Before we get too far away from the 4th of July, let’s roll the holiday into Ezekiel…

Because of the fires in our area, as I wrote before, fireworks were banned here:

That didn’t stop people from shooting off fireworks. We heard a steady barrage of pop, pop, pop all evening. We weren’t alone:

CSFD said emergency dispatchers had taken more than 90 firework-related calls as of 9:47 p.m., despite fireworks being banned in the city for the Fourth of July due to fire danger. – Colorado Springs Gazette, July 5, 2026.

I hope you don’t have trouble understanding the message on practically every page of Ezekiel. For example:

For you have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules…” (Ezekiel 11.12, ESV)

True then. True now. Laws do not prevent people from doing what they want. In the case of fireworks, it’s not just a law, it’s a good idea! There was a grass fire in a neighborhood on the 4th of July. It had not been officially determined that it was caused by fireworks, but it certainly could have been. If nothing else, it was a reminder that fire danger is real.

It’s been an ongoing problem since Genesis 3. As one comedian observed:

And God said, “Don’t eat the forbidden fruit!” And they said, “Where is it?”

With both June and I turning 80 this year, we don’t often do an adventure, but we made an exception last week…

I received an email invitation from the Lazy Dog Restaurant near us to bring our dog to lunch on the patio on July 2. I thought, “Why not?” and it would be the one-year anniversary of our moving into this house. You may recall that Paddy, the dog, born on St Patrick’s Day, would be only 15 weeks old. So we went with some trepidation: could he sit still, not bark or whine, and handle himself well in the presence of other dogs?

It turns out he did just fine, and he thoroughly enjoyed his grilled hamburger patty bowl. He rated the whole experience Four Paws! I won’t tell him that along with the bandana, they gave us a coupon for a free dog lunch on our next visit.

So for us, the lesson is:

Don’t be afraid to try something you haven’t done before!

Actually, getting a puppy in the first place is a bit more of an adventure than we had planned on!

Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isaiah 43.18, 19, ESV)

Ezekiel 6 and 7 contains an important phrase…over and over:

And you shall know that I am the Lord. (Ezekiel 6.7, 10, 13, 14, 7.4, 9, 27)

These are always in the context of judgment. For example,

Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken, and I will cast down your slain before your idols. And I will lay the dead bodies of the people of Israel before their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars. Wherever you dwell, the cities shall be waste and the high places ruined, so that your altars will be waste and ruined, your idols broken and destroyed, your incense altars cut down, and your works wiped out. And the slain shall fall in your midst, and you shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 6.3 – 7, ESV)

The apostle Paul wrote:

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2.9 – 11, ESV)

We will all bow the knee to Jesus. Do we do it under duress and judgment or do we worship God voluntarily when we have a choice? Nehemiah knew the difference:

Yet you have been righteous in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly. Our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or paid attention to your commandments and your warnings that you gave them. Even in their own kingdom, and amid your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you or turn from their wicked works. (Nehemiah 9.33 – 35, ESV, emphasis mine)

World Cup fans are marveling at the “large and rich land” the US is.

Moses warned the Israelites:

All these curses shall come upon you and pursue you and overtake you till you are destroyed, because you did not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes that he commanded you. They shall be a sign and a wonder against you and your offspring forever. Because you did not serve the LORD your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart, because of the abundance of all things, therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, and lacking everything. And he will put a yoke of iron on your neck until he has destroyed you. (Deuteronomy 28.45 – 48, ESV, emphasis mine)

And back to Ezekiel:

I will bring the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to the pride of the strong, and their holy places shall be profaned. When anguish comes, they will seek peace, but there shall be none. Disaster comes upon disaster; rumor follows rumor. They seek a vision from the prophet, while the law perishes from the priest and counsel from the elders. The king mourns, the prince is wrapped in despair, and the hands of the people of the land are paralyzed by terror. According to their way I will do to them, and according to their judgments I will judge them, and they shall know that I am the LORD. (Ezekiel 7.24 – 27, ESV, emphasis mine)

I wasn’t sure whether to write this one or not. My son Mark doesn’t agree with my analysis, but a Denver Post sportswriter does…

The US soccer team got hammered Monday by Belgium. 4 – 1. US was never in it. They played badly. Is it just because the US still isn’t in the top tier? Possible. But they had played really well up until that last game. What happened?

You may know that in their previous game, one of their best players was given a red card and sent off. US played the last 30+ minutes one man short. But it’s more than that. By rule, that player also sits out the next game. Everyone agreed it was a bad call. Shouldn’t have even been called a foul, much less a red card.

Then President Trump asks the FIFA President to “review the case” and FIFA found a way to “suspend” the penalty and the player was cleared early Sunday morning for Monday’s game. Instantly everyone turned against the US. Bad vibes? Soccer is a funny game. By all accounts, the US had a “bad night.” However, I think it’s a case of “win the battle, lose the war.”

As I said, my son Mark didn’t agree with me, but a Denver Post guy did:

But didn’t it feel like something shifted after FIFA’s eyebrow-raising decision to overturn Folarin Balogun’s red-card suspension? Like, there was a disruption in the good karma and momentum the US Men’s National Team had accumulated in its first four World Cup matches? – Bennett Durando, Denver Post, July 7, 2026

I’m not a karma guy, but there’s no question the vibe shifted. Is there a Biblical example of not insisting on your “rights”? Maybe:

When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints?…To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded? (1 Corinthians 6.1, 7, ESV)

I think the US would have done better if they had suffered the wrong.

Before we get back to some of Ezekiel’s doom and gloom, we need to pause for a feel good story from the World Cup. Cape Verde is a collection of islands off the west coast of Africa with a total population just under 500,000 (about the same as my city of Colorado Springs, CO). They built a soccer team with expats from around the world, none of whom competed at the top levels of the sport.

No one expected much out of them, but they opened their competition on June 15 by playing Spain, one of the tournament favorites, to a 0 – 0 tie. Then, on June 21, they played another powerhouse, Uruguay, to a 2 – 2 tie. Finally, by earning another tie, this one against Saudi Arabia, they punched their ticket to the “knockout round of 32.”

“Congratulations, Cape Verde. Your first opponent is reigning World Cup champion Argentina with their legendary striker, Lionel Messi, playing in his home stadium (He plays for Miami in US-based Major League Soccer.). Lots of luck and thanks for coming out.”

Except it didn’t play out that way. As expected, Messi scored fairly early, in the 29th minute, but that was it. In the second half, Cape Verde tied the game at 1 in the 59th minute. Regulation ended in a 1 – 1 tie. Shocking! They went to Extra Time, an additional 30-minute period, and again Argentina jumped ahead, just two minutes in. But 11 minutes later, Cape Verde scored again! Now they’re approaching the end of the 30-minute extra period, and if it’s tied then, the game goes to a penalty-kick shootout, which everyone describes as a coin flip. Argentina gets the last goal with less than 10 minutes to go in the game and wins 3 – 2. (You can read more detail here.)

David ALMOST defeats Goliath, and Cape Verde returns home to a heroes’ welcome:

Thousands of ecstatic fans escorted Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks through the streets of Praia Sunday for a celebratory parade following their slender defeat to Argentina in one of the World Cup’s most surprising matches.

The route, which began at the airport, carried the team through the capital’s main districts as throngs of supporters played music and cheered, making forward movement difficult at times.

The Sharks will meet with the president of the small, African archipelago later in the evening, but had to cancel a stop at the National Assembly after it became too difficult given the enthusiastic crowd.

Cape Verde progressed to the knockout stages in their first World Cup, thrilling supporters back home and gaining fans abroad as they confounded expectations. – Maria da LUZ NEVES, July 5, 2026

My son, Mark, and I, on our way to see the Colorado Rockies play baseball, watched some of the second half as we had dinner. It appeared that Argentina wasn’t playing as hard as Cape Verde. Maybe they were saving their energy for their next game…which they might not get to play! Thanks to modern technology, we watched the end of the game on our phone from the Rockies’ Coors Field.

My son, David, in Atlanta, was watching, and he texted:

I love the American announcer: “Thank you, Cape Verde. You made us dream!”

We don’t always “win” in the absolute sense, but we can and should win by completing the work God gives us to do.

Well done, good and faithful servant. Matthew 25.21, 23, ESV)

…Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised… (Hebrews 11.35 – 39, ESV)

For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2 Timothy 4.7, 8, ESV)

Thank you, Cape Verde. You made us dream!

Let’s continue our meditations on the 4th of July theme. After all, a nation’s 250th anniversary doesn’t happen all that often! Yesterday, I shared the view of America from the World Cup visitors. Inspiring, and the fruit of some of our founding principles.

I just read a clever piece by James Whitford, published by World Magazine on July 2. A devious redefining of happiness: What does the devil think of the American Dream at 250? It’s written in the style of Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis (strongly recommend!). This essay is written in Satan’s voice (Screwtape Letters are letters from a senior demon to a junior demon.). The Whitford essay isn’t long, and it’s worth the read in its entirety. Here are a few snippets, beginning with the opening:

Author’s Note: Below is a parody in the tradition of C.S. Lewis’ The Screwtape Letters, exploring what the devil might say on America’s 250th birthday.

I hate the American Dream. As the father of hate, there are many things I loathe, but few more than a person who rises from poverty to live a flourishing life.

There is nothing I apply myself to more than casting doubt over the notion of “hope for a better tomorrow.” Disgusting. The idea that impoverished people can embrace personal responsibility and hard work so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labors should be burned to the ground. Just as awful are those people who believe that it is com…pass…ion…ate (that word is so hard to say) to share that inspiration with others.

“…impoverished people can embrace personal responsibility and hard work so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labors…” That’s America. Ever heard of DuPont? The DuPont family immigrated from France on January 1, 1800. Drive a Tesla? Elon Musk immigrated from South Africa and worked/works VERY hard to build Teslas and rockets. Bill Gates was once a student, working through the night often to write software. Harland Sanders was born into poverty and worked at a number of jobs before becoming an “overnight success” with his chicken recipe.

Back to the Whitford essay. Remember, Satan is speaking:

I had to wait more than one hundred years for the definition of “happiness” to drift from its 18th-century meaning of “joy, blessedness, and prosperity” so I could replace its meaning with “momentary, superficial satisfaction.”

In my plan, whatever makes you feel good makes you happy. To diminish “happiness” and the American Dream, I’ve had to make sure that the man who coined the term “American Dream” was forgotten, along with his 1931 description of it as “not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely,” but a social order in which every person can attain “the fullest stature” of which he or she is capable.

My plan is all about motor cars, high wages, and nice homes. And if one doesn’t have them, he should be discontent until it drives him to demand them from the state, to be forever dependent and no less depressed.

If one doesn’t have what he wants NOW, he should demand them from the state. It’s disturbing that we’re starting to elect “Democratic Socialists” from the mayor of New York City to a Democratic candidate for the US House of Representatives right here in Colorado.

Whitford ends his essay on a note of hope (disconcerting to Satan!):

One of my greatest achievements is a system that redistributes more “happiness” every year into the poorest American households, driving up joblessness, dependency, despair, and purposelessness. Because freedom is now based on wants, people will never have enough, and they’ll never be free.

Still, some people have never let go of Freedom to the extent I’ve wanted. I’ve noticed a resurgence of caring neighbors and little (despicable) points of light working against me to inspire people toward freedom, impelling them to be producers and creators … like their Maker.

One night outside a homeless mission, a man asked to work for his shelter proclaimed, “I’ve never had to work for my bed and meals. You guys take the shame out of the game.” Another man said, “Yeah, it’s like we get to keep our dignity.” I almost vomited.

Food pantries are becoming food co-ops. Christmas giveaways are becoming Christmas markets. Handout models are being replaced with earn-it models. It’s all very disconcerting.

I’ll need to work double-time to hold back this growing movement of effective com-pass-ion (ugh) before people rediscover the truth that freedom is not the product of prosperity, but prosperity the product of freedom. Oh, how I hate the American Dream. – Satan, as imagined by James Whitford, July 2, 2026.

Jesus said it:

The thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. (John 10.10)

The USA. We live here, we get ourselves embroiled in the current political issues of the day, and we get used to what we have without even being aware of what we have. As it’s often said:

Fish are the last to discover water.

Have you seen the reactions of the thousands of soccer fans here from around the world? Here are some snippets from an editorial published by USA Today. Ingrid Jacques opens with:

Europeans especially seem bewitched by the sheer bigness of it all, from the spacious Western grandeur to supersized gas stations like Buc-ee’s. It’s adorable.

Then she quotes some of them:

“This is so surreal, just had the best food ever,” Elsa, who is Swedish, posted to X. “Why did no one tell me ranch sauce is like crack? EUROPE WE NEED RANCH ASAP”

And then there is Freddy the German, who has amassed a huge following as he traverses around to World Cup games: “Just had our first Waffle House experience at 1am. Great food, great prices, and friendly staff. 10/10, we will be coming back.”

A fan from England had this to say about her fast-food experience: “THIS IS THE BEST FOOD I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE, AMERICA YOU KEEP ON DELIVERING!”

Ingrid continues:

The American economy is far from perfect, and Americans are feeling the continued pain of inflation and high grocery bills. But we rarely measure it against what our fellow humans across the globe face.

We are a remarkably wealthy country, and the envy of much of the world…The tourist awe for Walmart and Buc-ee’s? That should serve as a reminder of how lucky we are. – Ingrid Jacques, June 24, 2026

Yahoo Sports captured a few more reactions:

As their teams competed in group stage matches, fans in cities including Kansas City, Atlanta and Seattle have expressed joy at eating at breakfast chains like Waffle House or said their minds have been blown walking through big box warehouse stores like Bass Pro Shops and Walmart.  

One man from England posted a video from inside a Walmart reveling at the fact he could purchase car parts, a flat-screen television and a rifle all under one roof...

But the biggest point of chatter among tourists from around the world has been the quality and quantity of food options in the U.S.

Some said they were surprised to see soft drinks come with ice and free refills or posted videos with their mouths agape as servers brought entrees to the table.

When did you last stand in awe and give thanks for ranch dressing or Waffle House? What about Walmart? Ever try to get ice in your drink in Europe? You might get one small cube.

In everything give thanks… (1 Thessalonians 5.18)

Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God…Beware lest you say in your heart, “My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.“ You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth… (Deuteronomy 9.11 – 18, ESV)

PS After I drafted this blog, Peggy Noonan captured all of what I’m talking about in depth. Strongly recommend her July 27 piece: The Tartan Army Takes America.

More than a day for picnics and fireworks, The History Channel reminds us of what the day is about. A long article begins:

The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The Fourth of July 2025 is on Friday, July 4.

It’s interesting to note…

When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical.

By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.

When does a rebellion become a revolution become a war where one must choose sides? In the day, many Christians were quoting Romans 13:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. (Romans 13.1, 2, ESV)

While other Christians were leaders in a movement to do just that: resist the authorities. It’s a non-trivial question and how to apply our response to change rubric is unclear. I’m sure many were applying James’ counsel:

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. (James 1.5, ESV)

PS There are two things going on this year. Celebrations for the 250th Anniversary of the 4th of July is one. The other is World Cup of Soccer, hosted this year by the United States, along with Canada and Mexico. There are lessons for us from our out-of-country visitors. Stay tuned.

PPS Most of this blog first appeared on the Ewellogy on July 4, 2025.

We should loop back to Ezekiel from time to time. I’m not going to attempt to analyze it in detail (beyond the scope of this blog!). Besides, the book needs to be felt, not analyzed. Here are a few highlights.

First, different calls for different people from Ezekiel 3:

And he said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak with my words to them. For you are not sent to a people of foreign speech and a hard language, but to the house of Israel— not to many peoples of foreign speech and a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to such, they would listen to you. But the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me: because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. (Ezekiel 3.4 – 7, ESV)

A prophet to Israel, not a “foreign missionary.” Foreign missions is tough: “peoples of foreign speech and a hard language whose words you cannot understand.” But missions to religious insiders is tough too: “The house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you…”

Ezekiel 3 continues with the role of a watchman:

And at the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me: “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. (Ezekiel 3.16 – 19, ESV)

I preached John 9 last Sunday, and at the verse “Once I was blind, but now I see,” I took some time to share the gospel message explicitly with many who are lifelong church people. I pray that they heard, and that those who might have been trusting in their good works instead of Jesus might respond to him.

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. – Jesus, recorded in Mark 16.15, NKJV)

In fact, James, Peter, and John, who were known as pillars of the church, recognized the gift God had given me, and they accepted Barnabas and me as their co-workers. They encouraged us to keep preaching to the Gentiles, while they continued their work with the Jews. (Galatians 2.9, 10, NLT)

If you don’t live in Colorado, are you reading about our fires? Three brave firefighters have already been killed fighting the fire on the border of Colorado and Utah. It struck me that one of those was a 38-year-old lady from Michigan.

Closer to home, the 11th largest fire in Colorado history is just 70 miles from us, and NOT behind the mountains. Here’s what it looks like on the ground:

Here’s what it looks like from my house, Thursday afternoon, around 4p. It’s a crystal clear day, and normally we would see Pikes Peak in sharp relief. Not today:

Please join me in praying for the firefighters, now being led by a team from Alaska. The fire is considered number #1 priority in the US right now. Rain would be nice, also, and there’s none in the forecast. Hot, dry, windy.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4.6, ESV)

There is no shortage of fire images in the Bible.

O house of David! Thus says the LORD: “ ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil deeds.’ ” (Jeremiah 21.12, ESV)

Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jeremiah 23.29, ESV)