What Makes Freedom Possible

Posted on July 4, 2026 by Rod Schwartz

This article first appeared in the July 2026 edition of Good News Northwest.

This month we are celebrating the 250th birthday of our great nation. While we enjoy the parades and fireworks, the flag-waving and patriotic songs, and politicians praising our ideal of “liberty and justice for all,” a deeper question is worth asking: What makes freedom possible in the first place?

Most people assume that freedom is the natural condition of mankind. Scripture suggests otherwise. According to Jesus, human beings are not born free — we are born into bondage to sin, selfishness, and deception. He told those who believed in Him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32). A moment later He explained why freedom is even necessary: “Everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin… So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34, 36).

Notice the order in that statement. Abide in Christ’s word. Know the truth. Experience freedom. Freedom is the result of truth, not its cause — and Jesus, who calls Himself “the truth” (John 14:6), identifies the fundamental human problem as slavery, with liberation found only in Him.

This is not a minor or incidental theme. It is the structure of the entire biblical story.

Truth Rejected, Deception Embraced, Bondage Follows

Scripture traces a consistent progression: truth rejected leads to deception embraced, and deception embraced leads to bondage. We see it first in Eden. God spoke truth; the serpent contradicted it; humanity believed the lie; bondage followed (Genesis 3:1-7). Lucifer is described as one who “does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. He is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44). Lies enslave. Truth liberates. The entire biblical story begins with freedom lost through the rejection of truth.

We see the same pattern in Israel’s history. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). “My people go into exile for lack of knowledge” (Isaiah 5:13). The loss of truth led, quite literally, to the loss of national freedom.

We see it again in Paul’s letter to the Romans, where he writes that humanity “exchanged the truth of God for a lie” (Romans 1:25). Paul does not say merely that people were deceived — he says there was an exchange, which implies a choice. And the consequence of that choice was not greater freedom but increasing bondage, the downward spiral that leads him a few verses later to observe, “Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22).

The pattern repeats in 2 Timothy, where Paul describes how those who come “to a knowledge of the truth” can “escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:25-26) — truth first, then liberation. And it repeats again in 2 Corinthians, where Paul describes unbelievers as blinded by “the god of this age,” with the light of Christ alone removing that blindness (2 Corinthians 4:4-6).

Four very different settings — Eden, Israel, Rome, Corinth — and the same formula every time:

God’s Word → Knowledge of Truth → Faith in Christ → Freedom from Sin → Eternal Life

The world generally assumes the opposite order: that freedom comes first, and truth is whatever each person chooses to believe. Scripture reverses this. Freedom does not create truth; truth creates freedom. A society, a church, or an individual can reject truth in the name of freedom, but that path leads not to liberty but to slavery.

Truth as the Framework for Freedom, Not Its Opponent

Modern thinking often treats law and freedom as opposites. Scripture presents obedience to God’s truth as the pathway to genuine freedom. God gave us free will — but He also gave us laws within which that freedom operates, and it is only within those boundaries that freedom becomes real rather than illusory. James, the half-brother of Jesus, calls God’s word “the perfect law, the law of liberty” (James 1:25) — truth functioning not as a cage but as the very framework that makes liberty possible. The psalmist makes the same connection: “I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts” (Psalm 119:45) — some translations render this “I will walk about in freedom.” Truth, again, as the foundation on which freedom rests (Psalm 119:160).

An intersection governed by a traffic light illustrates the principle well. When the light is green, we are free to go, while cross traffic stops at red, temporarily restricting their freedom to move. The lights change, and now they are free while we wait our turn. Traffic moves in an orderly fashion precisely because of the restriction, not in spite of it. But should someone decide the law doesn’t apply to him and run the red light, the resulting collision curtails freedom of movement for everyone involved — including the very person who thought he was asserting their freedom by ignoring the rule.

Freedom without responsibility is anarchy. Responsibility without freedom is tyranny. Truth is what allows the two to be held together.

Applying the Principle to a Nation

The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Notice the word: truths. The men who gave us the Declaration of Independence and later our Constitution did not found a nation on preferences. They founded it on what they believed to be self-evident realities. John Adams, a signer of the Declaration and our second president, argued that liberty cannot be preserved apart from moral truth. Adams, along with Franklin, Washington, and others, repeatedly warned that constitutional liberty could not survive if the moral foundations of the society collapsed. Freedom, in their understanding, was not the right to “invent” reality but the opportunity to live responsibly within it.

This raises two related claims, one explicitly biblical and one an application of biblical principle to public life:

  1. Spiritual freedom depends upon truth.
  2. Political freedom depends upon a society’s shared commitment to truth, as revealed by God in His word.

Truth is what God says it is, because God is the Truth (John 14:6). Truth is one of God’s essential attributes, no less than His sovereignty, absolute righteousness, perfect justice, omniscience, omnipotence, omnipresence, etc.

“…a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

And so the Psalmist calls Him, “O Lord God of truth.” (Psalm 31:5)

A free society depends on its citizens recognizing realities that do not change simply because some people deny them — truths about human nature, morality, marriage and family, biological reality, justice and responsibility. Whenever a society denies God and His truth claims, treating such realities as infinitely malleable, freedom itself becomes vulnerable, because our laws, institutions, and rights ultimately depend on “self-evident” truths held in common.

A society loses its freedom whenever it substitutes preference for reality, desire for truth, or assertion for fact. And the loss of political freedom does not begin when governments turn tyrannical — it begins much earlier, when people become willing to abandon truth because it no longer suits them. Intellectual and moral bondage precede political bondage.

The conviction that there is such a thing as absolute truth is under attack today. We live in an age that increasingly treats truth as negotiable and reality as subjective, where objective facts are subordinated to personal preference, feeling, or political expediency — where something is treated as “true” simply because enough people wish it so. Consider, for instance, the growing practice of altering official birth records to reflect self-identification rather than biological sex. Whatever one’s view of the underlying issue, the larger question for a free people remains: can a society stay free if it treats objective reality as optional? If truth itself becomes fluid, what is left to ground law, rights, justice, or freedom?

As America enters its third century, perhaps the question before us is not how much freedom we possess, but whether we still hold to the truth on which freedom depends. If Jesus was right that truth is what makes us free, what becomes of a nation when truth is no longer something to be learned, but only something to be negotiated?

A Word for God’s People

Scripture gives believers more than a diagnosis — it gives a path back. God’s word to King Solomon concerning Israel applies just as directly to us: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). The God who judges justly is also the God who hears and heals.

As we mark 250 years of American liberty, that is the work most worth doing — not chiefly debating policy, but returning, as a people, to the Truth on which all genuine freedom rests.

 

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FINDING A DARCI

Posted on June 28, 2026 by Rod Schwartz

Unexpectedly, a terrific radio talent appeared at the bank teller’s window.

“I want to do a radio commercial. I want to be on the radio,” she said. Darci the bank teller caught me off guard.

“Really.” I replied.

“Yeah, I want to do a spot for our new CD. I’d be good at it!”

In the short time Darci had been working at the bank she’d become a favorite with her customers, myself included. Her quirky repartee was as amusing as it was endearing; people rarely left her window without smiling large.

Why not? I thought. The bank manager was a good client, and I knew he wouldn’t object to the experiment. If it worked, he’d be glad to put it on the air. If not…well, no harm, no foul.

“OK, sure. Let’s give it a try.”

Darci was genuinely excited and said she had some ideas for the commercial. We scheduled a recording session, allowing plenty of time for improvisation. The result was really quite good.

The bank manager liked it, authorized it for airplay, and for several weeks Darci became the new voice of the bank.

Fast forward a few years. Darci is now working full-time for the school district and I haven’t seen her in ages. One day I get a call from my CPA, for whom I’ve done some advertising during tax season. She tells me that she’s purchasing a local video store, a mom-and-pop operation that’s been a steady advertising client of mine for years, under a couple of different owners, and she wants to relaunch the store with an advertising blitz featuring a new spokesman.

Darci.

Turns out Darci is her neighbor and friend. And she thinks Darci’s quirky personality and voice are perfect for the new campaign.

So, once again Darci and I are collaborating together in the recording studio, playing with different ideas and angles. Before long, this spot has more or less written itself:

From Day One it generates comments from listeners and customers who think Darci’s a hoot. And we have the makings of a brand new schtick for the client. A few weeks later, a second spot follows. Then a third. And a fourth. Over the next several years, Darci records at least thirteen different commercials, including this one, a finalist in the 2005 Radio-Mercury Awards competition:

Her run with Video Quest made Darci locally famous. And I hired her to voice some of the syndicated radio features I produce for airplay across the country. As a result, some of my radio station clients had me bring her in to voice commercials for their advertisers.

Then, in 2013, Darci voiced another local spot that also became a Mercury Awards finalist, this one for Snap Fitness:

So, I consider myself fortunate to have been standing in line at the bank the day Darci had the itch to “be on the radio.” And I sometimes wonder, who else might be out there — waiting tables, running a cash register, answering phones, or reading to kids at the public library — waiting to be discovered and recruited for radio advertising work.

Perhaps someone in your market, too – someone with whom you interact regularly, just waiting to become your Darci?

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Matters of Life and Death

Posted on March 3, 2026 by Rod Schwartz

There Is a Point of No Return

In 1922, archaeologists uncovered the tomb of Tutankhamun. Inside lay his mummified body and the treasures buried with him—riches meant to be enjoyed in the afterlife. Today, visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum can view many of those artifacts.

            Nearly two thousand years earlier, other visitors approached another tomb. They came expecting to anoint the body of their recently crucified Master. Instead, they found it empty—save for the presence of an angel who asked them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

            On Sunday, April 5th, much of the civilized world will pause to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Millions will gather in churches to recall His words and works—especially His atoning sacrifice as the Lamb of God.

            He bore the sins of the world—every sin, past, present, and future; every sin of every human being from Adam to the last person born. All who believe and trust in Him have everlasting life.

            That is the simple and straightforward teaching of the Bible (John 3:16–18, 36; II Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 2:8–9; Titus 3:4–7; Hebrews 10:14).

THE CELEBRITYSHIP OF JESUS CHRIST

            More has been written about Jesus Christ than anyone else in history, and throughout the centuries, no one has had a greater impact on humanity than He.

            Consider: 

            “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man. Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison. Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires. But on what did we rest the creation of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of men would die for Him.”  

–Napoleon Bonaparte

            “Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander the Great, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of school, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and songs of praise than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.”

 – Philip Schaff

            “Socrates taught for 40 years, Plato for 50, Aristotle for 40, and Jesus for only 3. Yet the influence of Christ’s 3-year ministry infinitely transcends the impact left by the combined 130 years of teaching from these men who were among the greatest philosophers of all antiquity. Jesus painted no pictures; yet, some of the finest paintings of Raphael, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci received their inspiration from Him. Jesus wrote no poetry; but Dante, Milton, and scores of the world’s greatest poets were inspired by Him. Jesus composed no music; still Haydn, Handel, Beethoven, Bach, and Mendelssohn reached their highest perfection of melody in the hymns, symphonies, and oratories they composed in His praise. Every sphere of human greatness has been enriched by this humble Carpenter of Nazareth.”

– Henry G. Bosch

            “Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the Child of a peasant woman. He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put His foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of His Divine manhood. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a Cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying—and that was His coat. When He was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Such was His human life—He rises from the dead. Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the Centerpiece of the human race and the Leader of the column of progress. I am within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life.”

– James Allen Francis

THE CERTAINTY OF HIS RESURRECTION

            At Christmas, we’re surrounded by the sweet, familiar sounds of the season—hymns and carols that celebrate His birth, “…born that man no more may die.” It is a season of unmitigated joy and unbridled celebration.

            The songs of Easter are songs of victory—His victory over sin and death, and our victory in Him. One of my favorites is the hymn written more than two centuries ago by Charles Wesley, “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today.”

1 Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

2 Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!

3 Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!

HEAVEN OR HELL: IT’S YOUR CHOICE

            What a contrast between the destiny of the one who accepts Jesus Christ as Savior—trusting in His completed work—and the one who rejects Him.

            I’ll admit, as a believer in Christ, I don’t spend much time thinking about hell. There is so much to learn about God and His Word, so much beauty in His creation. The choice seems clear.

            But every so often, something jolts me. I’m reminded of the horrific destiny of those who reject God’s gracious offer of salvation—a Christless eternity in hell.

            Recently, that reminder came through a YouTube video by a young journalist suddenly thrust into the national spotlight, Nick Shirley. Last December, Shirley’s exposé of alleged fraud by Somali-run “daycare” and “healthcare” operations in Minneapolis—reportedly costing taxpayers millions, even hundreds of millions, of dollars—went viral. Almost overnight, this youthful YouTuber from Utah was on everyone’s radar.

            Curious, I sought out some of Shirley’s earlier work and found his 2024 report on the infamous CECOT prison in El Salvador. (The video can be viewed here: https://tinyurl.com/CECOT-vid — though I should warn you, it is not easy to watch.)

            Seeing hundreds of inmates—mostly men in their 20s and 30s, their heads and torsos covered in gang tattoos—I studied their faces and thought: Surely, this is hell on earth. Among the things that stood out to me:

  • These prisoners endure continual physical suffering and deprivation.
  • They have been stripped of human dignity—a literally dehumanized existence.
  • They live in harsh conditions with zero “creature comforts”—crowded, reeking cells affording no privacy and none of the amenities of civilized life.
  • They receive just enough food to survive—beans, rice, or pasta—eaten with their bare hands.
  • Their constant companions are fear, anguish, and torment—their daily existence is one of mental and emotional numbness.
  • Their prison-for-life is their punishment for brutal crimes committed—murders, rapes, torture—from which there is no escape nor hope of release.

            It was painful to see these individuals reduced to such a state. Yet they have no one to blame but themselves for the poor decisions made in the past that led to this point of no return.

THERE IS A POINT OF NO RETURN

            In the first chapter of Romans, the apostle Paul describes a similar spiritual point of no return for those who reject God’s grace and choose prideful rebellion instead. In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, chapter 1, verses 16–32, we see the grace of God, the rebellion of man, and the sobering refrain: “Therefore, God gave them over…” (vv. 24, 26, 28).

            That is the point of no return.

            If divine abandonment seems harsh to you, consider what it cost God to provide us with the only possible solution to sin. To save us from eternal punishment, God the Father made Jesus Christ—sinless and innocent in His perfect humanity—to become sin for us.

            In His perfect personal love for the Father and His sacrificial love for all mankind, the humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ accepted the Father’s condemnation for our sins, a sacrifice so terrible that, as it occurred, darkness covered the earth, as Jesus cried out, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  This was the greatest act of injustice in human history—willingly undertaken in love by God the Father as Judge and by Jesus Christ, His Son, as the One personally accepting that awful judgment.

            Jesus was condemned in our place and bore the punishment rightly due to us. He willingly became our substitute. He bore the penalty for every sin of every human being, yours and mine included, so that we might be made and declared to be perfectly righteous before God in Christ.

            We do not have the capacity to fully grasp what it cost God to provide our salvation. Yet it is freely offered to us, without cost to ourselves—by grace, through faith. Only a fool would reject such an offer!

            My prayer for you, if you are without Christ—without hope and without eternal life—is that God will give you restlessness. May it pursue you and unsettle you until you stop running and find rest in Him. Only then will you know peace, true and lasting peace.

            “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” I John 4:10

            “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

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Thinking Like God in the Age of Artificial Intelligence

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Rod Schwartz

This observation, attributed anecdotally to inventor Thomas A. Edison, conveys the author’s disdain for intellectual laziness. One can only imagine what he might have said had he lived to see the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and its influence as it is playing out today. With AI seeping into every nook and cranny of modern life, it’s never been easier for people to let someone or something else do their thinking for them, offering instant, effortless improvements in “their” creative output.

Just for fun, I asked a chatbot to weigh in on how AI is dumbing us down. Here’s a portion of its reply:

Humanity has long exhibited a natural disinclination toward rigorous thinking—a tendency echoed in aphorisms like the one attributed to Edison, suggesting most people avoid deep reflection. AI’s pervasiveness in 2026 exacerbates this inertia by enabling “cognitive offloading,” where individuals delegate reasoning, analysis, and problem-solving to algorithms, often at the expense of independent thought. This isn’t mere convenience; studies reveal a direct correlation between frequent AI use and diminished critical thinking skills, with users showing reduced ability to evaluate information, question assumptions, or engage in reflective problem-solving.

 A 2025 study of 666 participants confirmed that heavy AI reliance correlates with weaker reasoning and argumentation, mediated by offloading. In professional settings, “workslop”—low-quality AI-generated output—highlights how blind trust in AI stifles creativity and ethical scrutiny, with users perceiving less effort but demonstrating less critical engagement. Broader societal risks include amplified biases from algorithmic filtering, reduced skepticism, and a visible decline in brain performance as people transfer cognition to machines. Cognitive fatigue further mediates this, as dependence on AI saps the motivation for independent effort.

How do we know what’s true and what’s false, what’s real and what’s not? How do we know at all?

There are three gateways through which we acquire knowledge: rationalism, empiricism, and faith.

Rationalism involves our thought processes, the realm of reason and ideas, our use of words to form and express thoughts, governed by the laws of logic.

Empiricism involves the sensory world, which we may observe and experience by means of our senses and experimentation, governed by the principles of science and induction.

Faith is simply believing something; it occurs prior to—and is a necessary precondition of—both rationalism and empiricism.

Thinking requires a vocabulary; words are the building blocks of thought. The greater one’s vocabulary (all other factors being equal), the greater his ability to think with precision. But before we began to form thoughts by combining words into phrases and sentences and paragraphs, we first had to exercise faith. We believed (accepted as true) when our parents identified themselves as “mama” or “dada.” When we were ready they taught us the alphabet, the building blocks of words. When they said, “This is an A; this is a B; this is a C,” we accepted what they said as true. Faith was prerequisite to learning the alphabet and acquiring the vocabulary by which we eventually could verbalize thoughts and ideas.

Likewise, to make use of empiricism we must first believe that our senses are accurate and reliable, that the physical world is real and not an illusion, that the laws of the physical realm (e.g., gravity) operate with consistency, that there is a direct relationship between cause and effect.  Only by assuming these truths by faith can we proceed in confidence with our experimentation.

So, we must acknowledge that we were not born with knowledge, only with the capacity to acquire it, to learn. But go back, and back, and back some more. Go all the way back, thousands of years, until you can go back no further in human history, back to the very first human being to exist.

Where did his knowledge come from?

“In the beginning, God.…”

The Bible tells us who we are, where we came from, why we are here, and what this is life all about. And it starts with God who made us. Fortunately, He did not leave us in the dark to speculate. He chose to reveal Himself to us. He is the source of knowledge and truth.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. (Genesis 1:1) As C.I. Scofield observed, the Bible begins with God, not with philosophic arguments for His existence. First and foremost, we must presuppose that the God who created us is the only One who knows us truly and exhaustively.

In Genesis 1:27 we read that God created us in His image. This means that He made us personal, sentient, rational, communicative, and relational beings. He gave us volition, the ability to make choices, and conscience or moral consciousness, making us responsible for our choices.

You want to know what you’re really like? Trust God to tell you with perfect accuracy. Because He (and He alone) knows you exhaustively—and loves you better than you love yourself. Read Psalm 139 and you’ll see.

Only God is omniscient; He knows everything about everything. God knows all things past, present, and future; actual and possible; He knows all the variables, all the “what-ifs,” and in His word He has entrusted to us a portion of all that He knows, all that is necessary for us to function as we were meant to. Being finite and fallible, we humans cannot know exhaustively—but we can know truly.

God has not left us alone to grope about in the dark for answers. According to Psalm 19, God has revealed Himself to us in nature (general revelation, vv. 1-6) and in words (special revelation, vv. 7-11), so that we cannot in honesty plead ignorance of Him (vv. 12-14; cp. Romans 1:20 and Ecclesiastes 3:11).

PSALM 19

The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
2 Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.

In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
6 Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8   statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
11 Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.

12 Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
13 Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

So, God has provided us with all this revelation, information that He alone can provide. And He has enabled us to receive it and understand it, so that we may know reality with certainty. He has given us the fundamental information we need in order to live successfully in this world. Several large portions of the Bible, most notably the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, are devoted entirely to the principles of knowledge, wisdom, and understanding, extolling their incomparable value.

Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom. And with all thy getting, get understanding. (Proverbs 4:7)

Understanding—the word in the Hebrew is binah—“…connotes the ability to discern intelligently the difference between sham and reality, between truth and error, between the specious attraction of the moment and the long-range values that govern a truly successful life.” (Dr. Gleason Archer, A Survey of Old Testament Introduction)

Sounds like a worthy goal, does it not?

The God who created us has designed us to function on the basis of the revelation He has provided.

According to Scripture, God has created the “universe.” God has created time and space. God has created all the “facts” of science. God has created the human mind. In this human mind God has laid the laws of thought according to which it is to operate. In the facts of science God has laid the laws of being according to which they function. In other words, the impress of God’s plan is upon his whole creation.

We may characterize this whole situation by saying that the creation of God is a revelation of God. God revealed himself in nature and God also revealed himself in the mind of man. Thus it is impossible for the mind of man to function except in an atmosphere of revelation. And every thought of man when it functioned normally in this atmosphere of revelation would express the truth as laid in the creation by God. We may therefore call a Christian epistemology a revelational epistemology.

– Cornelius Van Til, A Survey of Christian Epistemology

In other words, God designed us to think like Him, to think His thoughts after Him.

He has a unique plan for each of us (Jeremiah 29:11, Philippians 1:6). And getting with that plan begins with simple, childlike faith: believing what He has told us, trusting in the veracity of God and being willing to receive what He graciously desires to provide for His children.

Which brings up an important question: Are you a child of God?  How do you know? Again, the answer is found in the Bible (I John 3:1 cp. John 3:16-18, 36)

If you have trusted in the person and work of Jesus Christ in your behalf, then you have received all the resources necessary to acquire knowledge and truth (I Corinthians 2:9-16):

9 But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

As believers in Christ, we have the opportunity (and responsibility) to think like Jesus Christ (I Timothy 2:4b), to know with absolute certainty the truth by which we may live our best life, the life God designed for us.

If you are not yet a believer in Christ, now is a good time to settle the matter and secure your eternal future with Him, as well as an abundant and fruitful life in time.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him might have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

“I am come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10b)

“Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift.” (II Corinthians 9:15)

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When Death Comes

Posted on January 28, 2026 by Rod Schwartz

Charlie Kirk awoke on the morning of September 10, 2025, not knowing that the next few hours would be his last on this earth.

24 years earlier, as Todd Beamer was boarding United Airlines flight 93 from Newark, he had no idea that in less than two hours he would be leading a charge to seize control of the hijacked plane, forcing it to crash land in a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

None of us knows the time and manner of his death, but it will come.

The moment Charlie Kirk’s body died, his soul and spirit were fully alive and in the presence of His Creator and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Todd Beamer, same glorious entrance into eternity.

As Christians, they died “in Christ.” And all who die in Christ, in that instant, are transported into the presence of God.

Ever had a brush with death? It’s sobering. I’ve had bullets whiz over my head during deer season; I’ve escaped several close calls while behind the wheel. I had a cancerous kidney removed in 2011. Open heart surgery in 2020. Any of these things could have gone differently apart from divine intervention.

As I enter my 74th year, I’m fully aware that most of the years of my life are behind me. I don’t know how many more years God has ordained for me; His will be done.

When my time to die comes, like Charlie and Todd and every other person who has received God’s free gift of salvation, I will see my Redeemer face-to-face. Not because I deserve it, not because I’ve earned it, but because a compassionate God provided the means.

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3:16-18)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the father except by me.” (John 14:6)

“Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

I thank God that one September evening in 1974, an advertising client presented the good news to my wife and me. Every sin I’d ever committed or would commit was poured out on Jesus Christ and judged. He who knew no sin was made sin for me, that I might become the righteousness of God in Him.

By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Full stop.

In our prosperous nation, many say, Who needs God?

You do. We do. All of us.

Our biggest problems confront us daily: self-centeredness, self-righteousness, preoccupation with ourselves, and just plain self-ish-ness. We desire the approbation of others, crave immediate gratification, and condemn the sins of others while ignoring our own.

But the Word of God pulls us up short.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory (righteousness, justice, and truth) of God.” (Romans 3:23)

“All we like sheep have gone astray….” (Isaiah 53:6a)

“There is none righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10)

You will one day face death. Sooner or later, one way or another.  And then what?

“For it is appointed unto man once to die, and then the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27)

My heart’s desire, if you are reading this and are yet unsure of your eternal destiny after death, is that you will take time, in the privacy of your soul, to consider the simple proposition that God offers you, while you still have the golden opportunity to make the most consequential decision of your life. Your eternal future hangs in the balance.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

Don’t be distracted by the sins of others, mine included. This is only between you and the God who loves you, not because of who and what you are but because of who and what He is.

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9)

When Jesus Christ was hanging on the cross, being judged by God the Father while bearing the full penalty for every sin of every human being, He had you personally in mind.

He died in your place. He paid the penalty for your sins. In full. He did all the work.

This is why, at the final judgment of mankind at the Great White Throne (Revelation 20:7-15), your sins will not be brought up. You will stand or fall on the basis of the righteousness you claim as sufficient for eternal life in the presence of a holy God, your s or His. (Romans 3:21-26)

“For He [God the Father] made Him [Jesus Christ] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (II Corinthians 5:21)

There is no guarantee that you will live to see tomorrow. Death can come at any time, suddenly and unexpectedly, as it did on September 10th for Charlie Kirk.  

Then what?

The choice is yours. Right here, right now. 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved.” (Acts 16:31)

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The Restless Heart and the Hope of Christmas

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Rod Schwartz

“Merry Christmas!” This universal Christmas greeting permeates our interactions with others during this season of comfort and joy, happiness and good cheer.

Here we are, living in the freest, most prosperous nation on earth, a fact made even more marvelous in view of our relative youth as a nation. Our people enjoy freedom, opportunity, physical comforts, and more avenues for personal fulfillment than any previous society in human history. If happiness were the product of prosperity, we should be the happiest people on earth.

But we’re not.

Despite our material wealth, countless Americans experience dissatisfaction, anxiety, loneliness, and a nagging sense of emptiness. Social critics have noticed this for decades. Perhaps you’ve experienced this yourself.

The philosopher Eric Hoffer, observing this paradox, wrote: “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” We chase pleasure, entertainment, stimulation, and possessions—yet the more frantically we pursue happiness, the more elusive it becomes.

Why is this?

St. Augustine recognized that human beings were never made to be satisfied by mere thrills, comforts, or even accomplishments. We were created, first and foremost, for personal relationship—with God Himself, and then with other humans. Friends may make a fine circle but are a poor center. When the vertical relationship (with God) is missing or deficient, nothing in the horizontal (human relationships) can take up the slack. Our deepest needs are met only through a right relationship with our Creator.

The Problem with Pleasure as a Path to Happiness

Our modern world sells pleasure as an attractive route to happiness. But pleasure is fleeting and temporary. It stimulates; it distracts; it excites for a while. But when that stimulation stops, we return to our original restlessness. King Solomon, the wisest man in history, described this recurring cycle in Ecclesiastes, as he recorded his own attempts to find happiness. With unlimited opportunities to enjoy wealth, entertainment, status, and sensual indulgence, Solomon remained unsatisfied: “Vanity of vanities… all is vanity” (Eccl. 1:2).

The Problem of Prosperity—Why It’s Never Enough

When John D. Rockefeller, at the time one of the richest men in the world, was asked, “How much money is enough?” he famously answered, “Just a little more.”  

Again, quoting Solomon, “The eyes of men are never satisfied.” (Proverbs 27:20)

The problem is not that we lack blessings, but that we look to those blessings for what they cannot provide and are left ultimately dissatisfied with them. Richard Cory was a fictional character, but how many times has his story been played out in the lives of otherwise rich and successful people who chose suicide as a way out of their pain? Sadly, today suicide is a leading cause of death in America.

Material prosperity cannot satisfy spiritual hunger. A full pantry cannot feed a starving soul. Nor can entertainment, wealth, social status, or career achievements provide the peace, security, meaning, or identity the heart of man desperately seeks.

We Need More

The human soul needs more; it longs for something that cannot be satisfied by the material realm. Our hunger is soul deep. When Jesus Christ said of Himself,“I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35), He gave us the answer: Only He can fill the aching emptiness that fame, prosperity, social status, etc. cannot.

Which brings us back to Christmas, the season of happiness, the season of giving, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ.

The Christ of Christmas Is the Key to Happiness

Of the four gospel writers, only Matthew and Luke provide the details surrounding Jesus Christ’s supernatural birth.  Mark opens gospel at the beginning of Christ’s public ministry, introduced by His forerunner and cousin, John the Baptist. But John’s gospel is unique, opening not with the humanity of Christ but with His deity, presenting God the Son in His pre-incarnate glory:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. Thatwas the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-14 NKJV)

Some say He was a good man. Others say He was a great prophet. But Jesus said of Himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life….” (John 14:6a)  Moreover, He said that our happiness would be inseparably connected to our life with and in Him. “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” (John 15:11)

So, as we celebrate another Christmas by giving and receiving gifts with those we love, let us give thought to the eternal significance of that first Christmas gift and the divine love behind it.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” — John 3:16

I wish you a very Merry Christmas!

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On Thanksgiving

Posted on November 24, 2025 by Rod Schwartz

“In everything give thanks.…”

The apostle Paul’s simple exhortation is easy enough to understand but often found difficult to practice, especially when we’re faced with suffering or setbacks to our health, our finances, our work, or a relationship that’s become strained.

However, Paul’s exhortation is followed by a word of explanation: “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Preoccupation with ourselves and our problems, real or perceived, is perhaps the greatest obstacle we face in trying to maintain an attitude of gratitude. How can we possess a genuinely thankful spirit amidst the trials and adversity that come our way? If it’s God’s will that we be thankful in every circumstance we face, He must also provide the means for us to accomplish it.

And He has.

One of these means is found in the epistle to the Hebrews: “Let your conduct [manner of life] be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)

Contentment with what we have means that we refuse to capitulate to envy, jealousy, greed, or a host of other mental attitude sins that wreak havoc on our spiritual lives, keep us from enjoying our fellowship with God, and strain our enjoyment of the people and things with which He has provided us.

Paul taught his disciple Timothy, who would himself be in the position of teaching other Christians, about the importance of contentment, when he wrote: “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” (I Timothy 6:6-10)

Sometimes, great suffering can produce great words of comfort. For most of the 44 years of his life, the author Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894) lived with chronic pain and illness. Yet his famous novels, like Treasure Island and Kidnapped, along with the poems he penned for children, have delighted countless millions over the past century and a half. Despite the misery he faced—or maybe because of it— Stevenson was able to offer the following words of advice.

How to Be Happy

  • Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.
  • Make the best of your circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has something of sorrow intermingled with gladness of life. The trick is to make the laughter outweigh the tears.
  • Don’t take yourself too seriously. Don’t think that somehow you should be protected from misfortune that befalls other people.
  • You can’t please everybody. Don’t let criticism worry you.
  • Don’t let your neighbor set your standards. Be yourself.
  • Do the things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.
  • Never borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than real ones.
  • Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish jealousy, enmity, grudges. Avoid people who make you unhappy.
  • Have many interests. If you can’t travel, read about new places.
  • Don’t hold post-mortems. Don’t spend your time brooding over sorrows or mistakes. Don’t be one who never gets over things.
  • Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.
  • Keep busy at something. A busy person never has time to be unhappy.

A contemporary of Stevenson’s, a Methodist minister named Johnson Oatman, Jr. (1856-1922), is credited with writing over 5000 hymns, among them one that is often sung in the church I attend, Count Your Blessings. It offers some great practical advice for the individual faced with adversity or suffering:

  1.  When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
    When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
    Count your many blessings name them one by one,
    And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

(CHORUS) Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
      And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

  •  Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
    Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
    Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
    And you will be singing as the days go by.
  •  When you look at others with their lands and gold,
    Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold.
    Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
    Your reward in heaven, nor your Lord on high.
  •  So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
    Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
    Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
    Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

For many years, I have found it helpful to keep a prayer list, so that I’m not having to rely solely on my memory. There are more people and issues on that list than I could readily summon to mind without it. At some point, I decided to transfer my paper list to the Notes app on my phone, which makes it easier to update and add to it as needed.  There are categories for family, friends, my pastor and fellow believers, the sick, those with special needs, our nation and leaders, first responders, etc., etc.  It’s grown into a very long list, but even longer is the section that follows the people and things I pray about; it reads: “Answers,” and it contains the date and a short description of the answer. After all, it’s these answers we receive that give meaning to our prayers and provide additional encouragement and motivation to continue to pray. I don’t review this last section as often as I should, but when I do take the time to review all the answers the Lord has graciously provided—not always congruent with my petition at the time, but always perfect in the end—it makes me deeply thankful for what God has done.

And remembering what God has done is really the essence of thanksgiving. Eucharistia, the Koine Greek word translated as “thanksgiving” in our English Bibles, is closely related to one of the synonyms we use for the Lord’s Supper, eucharist. Ordained by our Lord on the night before His crucifixion, as He celebrated the last Passover feast with His disciples, this ordinance has been observed by Christians ever since, to commemorate the impeccable Person and atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, as He paid the penalty for the sins of all mankind past, present, and future. As He said, “This do in remembrance of Me.”

As Christians, we have so much to be thankful for every day, every hour, every moment. And if we pause the merry-go-round of our daily lives long enough to turn our attention toward God and all that He has done for us (and continues to do for us) we will find it much easier to send up a prayer of genuine thanksgiving.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good;

His mercy is everlasting,

And His truth endures to all generations.  (Psalm 100:4-5)

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The Problem with A.I. “Humans”

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Rod Schwartz

I’ve been noticing a trait common to all the AI-generated “humans” in the video ads I see online—and they’re ubiquitous these days—including those made using the images and audio of real people: they all come across to me as being soul-less.

That divine spark that makes us genuinely human is largely missing from all these fake talking heads.

As a media professional, I’ve created hundreds of audio and video messages derived from in-person interviews, all of them having in common an authenticity based on their unique human personalities, quirks, and vulnerabilities.

None of those genuine attributes appear in the eyes, facial expressions, and speech of today’s AI bots.

This reminds me of something I learned decades ago about Treasury agents who learned to spot counterfeit currency, not by examining all the various counterfeits but by knowing the genuine article so well that they’re able to spot a counterfeit immediately.

I’m curious. Are you spotting the fakes, too?

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Sam Dial’s Thanksgiving Commercial

Posted on November 8, 2024 by Rod Schwartz

My jewelry store client kicks off the holiday season—which accounts for up to a third of his annual sales—with a special commercial that he runs the week leading up to Thanksgiving.

Are you thanking your customers—publicly? In your own voice?

Your local radio station is ready to help you do this now. Give ’em a call.

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An Email from a Listener About the Commercials

Posted on November 27, 2023 by Rod Schwartz

The email read, in part:

Was listening to the local news this morning…which is always informative and entertaining…. and just wanted to say that two relatively new commercials have broken into my Top 5.

#1. Moscow & Pullman Eye Care.  Those two ladies doing the ads have the cutest “girl next door” voices, and the ad gives me warm fuzzies every time I hear it.

#2.  Dr. Jonny Fisher Dental Care – Angus McMolar Cracks me up.

#3.  Sam Dial Jewelry – Sam’s voice is great for ad work as are the ladies who converse with him.  Appreciate the changeup with new ads every few months as well. 

#4.  Garlinghouse Memorial ads are always very good and empathetic to those listening. 

#5.  Ken Paulson Plumbing, good voice, good background music, good jingle. 

When I shared this in the small market radio group on Facebook, a member messaged me, asking if he could hear the commercials in question. So, here they are.

The first three clients were/are mine; the last two are served by another individual. Most have been daily advertisers for many years.

MOSCOW/PULLMAN FAMILY EYE CARE

JONNY FISHER, DDS

SAM DIAL JEWELERS

COLFAX MONUMENT/GARLINGHOUISE MEMORIALS

KEN PAULSON PLUMBING (Disclaimer: “…for all your HVAC needs” was not my idea. 🙂

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