Happy Holidays to all our Church Family,
It seems to me that 2022 went by faster than the two previous years. I think this is because negative news was the order of the day. We have been exposed to an unhealthy vulgarity and enough negativity to last us a lifetime. The public profanity and the unleashed tongue of anti Christ rhetoric of late, has now shown us the hearts of our national leaders and it is not a pretty sight. Negativity is seen as Mutiny on a ship and can cause all kind of problems. Allegorically, if
America were one big ship then it could well be on the edge of Mutiny.
Have you ever been to Kewaskum, Wisconsin? I just thought I would ask. Maybe you have read about the owner of a Dairy Queen in that town who refuses to be Politically Incorrect. Here is C.B.S. news statement in regard to his front door sign: KEWASKUM, Wis. (CBS 58) -- A sign on the door of a Kewaskum Dairy Queen, calling the restaurant 'politically incorrect' is generating business and conversation. The sign reads: "THIS RESTAURANT IS POLITICALLY INCORRECT.” It warns potential customers that staff may say things like "Merry Christmas," "Happy Easter," and will also offer free sundaes to veterans on Veterans Day. It also says "In God We Trust." "I felt the sign was appropriate to hang in terms of being transparent about the views of the owner and staff supporting God and country," said owner Kevin Scheunemann.
"It just seems that those kinds of values and principles are becoming controversial in society," he said. The sign was posted close to four years ago, after a man from Oregon, a one time customer was upset when he heard Christian music inside the restaurant. Scheunemann decided to post the warning, and said he hasn't had many problems since then. One time, a customer was upset at the offer of free ice cream for veterans, but Scheunemann said he is open to talking with anyone who may have concerns about the sign. He says he'll even make arrangements for a customer to come in without witnessing any expression of God or country. Other business owners in town say they support Scheunemann's right to run his business the way he sees fit. One local business owner said, "You don’t have to walk in if you don't agree with it. "In fact, some people in town told us there isn't even a need for a sign like that -- because most residents in Kewaskum share the same values.” In this small community, I don't think it's a problem," a resident said, "We're all just liking each other and having fun."
It is one thing to be verbal; verbiage does not change the way people think. Just look at the impact of one man’s simple statement; the airtime and press coverage his statement made. What is VERBIAGE? IT IS WRITING THAT USES TO MANY WORDS OR EXPRESSIVELY TECHNICAL EXPRESSIONS. The message is: KEEP IT SIMPLE. It is like the structure of a sermon; too many stories without the foundation of the Word of God and the sermon will fall apart.
I had seen this story back in 2019, but it did not catch my attention until I saw it when it made the news cycle again. Don’t you think it could be time for believers to speak up? I have always been riveted to the story of the early church, in Acts chapter 4, the church was threatened by the government to cease and desist, herein is that story:
They called them back and warned them that they were on no account ever again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John spoke right back, “Whether it’s right in God’s eyes to listen to you rather than to God, you decide. As for us, there’s no question—WE CANNOT KEEP QUIET ABOUT WHAT WE HAVE SEEN AND HEARD. The religious leaders renewed their threats, but then released them. They couldn’t come up with a charge that would stick, that would keep them in jail. The people wouldn’t have stood for it—they were all praising God over what had happened. The man who had been miraculously healed was over forty years old. As soon as Peter and John were let go, they went to their friends and told them what the high priests and religious leaders had said. Hearing the report, they lifted their voices in a wonderful harmony in prayer:
“Strong God, you made heaven and earth and sea and everything in them. In Iran in the month of September over 400 people have been martyred for demonstrating for FREEDOM. Do you think it may be time to put a sign on our door; knowing the Strong God is with us? He made the earth and everything in it, is available to make all things work together for good, and He is with us.
I am not going out quietly!