so and so?” However, I could not help feeling surprised when he said he never watches movies. I assumed he meant he avoids public theaters or watches less than other filmmakers, but he was unwavering. I saw some DVDs on a small table across the room. He said someone had left them there.

Still doubting, I said he must only watch the movies he makes. Nope: he has not seen any film in years, even his own! He said the experience of shooting a picture differs so greatly from the final production that he prefers not to watch them at all. He evinced no bitterness. He simply said how it was for him. However, he admitted he may amend his policy sometime—because his girlfriend wants to watch movies with him.

Artists

My neighbor was attracted to the fact that I am a writer. He asked what most people ask—“What do you write?”—then went deeper. Who do I like to read? C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, I said, among others. He affirmed them as superior writers, along with classical authors such as Fyodor Dostoevsky. He underscored their creative genius, and said we writers can learn from them.

“We writers” has two meanings. First, as an actor, he always is writing or rewriting scripts, story ideas, or whatever comes to his head. Second, my current status as a little-known writer appeared irrelevant to him. His inquiries and tone graciously put us both in the same ballpark as artists.

My afternoon with an actor confirmed my disinterest in People magazine and its ilk. Hollywood folks do not just make movies, get fat checks, then drive around in sports cars and hang out with attractive people on beaches all day. Between projects, many try to get away from the cameras to live a somewhat normal life.

Regarding work, the competition is intense—just like any art—so to succeed they pour countless hours into their jobs. Yet many people in show business, including one huge star he named, tend to wonder or even worry about their next contract. So despite all the red carpet, if not because of it, no artist’s career carries a lifetime guarantee.

Decisions

Do you like to make movies that merely entertain, or do you prefer to produce meaningful stories that offer a message? My neighbor engaged the tough question.

He has made films that earned an income, and he has played roles that he actually respected. The choice to make a positive impact or not gnaws at him, but it can be a hard choice. One picture he deeply regrets making because of its dark content. Such shows probably should not be made, he said, and in general he wants to move toward more inspiring tales.

What if I set up a $10,000 interview for you on something you do not believe in, he asked. It was not a retort, but an example of the challenge in turning down big deals on moral or ethical bases, especially for beginning artists like me or even well-established, but not top-tier, artists like him.

I concurred regarding subjects of secondary importance, but not on my core Christian faith. This he respected, adding hints of his own theology, yet he implied that trust in God often is absent in show business. He added, or maybe lamented, that movies on God rarely sell in Hollywood.

I asked whether it was easy to talk with his fellow actors about their work. Honesty is important, he stressed, but criticizing another’s movies does not really fly in his industry—too many people get hurt. But my neighbor generally avoids those uncomfortable conversations, since he watches no movies!

Farewell

It was mid-afternoon. My neighbor walked me outside. We shook hands and exchanged hopes of meeting again.

He planned to return to California soon. So a few days later I gave him some of my deer sausage, along with one of my published articles. My neighbor was all smiles. He promised to try my deer and read my article that night with his dad. I believed him, but will not ask him about it, in honor of his Hollywood culture.

It was a great start to a new friendship.

(Originally published by the Montana Pioneer.)

My Date’s a Norwegian

As a surprise, I sang this to Els at a family meeting in May 2016 in Bozeman.

So I’ve never sung alone in public before, and I’m not much of a poet either, although I am a writer. My favorite board game growing up was The Farming Game. It was a bit like Monopoly, but the box stated: “Invented on the seat of a tractor.” So back in May I spent hours developing and practicing a song while driving one of my dad’s four-wheelers, handpicking rocks in a field.

I dedicate it to my beautiful, beloved bride Els. She is the mother of our precious kids, has faithfully put up with me for eight years of marriage, and walks alongside me in our faith in Jesus Christ. I love you, I try to pray for you daily, God bless you—and I hope you enjoy this as much as I liked planning it.

My song is four short verses. I intend it as a combination of light confession and light teasing. And since many of us are Norwegian, or married to one, I think you will appreciate the song.

Els and I befriended an Iranian-American couple in Qatar. The husband has an amazing voice, and more than once he serenaded his bride at parties. My godfather Norm was equally talented, and he sang to and with his family all the time. My voice is nothing like theirs, and my song is no serenade, but I think they partially inspired me. So—here is My Date’s a Norwegian.

My date’s a Norwegian, but at least he’s cute.           He calls this food, how can I eat?

My date’s an old Norske, oh what shall I do?            He loves his sugar, but he’s not that sweet.

My date’s a Norwegian, but at least he’s cute.           He said he loved me, but I wonder when

My date’s an old Norske, oh what shall I do?            He will ever open his mouth again.

My date’s a Norwegian, but at least he’s cute.           He works hard all week, then asks friends to ski.

My date’s an old Norske, oh what shall I do?            I often wish he would make more time for me.

My date’s a Norwegian, but at least he’s cute.           It’s hard for him to do things I like.

My date’s an old Norske, oh what shall I do?            But worst of all…we're married…so this is for life!

My husband’s Norwegian, but at least he’s cute!

My husband’s a Norske, oh what shall I do?

Prayer Vigil for the National Day of Prayer

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The National Day of Prayer is one day when Christian Americans have a right and responsibility to call down Almighty God’s great mercy and blessing upon our homeland. But in truth, we need to do this regularly—both individually and corporately. In national and international issues, the government is at best never more than an institution that can help, not a final source of salvation or even responsibility—these belong to God alone. Thankfully, we Christians get to play a major role, for “the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” (James 5)

When we pray for our leaders and our country, we should ask for God’s will to be done. (See the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6 or Luke 11.) Today, tomorrow, and beyond, please pray as the Spirit leads for our nation. Below are various Scriptures that might help guide your prayers. They note God’s mercy to the unrighteous; His power, authority, and victory; good leadership (see Exodus 18); obedience to God and man; deep repentance; great hope, and giving praise, trust, and glory (see 1 Kings 8) to our good, loving, and mighty God.

My close missionary friend wrote: “Christ never promised physical safety to those who would follow Him. In fact, He promised something far better: His Presence…Christ does not call us to pursue danger, but He asks our obedience to His calling. Time and again, God has demonstrated His power over the enemy’s attacks and His ability to save…Still, there may come a day when physical deliverance doesn’t occur. Let it be known on that day, God is still faithful, and the greatest deliverance will have actually occurred. Whether we live or whether we die, Christ is our life, and His glory is the reward. Jesus Christ calls us to Himself, not to a life of ease by avoidance, but of intimacy through obedience that we ‘may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and may share His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death.’” (Philippians 3)

|Exodus 33| And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?” And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.”

|Leviticus 19| “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field right up to its edge, neither shall you gather the gleanings after your harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard. You shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner: I am the Lord your God…You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him…Love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”

|Deuteronomy 9| So I lay prostrate before the Lord for these forty days and forty nights, because the Lord had said he would destroy you. And I prayed to the Lord, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy your people and your heritage, whom you have redeemed through your greatness, whom you have brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not regard the stubbornness of this people, or their wickedness or their sin, lest the land from which you brought us say, “Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to put them to death in the wilderness.” For they are your people and your heritage, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’”

|Joshua 5| When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand. And Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us, or for our adversaries?” And he said, “No; but I am the commander of the army of the Lord. Now I have come.” And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped.

|1 Samuel 2| Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the Lord; my horn is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation. There is none holy like the Lord: for there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God.”

|1 Samuel 12| “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart.”

|2 Samuel 22| “The waves of death encompassed me, the torrents of destruction assailed me; the cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.”

|2 Kings 14| Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat…But the Lord had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

|2 Kings 19| Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; and Hezekiah went up to the house of the Lord and spread it before the Lord. And Hezekiah prayed before the Lord and said: “O Lord, the God of Israel, enthroned above the cherubim, you are the God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; open your eyes, O Lord, and see; and hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God…So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone.”

|2 Chronicles 14| Zerah the Ethiopian came out against them with an army of a million men and 300 chariots…Asa cried to the Lord his God, “O Lord, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O Lord, you are our God; let not man prevail against you.” So the Lord defeated the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah.

|2 Chronicles 19| Then he set judges in the land throughout all the fortified cities of Judah…and said to the judges, “Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord, who is with you in the judgment. Now therefore, let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes.”

|2 Chronicles 33| And the Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they would not listen. Therefore the Lord brought upon them the captains of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh…and carried him off to Babylon. Now when he was in affliction, he implored the Lord his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, and prayed to Him; and He received his entreaty, heard his supplication, and brought him back to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

|Ezra 9| “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt…After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, shall we break your commandments again?”

|Nehemiah 9| “Our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love, let not all the hardship seem little to you that has come upon us, upon our kings, our princes, our priests, our prophets, our fathers, and all your people…You have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly.”

|Psalm 33| The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage…The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love.

|Psalm 37| Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

|Isaiah 9| For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

|Isaiah 40| Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble…But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

|Isaiah 54| “O afflicted one…No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from me, declares the Lord.”

|Isaiah 58| “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover him, and not to hide yourself from your own flesh? Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

|Matthew 5| “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you…Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

|Philippians 3| Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

|1 Timothy 2| I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

|1 Peter 2| But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy…Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

|Revelation 21| He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”