After being unpaid for 72 days the secret service did a fantastic job at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. apprehending, but not killing an armed gunman that tried to kill a secret service guard.
First Amendment
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
But the constitution gives congress the duty to pass laws that pays government employees. Do it! 72 days and counting without getting paid is criminal, and Congress is the guilty party!
Luke 2:21-52 is telling of when Jesus was brought to the Temple, Simeon’s and Anna’s testimonies, and Jesus at age 12, also in the Temple. Read it and marvel.
In 1 Samuel 24, David Spared Saul’s life, staying true to God.
1 Samuel 25 records Samuel’s death. It also tells the vivid story of David and Abigail, the wife of Nabal.
Luke 2:1-20. The birth of Jesus is so well known that even Charles Schulz’ Peanuts tell of the Birth of Jesus, and the Shepherds and the Angels. Beginning in 2015 many school districts banned the play because of the biblical quotes. Some replaced it with Frosty the Snowman, something we all can believe in.
1 Samuel 20, . Jonathan and David vowed an oath of loyalty, saying: “The Lord be between me and thee, and between my seed and thy seed for ever.”
In 1 Samuel 21 David and his men ate from the Holy Showbread. After that David fled to the Philistine city-state of Gath and pretended to be insane to stay alive.
1 Samuel 22. David gathered four hundred men and went back into Judah. Because the LORD’s priests had helped David, Saul had Doeg the Edomite murder the priests, eighty-five in all.
1 Samuel 23. David Saved the City of Keilah, was pursued by Saul, spending most of the time in strongholds of the wilderness.
Luke 1:57-80, tells of the birth of John the Baptist and Zechariah’s song.
1 Samuel 17 gives a vivid rendition of how David defeated Goliath. Just read it, it is great reading.
1 Samuel 18. Saul began to resent David, and no wonder, women started chanting “Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.” Saul’s daughter Michal fell in love with David, and Saul let them marry after a rather unusual dowry, but he became more and more suspicious and afraid of David.
In 1 Samuel 19 Saul’s paranoia was fully developed, and he persecuted David, trying to kill him over and over again.
Luke 1:1-56, to Theophilus. The birth of John the Baptist was foretold to Zacharias by an Angel, then the angel Gabriel made an announcement to Mary. Mary met Elizabeth, Zacharias’ wife, and stayed with her. In this chapter is recorded Mary’s song; called the Magnificat.
1 Samuel 15 is the chapter where Saul is rejected by God as King.
1 Samuel 16. Samuel anointed David as King after rejecting all of David’s older brothers and David entered into Saul’s service while Saul was still the titular King. Whenever Saul’s spirit troubled him David played for him and that soothed Saul.
Mark 16. On the first day of the week Jesus did rise from the dead and Mary Magdalene saw the Risen Lord. The oldest manuscripts end there. The majority script completes the Gospel with Jesus proclaiming the Great Commission, was taken up to heaven and is now sitting down at the Right Hand of God.
In 1 Samuel 11 King Saul rescued Jabesh Gilead. Then the people reaffirmed Saul as King.
1 Samuel 12 contains Samuel’s speech at Saul’s coronation.
In 1 Samuel 13 the real trouble began, Saul offered an unlawful sacrifice, so God would no longer fight for them, Saul’s kingship would be taken away and God would choose a king after his own heart. The weapons for the army were taken away from the Israelites and the Philistines took control of the iron trade.
1 Samuel 14. Jonathan Defeated the Philistines. King Saul made an oath that no one was allowed to eat until nightfall. Jonathan didn’t know that, so he ate, and Saul wanted to put Jonathan to death, but his men refused the King’s order, and thus Jonathan’s life was spared.
Mark 15:21-47. The Crucifixion of Jesus the King took place. Read it carefully. Jesus Died, spiked on the cross, and at the same time the Temple veil was rent in two, from top to bottom, opening up for us full access to God himself. Jesus died, and Joseph of Arimathea asked for his body and buried him in a tomb cut out in a rock.
1 Samuel 9. Saul was a tall and handsome man, his father had lost some donkeys, so he sent Saul and his servant to look for them. Not finding them for three days they went to the prophet Samuel, God told Samuel to meet them, they met up, and so Saul was chosen to be King.
In 1 Samuel 10. Saul was Anointed King and proclaimed King over all Israel.
President Donald Trump will participate in a public Bible reading this week as the administration continues to reemphasize the importance of the Holy Bible in the daily life of the business of America.
“On April 21, President Trump is scheduled to read Scripture via video message from the Oval Office during the 6 p.m. EST hour,” a press release from organizers reads. The event is called “America Reads The Bible,” April 18–25, 2026: A national, continuous Bible reading — live from Washington, D.C., watched across the U.S. One Week. One Nation. One Book. 📖 AmericaReadsTheBible.com
This passage of the Holy Bible, 2 Chronicles 7: 11-22 is a passage that is quoted in part every National Day of Prayer, originally called a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer, held on May 15 1776, as a prelude to the preparation of the declaration of independence. This year the National Day of Prayer is on May 7. For the great majority of Americans that have never read the Holy Bible in its entirety an explanation is in order. The passage refers to the dedication of Solomon’s Temple, a celebration of offerings and animal sacrifices never seen before or again in the life of the Jewish nation. The Jews still mourn the loss of the Temple, and they are still waiting for their Messiah, waiting for their final redemption.
Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ was born, and when the time was right stepped forward and claimed to be equal with God, an obvious blasphemy unless it was true. This was accepted by large masses of the people, but not the religious establishment, so for this he was crucified by the Romans, since only the Romans had the power to condemn people to death. After the well documented crucifixion Jesus was buried and a guard was placed to prevent the dead body from being removed. After three days Jesus rose again from the dead and forty days later he returned to Heaven. Ten days after that he sent his Holy Spirit to the few believers. In all the time before the Holy Spirit had come upon Gods people, and they prophesied, wrote songs and psalms, and wrote the Holy Scriptures. God’s dwelling was in the Tabernacle, and after the Temple was completed God’s glory filled the temple. The moment Jesus Christ died on the cross the veil in the Temple was rent from top to bottom and the restricted access to God once a year was removed. The change is total. A person who truly believes has total direct access to God, because God Himself lives within the body of the believer in the form of the person of the Holy Spirit. The body of the believer has become the tabernacle or temple of the Holy Spirit. This is a very abbreviated version of the Gospel of the grace of God.
The Jews do not accept Christianity, because for them Jesus was not their Messiah. The Muslims do believe in Jesus (Issa) but only as a prophet, inferior to Muhammad and he was never crucified, it only seemed so to the Jews. Instead he was directly translated to God, because God would never punish his only Son, and certainly not for our sins.
What I have described is a very abbreviated form of the Gospel. Much more can be grasped by reading the complete Bible. My journey started with reading the book of Hebrews, then the gospel of Matthew, then the book of Genesis, and then I was hooked. The Bible is a fantastic book, but to be honest there are parts of the old Testament I still have a hard time reading. The Bible tells it as it was, warts and all, and in a way it has strengthened my faith.
Mark 15:1-20, Early in the morning Jesus was brought before Pilate since only the Romans could execute capital punishment. Pilate, trying to get out of the situation offered to release Barabbas, a known murderer and insurrectionist, or Jesus, and the crowd chose Barabbas. Pilate gave in to the crowd, the Soldiers mocked Jesus, and the verdict was that Jesus the King was to be Crucified.
1 Samuel 5. The Ark of the LORD brought nothing but trouble to the Philistines.
So in 1 Samuel 6 the Ark was returned to Israel together with a guilt offering of five gold tumors and five golden rats.The Ark was brought back as far as to Kiriath Jearim.
1 Samuel 7. Samuel grew up and became Judge over Israel. He subdued the Philistines at Mizpah, and there he raised his Ebenezer (stone of help). He judged Israel all the remaining days of his life.
1 Samuel 8. Samuel’s sons were not following the Lord, so Israel demanded a King. Samuel complained to the LORD, but He answered : “Hearken unto their voice, and make them a king.”
Mark 14:32-72. After Judas Iscariot left the eleven remaining disciples, they and Jesus went to the Mount of Olives where there is a garden called Gethsemane. While they were there Jesus Prayed intensely. Judas Iscariot reappeared and betrayed Jesus with a kiss. The accompanying soldiers arrested Jesus, and he was brought before the Sanhedrin. Peter was waiting outside and denied Jesus three times, after which the cock crowed twice.
1 Samuel 3 tells of Samuel’s first prophecy, a prophesy against Eli and his sons, because Eli failed to restrain them.
1 Samuel 4. The Philistines captured the Ark of God. Soon after that Eli died, and Phineas died and his wife gave birth to Ichabod, which means “No Glory”, for the glory had departed from Israel.
Psalm 39, of David. At the later part of his life David wrote this Psalm to give words of wisdom, knowing the end for him was near. It is sometimes quoted in part during funerals to give comfort when words are hard to find.
Len Bilén's blog, a blog about faith, politics and the environment. 