A Special Life Very Well Lived!

 Just over a year ago, Rev. David Virkler, the founder of this ministry, went home to be with his Lord. His was a life of committed, faithful and effective full-time service to God.

At an early age, his gifts and calling were easily seen. After Bible college, he entered the pastorate for 5 years and then felt the Lord’s leading to establish another work that would be called Dedication Evangelism. The goal was to win lost souls and to support the local church in any way he could. Later, he would also found The Word and The World radio broadcast – a program uniquely dealing with current events and always in a biblical perspective.

The ministry outreach continued to evolve and include numerous other resources and forms of reaching the lost and strengthening God’s people. The motto of the ministry echoed that theme stating, “Challenging Reapers and Harvesting Souls”.

Dave’s entrance into heaven last January left a huge hole in the kingdom below and in the lives of those he loved and who loved him. But his impact lives on today through those he touched, and continues to touch, through www.wordandtheworld.org.

Again, his was a life well-lived and one of  faithful, committed and effective service for the God of his salvation even from an early age!

"For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers..." (Acts 13:36)

“Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” (Matt. 25:21)

Bill Breckenridge



Roe v. Wade Anniversary

Tuesday was an infamous moment in American history. It was the 40th anniversary of the 1973 Supreme Court landmark decision legalizing abortion. It was a tragic and costly judgement that was based on the faulty evidence in the Roe v. Wade case.

In 1969, Norma L. McCorvey, the woman that the case was about, altered the facts about her pregnancy by claiming she was a rape victim. She did so in order to attain a legal abortion. Later she would give birth to the child. Then several years later, McCorvey became a born-again Christian and spokesperson against the senseless killing of children through this most despicable practice.

It has been exactly four decades, on January 22nd, since the nation was led down a wretched and morally bankrupt path. In the years following the misguided ruling, an estimated 55 million innocent children have be killed. That is an average of about 114,000 a month and factors out to almost 4 thousand every single day since the early 70’s. The carnage caused over the years to the nation, and to the individuals involved, is beyond measure. Countless lives have been destroyed in, and outside, the womb with some women carrying crippling depression and guilt through the balance of their years.

In addition to the horror of human suffering and moral outrage, many never seem to relate this gruesome practice to the economic issues we now face. Instead of dragging Americans over a ‘fiscal cliff’, just imagine where the nation could be today. Think about having multiple millions more in the work force, some perhaps being very gifted and even capable of world-changing abilities. And think about all that would be now be on the nation’s tax rolls. There would also be scores more paying into the social security system – a program in serious danger of collapse from the ratio of incoming workers versus the outgoing retirees.

 Back on January 13, 1984, President Ronald Reagan issued a proclamation that designated January 22, 1984 as the first ‘National Sanctity of Human Life Day’. He continued the proclamations annually thereafter. George Bush continued the yearly practice as did his son throughout their administrations. But Presidents Clinton and Obama rejected doing so during their White House stays as would be expected from their views on the subject. But even without a formal declaration in place, marches still took place each January as evidenced by the one this January 25th in Washington D.C.

Since those early days after the Supreme Court erred in favor of death, science has proven conclusively what Scripture has confirmed repeatedly including both the Old and New Testaments. Life indeed begins at conception. Any debate against that reality should be nearly inconceivable when taking into account what God's word openly and repeatedly declares on the subject.

 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

“But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me.” (Galatians 1:15-16)

 “And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the ‘babe’ leaped in her womb.” (Luke 1:41)

Being ‘pro-choice’ today is simply making the tragic choice to resist the evident truth and the obvious facts. Being ‘pro-life’ means praying for those now inside the womb and for those outside it who strive to protect them and work tirelessly for the aborting the abortion practice. Progress is being made despite the deafening silence in the mainstream media. And do pray fervently for America. Pray for a much needed return to God – the One who forms every new physical life and who then offers to all a new spiritual life in Jesus Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

 Bill Breckenridge

Another Inauguration

The public presidential inauguration ceremony for Barack Obama for his second  term, will take place on Monday, January 21, 2013 on the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. It will be the nations 57th such occasion.

This major event takes place every four years in January. Since George Washington first said the words on April 30, 1789,  every President of the United States have been repeated the following simple oath of office as part of the ceremony:  "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."  According to Washington Irving's biography of George Washington, in the first inauguration President Washington added the words "so help me God" after accepting the oath.

At noon, the presidential term begins.  And newly sworn-in presidents usually gives a speech referred to as an inaugural address.  Since 1937, the ceremony has incorporated two or more prayers. A tradition of a national prayer service usually takes place the day after the inauguration.

The use of the Bible has been customary during the administering of the oaths. On some occasions a particular passage was opened  to.  Barack Obama used the Lincoln Bible for his first term.  It is reported that he will be putting a symbolic twist on the tradition by taking the oath of office for his second term using two Bibles. One will be Lincoln’s and the other one owned by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. This is significant since January 21st is the federal holiday in honor of the civil rights leader.

Using Scripture for this great event is not without controversy. Even this year MSNBC host Lawrence O'Donnell suggested that the Bible should no longer be used to take the oath of office. He declared that presidents should simply stop placing their hand on the Scriptures claiming, "No one accepts all of the teachings of the Bible."  He is wrong! I do.

But historically, most U.S. presidents have used Bibles in their Inaugural Ceremonies and again, often opened to pre-selected passages – many of which were quite significant.  Here are just a few brief examples;

Abraham Lincoln's second Inaugural Bible was open to Revelation 16:7, "Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments." Ulysses S. Grant’s version landed on Isaiah 11. “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, The Spirit of counsel and might.’ Truman used two Bibles: one open to the Beatitudes and the other to Ten Commandments. Dwight Eisenhower’s personal West Point Bible revealed Psalm 33:12. “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people He has chosen as His own inheritance.”

 Richard Nixon used a family Bible, declaring to Isaiah 2:2-4  ‘He will teach us His ways, And we shall walk in His paths." They shall beat their swords into plowshares, And their spears into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore. Gerald Ford’s used the familiar words of Proverbs. 3:5-6. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”

Ronald Reagan family Bible, was open to 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 for both inaugurals to the much quoted words, “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”   The George W. Bush Family Bible referred to another profound passage. It was Isaiah 40:31. ”But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.”  These were words he would need considering the events of 9/11 that came under his watch.

It seems quite amazing in an ever-increasing secularized society, and one promoting the so-call ‘separation of Church and State, that the single most important moment in the nation is still includes references to God, multiple prayers, pray meetings and the use of the Christian Bible openly and consistently.

When taken together, the above passages, and many others like them,  truly reveal what America was based upon, why she became  blessed of God and the envy of the world. And it is only a serious commitment to biblical principles and truth that will ever allow her to heal and prosper again as she once did.

If there are two more special verses that have direct bearing on our nation’s future it would be the words of wisdom offered in Psalm 127:1. ‘Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain.”  A second might be promise revealed in Psalm 144:15, “Happy are the people who are in such a state; Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.”

As the nation and new administration goes forward, the church of Christ must heed the biblical injunction found in 1Timothy. Whether we agree or not with the views of any leader or administration, Paul stated in chapter 2 that, “Supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority.” And the reason for doing so is two-fold. Scripture confirms that this is to our personal advantage as well as being the will of God. In verse 3 the Apostle Paul records, “That ‘we’ may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior.”

Our nation is in dire need of prayer, renewal and especially spiritual revival. No government alone can achieve this  - ever. And if that is to occur, then every believer must recognize the problem and then become a vital part of the only real solution!

Bill Breckenridge