May 17, 2017 |
BLOOMBERG
Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to give a transcript of White House talks between his foreign minister and Donald Trump to Congress to prove that the U.S. president didn’t give away secrets.
Mexican authorities have zeroed in on seven banks, including three from the U.S., as part of a widening investigation into price manipulation in the nation’s bond market, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.
The United Nations said it plans to deploy more peacekeeping forces in the Central African Republic diamond-mining town of Bangassou to stem a recent wave of violence.
Apple Inc. plans to announce an update to its laptop lineup at an annual conference for app developers in early June, a move that could help offset new competition from Microsoft Corp. as well as declining iPad sales.
Amazon.com Inc. updated its least-expensive tablets, continuing to produce new and updated hardware as a way to attract consumers to its more profitable services.
Sotheby’s set the record auction price for a pair of earrings, selling a duo of blue and pink diamond jewels for $57 million in Geneva.
For the first time, women in their early 30s are having more babies than younger moms in the United States. Health experts say the shift is due to more women waiting longer to have children and the ongoing drop in the teen birth rate.
AP Top Stories
Chelsea Manning, the transgender army private jailed for one of the largest leaks of classified documents in US history, was released from a military prison Wednesday after seven years behind bars.
In the latest wave of journalist killings in Mexico, Javier Valdez Cárdenas, an award-winning reporter who specialized in writing about drug trafficking and organized crime was killed Monday in the northern state of Sinaloa, officials said. He was among the six journalists who have reportedly been murdered in Mexico this year.
A U.S. appeals court has rejected a Georgia death row inmate’s motion that his scheduled Tuesday execution by lethal injection be halted and that he be put to death instead by a firing squad, which his lawyers said would be less painful for him.
Moderate senators from both parties met Monday to explore whether they can work on bipartisan legislation overhauling the nation’s health care system.
The United States Supreme Court has quelled an attempt by Republicans in North Carolina to reinstate a controversial voter-identification law that a lower court said targeted African American voters with an “almost surgical precision”.
An 11-year-old “cyber ninja” stunned an audience of security experts Tuesday by hacking into their Bluetooth devices to manipulate a teddy bear and show how interconnected smart toys “can be weaponized”.
Employees at a Lowe’s hardware store in Christiansburg, Virginia, recently channeled Ellen Ripley in the 1986 movie “Aliens,” as they donned mechanical exoskeletons to help them lift and move heavy objects.
Tesla is pairing up with a Vermont utility provider to offer subsidized Powerwall battery packs to bolster its power grid and give customers a chance to harness its energy when other lights go out.
US President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly refused to allow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accompany him to one of the holiest Jewish sites in the region during a visit next week.
A Syrian monitoring group says twin explosions have gone off in a makeshift camp near Syria’s the border with Jordan, killing at least 10 people and wounding seven, including rebel fighters.
Amazon is hiring a business lead to figure out how the company can break into the multibillion-dollar pharmacy market.
BBC
President Macron has unveiled a gender-balanced cabinet in accordance with an earlier pledge, with 11 of 22 new ministerial posts taken by women.
A Sharia court in Indonesia’s Aceh province has sentenced two men to be caned in public for having gay sex. The men were found guilty of violating strict Islamic laws in conservative Aceh and will receive 85 lashes each.
Gunmen from a Christian sect have stormed a prison in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s capital, freeing their leader and about 50 other inmates, a government spokesman said.
At least six people and all four IS gunmen have been killed in a battle at the Afghan state television building in the city of Jalalabad, officials said.
China is building a vast DNA database with no appropriate privacy protection, human rights activists warn.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko’s official website has been hit by an “organized” cyber-attack from Russia, his administration has said.
WND
One of China’s top universities has installed facial recognition in a female dormitory to ensure the building is off limits to non-residents.
A medical report confirms prominent Islam expert Robert Spencer’s claim that he was drugged by an Icelander in the island nation’s capital after giving a speech on Islam and the future of European culture.
McDonald’s on Tuesday pulled a British television ad that was accused of using child bereavement to sell fast food.
The Briefing 05-17-17
Christian governor jailed on charges of blasphemy in predominately Muslim Indonesia
When religious liberty is a matter of life and death: Record number of Christians fleeing Middle East
- Wall Street Journal (Maria Abi-Habib) — Christians, in an Epochal Shift, Are Leaving the Middle East
Evacuating the center: Labour Party releases radically left-wing manifesto ahead of Britain’s election
What’s in a name? American culture through the lens of baby name trends
The post The Briefing 05-17-17 appeared first on AlbertMohler.com.
Top News – 5/17/2017
Merkel, Macron: the new power couple to shake up the EU
Macron on the campaign trail made the case that a reformed France would go hand in hand with a reformed EU, made more responsive to the concerns of citizens who may have missed the benefits of globalisation.
Oklahoma Lawmakers Officially Declare Abortion to be Murder
In a resolution that will have little to no effect on actual legal policy in the state, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a resolution last week that officially declared abortion to be the murder of an innocent human being. In the resolution, lawmakers in the body – made up of 74 Republicans and 26 Democrats – made it state clear that “all human life is protected by God’s law and the highest laws of the land.”
Financial Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Top 25 US Banks Have 222 Trillion Dollars Derivatives Exposure
apparently they still haven’t learned from their past mistakes. Today, the top 25 U.S. banks have 222 trillion dollars of exposure to derivatives. In other words, the exposure that these banks have to derivatives contracts is approximately equivalent to the gross domestic product of the United States times twelve.
Putin: Claims Trump Gave Lavrov Secret Info Show ‘Political Schizophrenia’ in US
He said that it seems that “political schizophrenia” is developing in the US amid such media claims. The situation in the US is being in turmoil under anti-Russian slogans, Putin said, adding that Trump is not being allowed to work properly.
Friedman: Palestinians drop settlement freeze as precondition for talks
Days after arriving in Israel, America’s new envoy reportedly says the US is also not making the demand.
How Do We Know God Truly Loves Israel?
To most readers of Israel Today, it’s a given that God never stopped loving Israel – even after the nation rejected their Messiah. “For they are beloved for the sake of the fathers” (Rom. 11:28). Unfortunately, too many Christians still do not share that belief. And sadly, and understandably, many Jews are extremely skeptical of His love, also.
EU SHOCK: Austria to hold emergency snap election as support for eurosceptics SURGE
The countries main parties have agreed to hold an early parliamentary election on October 15, Chancellor Christian Kern said on Tuesday. Fears are now growing among the political elite that the far-right Freedom Party could make it into government. The election will be the latest threat to the European Union’s spreading ideology and push for uniformity among member states.
Mary’s Providential Bridge to Islam
As a matter of historical importance, Fatima was the favorite daughter of Muhammad — a woman considered of the highest dignity in Islam, save for only one person: the Virgin Mary. Indeed, after Fatima’s death at around the age of 26, her father wrote to his dead daughter: “Thou shalt be the most blessed of women in Paradise after Mary.”
US organizations pressure Trump to move Embassy
Group of 60 US organizations pressures Trump to move Embassy to Jerusalem with no delays or preconditions.
Pair of Earthquakes Rattle Santa Barbara Area
A pair of earthquakes shook the Santa Barbara area Tuesday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck first, according to USGS.
Hostilities between the Koreas very likely, S. Korean president says
…there is a “high possibility” of clashes between the North and the South on land or at sea, South Korean President Moon Jae-In said Wednesday. While visiting the Defense Ministry…
BIN Conference Speaker Kade Hawkins, Founder of Prophecy News Watch, Is “Reporting Prophecy As it Unfolds”
“It amazes me how Bible prophecy can be hidden in plain sight,” Hawkins told Breaking Israel News. “People intuitively believe that seeing is a matter only of opening one’s eyes. Frequently, people fail to perceive very major things happening right in front of our eyes, a phenomenon known ‘perceptual blindness’.
Official Trump Itinerary Confirmed: Western Wall Yes, Masada No
The White House officially confirmed US President Donald Trump’s itinerary for his first official visit to Israel on May 22-23, including a visit to the Western Wall.
Haley: ‘I Believe the Western Wall Is Part of Israel’
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Tuesday that the Western Wall is part of Israel, something other Trump administration officials would not unequivocally state the same day.
US officials: Trump’s intel leak endangered life of spy placed inside ISIS by Israel
US President Donald Trump’s alleged intelligence disclosure to Russia has endangered the life of a spy who was placed inside ISIS by Israel…The spy in question, whose life now hangs on the line after Trump reportedly revealed classified information in a meeting with Russian officials last week, was tracking an ISIS plot to bring down a passenger jet on its way to the US with a bomb hidden in a laptop…Trump took to Twitter earlier Tuesday, defending having shared “facts” with senior Russian officials…
Friedman: Palestinians drop settlement freeze as precondition for talks
The United States has not asked for a settlement freeze and the Palestinians have dropped that demand as a precondition for talks with Israel, America’s new Ambassador David Friedman told the Hebrew daily Yisrael HaYom. “We have no demands for a settlement freeze and [Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas] Abu Mazen wants to meet [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu without any preconditions,” Friedman said in an interview published on Wednesday.
Haley: Western Wall part of Israel, US embassy should move to Jerusalem
The Western Wall is part of Israel, US Ambassador to the UN Nikkey Haley said on Tuesday as she took a number of stands that appears to differ from the Trump Administration. “The Western Wall is part of Israel and I think that is how we have always seen it and that is how we should pursue it,” Haley told the Christian Broadcasting Network in a video interview.
Greeks walk out in general strike over cuts
Hospitals, transport services and government offices across Greece have been severely affected by a general strike over new austerity measures. Industrial action began on Tuesday but has now been ramped up nationally by members of the big trade unions. Ferry services stopped and buses and trains were limited. Flights were also being hit for several hours. MPs are set to vote on controversial reforms on Thursday that will cut pensions and end tax breaks.
Syria war: Turkey will never accept US alliance with Kurds – Erdogan
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated after talks in Washington that he will never accept a US alliance with Kurdish forces fighting in Syria. “There is no place for terrorist organisations in the future of our region,” he said at a joint news conference with President Donald Trump. He was referring to the Syrian Kurdish YPG militia, following a US decision earlier this month to arm the group.
Donald Trump Plans ‘Direct’ Speech to Muslims About Radical Islamic Terror
President Donald Trump will visit Saudi Arabia during his first multi-national trip overseas, meeting with the leaders of more than 50 Muslim countries. Trump will deliver “an inspiring, yet direct speech on the need to confront radical ideology,” according to National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, who briefed reporters on the president’s trip. He added that Trump would talk about his hopes “for a peaceful vision of Islam to dominate across the world.”
Rash of media murders highlights deadly threats in Mexico
A journalist is shot dead as she pulls out of her garage in the morning with her young son. Gunmen ambush another journalist while he lazes in a car wash hammock. An award-winning reporter is hauled out of his vehicle and gunned down a block from his office.
Chaffetz Demands FBI Hand Over All Comey’s Notes, Memos, & Recordings Related To Trump
“GOP oversight is going to get the Comey memo, if it exists. I need to see it sooner rather than later. I have my subpoena pen ready.”
South Korea says it wants to reopen communications with North amid missile crisis
South Korea said on Wednesday it wanted to reopen communications with North Korea as new President Moon Jae-in seeks a two-track policy involving sanctions and dialogue with its reclusive neighbor to rein in its nuclear and missile programs.
Manufacturing Resistance – The American Public Is Being Manipulated Into Irrelevance
“The reason the ‘elites’ are elites is because they know how to corral and manipulate the sheep. 2017 is the perfect manifestation of it…”
US Nears Record $100 Billion Arms Deal For Saudi Arabia
White House officials said the move would be good for the economy, and insisted that building Saudi Arabia’s already substantial military was “essential” because of regional problems.
Kim Jong-un could soon have long-range weapons capable of reaching Alaska and Hawaii
Careful analysis of North Korean tests sites, using images from Planet, reveal the regime has gradually been building up the size of its missiles. Scorch marks in the ground show that it may now be testing the Hwasong-12 rocket – capable of flying 4,500miles.
Impeachment Fever
Democrats and their media allies are whipping themselves into a frenzy in their quest to impeach the duly elected 45th president of the United States and drive him from office.
It is part of the Left’s collective mental breakdown.
Ransomware Is Tip Of The Iceberg: America’s Infrastructure At Risk
The Ransomware that began spreading across the globe on Friday is still going with more computers reportedly being affected today by new variants of the virus.
What we’ve learned is that the attack hasn’t just taken down personal computers, but core government and business networks affecting everything from health care systems and transportation in Europe, to ATM withdrawals in China.
Donald Trump, Seth Rich And The Gangster Culture That Permeates Washington
Politics has become a very dirty game in America, and if you don’t know how to play the game, the game is going to play you. Donald Trump and Seth Rich are both victims of this cold, hard reality, and hopefully what has happened to them will help the American people understand what is really going on in Washington. Contrary to what many may believe, politics is not an easy road to fame, wealth and glory. For every Obama or Clinton that makes it big, there are thousands of others that have had their careers shattered, their reputations ruined and their futures destroyed by the game. And those such as Seth Rich that cross the wrong people at the wrong time end up dead. (Read More…)
The New, Truly Confused Evangelicals – Eric Barger
More say Bible is ‘book of fables’ than ‘word of God’
According to a new Gallup poll, the majority of those polled believe the Bible is a book of myths and fables. “This is the first time in Gallup’s four-decade trend that biblical literalism has not surpassed biblical skepticism.” Paul Bedard of Washington Examinerhas the story:
A record low percentage of Americans believe that the Bible is “actual word of God,” with more calling it a “book of fables,” similar to Aesop’s, according to a new survey.
Gallup reports that just 24 percent believe the Bible should be taken “literally, word for word.”
The Real News Coming Out Of Washington Is That President Trump Is The Target Of A Political Coup
Someone at the highest levels of government has leaked information to the news media about President Trump’s discussions with Russian officials. That’s potentially a serious crime. And, this wasn’t the first time.
EDITOR’S NOTE: By now it has become obvious to even the casual observer that our president is under dire, direct and sustained attack. There is a very powerful and organized behind-the-scenes campaign to destroy his presidency. All signs point to the Obama Shadow Government whose HQ id mere blocks from the White House. The fake news media has been relentless with their made-up reporting of half-truths while completely ignoring the real issues. The Far Left will stop at nothing to take down Trump, even if it includes a trip to the grassy knoll.
There is, indeed, a bombshell of a story coming out of the news that President Donald Trump revealed sensitive information during his White House meeting with Russian officials last week. But it’s not that President Trump committed any crime. The really alarming news is that the duly-elected President of the United States appears to be the target of a political coup.
First, let’s be clear: President Trump has been sloppy, arrogant, and just plain misguided plenty of times during his short tenure in office — including the way he handled the firing of FBI Director James Comey and the hiring and firing of National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. And if he did unnecessarily compromise the source of the sensitive information he shared with the Russians, shame on him.
But a president cannot be removed from office for arrogance and sloppiness. The Constitution sets specific grounds for impeachment. They are “treason, bribery, and other high crimes and misdemeanors.” To be impeached and removed from office, the House and Senate must find that the official committed one of these acts.
Hannity: 5 major forces are aligning to take down Trump
Here’s what I think is the bigger scandal: Someone at the highest levels of government has leaked information to the news media about President Trump’s discussions with Russian officials. That’s potentially a serious crime. And, this wasn’t the first time.
What all of the leaked stories have in common is that they were immediately beset with multiple leaks from highly placed officials meant to deeply defame President Trump. Once again, it’s important to note that a good deal of these leaks may, indeed, be illegal. The Espionage Act bans transmitting or communicating information “relating to the national defense” if the leaker believes the information could be used to harm the United States or aid a foreign nation. And it’s hard to see how these many leaks aren’t helping our enemies.
Hillary commands her followers to resist the Trump administration:
Where are these leaks coming from? When we look at the most likely sources, we find no real comfort. The first possibility is that someone close to President Trump himself is essentially acting like a mole in the White House. Remember that when the story broke Monday, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster, and Deputy National Security Adviser Dina Powell were all in the room with President Trump and the Russians last week and they all flatly denied the news reports. If one of them is saying one thing publicly and something else to contacts in the news media, that is certainly not encouraging.
Then-candidate Donald Trump indeed insulted the intelligence community during the election, and many have concluded that this is their plotted revenge.
Almost as bad is the possibility that someone on one of the congressional intelligence committees is the source of this and other leaks. It’s one thing to use domestic policy or even overt foreign policy information to oppose a sitting president. It’s another to compromise knowledge of intelligence briefing materials to do so.
Obama creating a ‘shadow government?’
Here’s the kicker: None of this is actually working where it counts. Again, we have not one piece of evidence of any impeachable act. And it’s not even truly working in the polls. President Trump’s approval ratings may be lower than any modern president this early in his tenure, but they’re still higher than they were throughout the election. If anything, these constant attacks coming from this obviously angry and potentially illegal place are only strengthening the resolve of Trump’s base of supporters. They elected a guy they believed was truly the enemy of the established political class. And right on cue, the established political class is stopping at nothing to prove them right.
For all the things President Trump has said that have dragged down the level of our American political discourse, this sustained takedown effort is worse. And it’s not clear how this is going to end. Unlike President Trump, the leakers remain anonymous and thus unaccountable. They can presumably go on forever. And President Trump doesn’t seem like he’s going to stop fighting back or irritating and threatening his political opponents.
But don’t fool yourself into thinking this is OK or even tolerable. The bottom line is that we have some very powerful people in Washington who really don’t like how democracy played out this time around and what they do to attack it next isn’t going to be any better than what they’re doing now.
Luckily the American people remain wisely circumspect about all of this. President Trump’s polls aside, the voters are still giving him a decent shot to govern. And unaccountable people in Washington shouldn’t be trying to make that decision for us. source
ZeroHedge Frontrunning: May 17
- Here’s What the Latest Trump-Comey News Is Doing to Markets (Read More)
- Dollar Slide Worsens With U.S. Stocks Near Records: Markets Wrap (Read More)
- Turmoil Puts GOP Agenda at Risk (Read More)
- Trump Faces Deepest Crisis of His Presidency (Read More)
- Trump’s $1 Trillion Plan Helps Wall Street More Than Rural America, Democrats Warn (Read More)
- States Wage Battles Over High Drug Prices (Read More)
- Chinese state media says U.S. should take some blame for cyber attack (Read More)
- In America’s largest oilfield, whir of activity confounds OPEC (Read More)
- Highflying Emerging-Market Hedge Funds Fail to Impress Investors (Read More)
- Germany asks U.S. for classified briefing on Lockheed’s F-35 fighter (Read More)
- Trump’s Tweets Leave His Aides in an Awkward Spot (Read More)
- Trump Tries to Reassure Erdogan After U.S. Plan to Arm Kurds (Read More)
- Target Sales Fall as Traffic and Average Orders Decline (Read More)
- Fyre Festival Was Buried Under Millions in Debt Before It Even Began (Read More)
- How Trump’s Rust Belt Voters Have Changed Since the Election (Read More)
- The U.S. Army Wants to Replace Its Helicopters With These (Read More)
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Top Headlines – 5/17/2017
Nikki Haley: Western Wall part of Israel, US embassy should be moved to Jerusalem
Rivlin to Friedman: Time to recognize Jerusalem as our capital
Families of Israeli terror victims ask to meet Trump during Israel visit
Abbas: We want a state alongside Israel – peace agreement will help the fight against terror
Israel Said to Be Source of Secret Intelligence Trump Gave to Russians
Russia says reports that Trump revealed secret information are ‘fake’
Trump defends ‘absolute right’ to share ‘facts’ with Russia
Israel says ties with US unaffected after Trump-Lavrov accusations
A New Goal for President Trump’s First Foreign Trip: Damage Control
Trump Signals Shift in Middle East Strategy With Symbolic First Stop in Saudi Arabia
Trump to give ‘inspiring’ speech on Islam in Saudi Arabia
Sudan President, Charged With Genocide, Is Invited to Saudi Summit
9 hurt, 2 arrested in altercation at Turkish Embassy in DC
Trump Praises Erdogan as Ally in Terrorism Fight, Brushing Aside Tensions
Syria war: Turkey will never accept US alliance with Kurds – Erdogan
US hits Syria with new sanctions
Israeli minister calls for assassination of Syria’s Assad
Syria Denies Burning Bodies of Political Prisoners
S.Korea says communication channel with North must reopen
US Ambassador to UN says countries ‘either support North Korea or you support us’
US admiral: North Korea’s actions ‘recipe for disaster’
North Korea missile detected by THAAD, program progressing faster than expected: South Korea
Expansion of ban on larger electronics on airlines likely: U.S.
Hacker group that leaked NSA spy tools likely includes a U.S. insider, experts say
Besieged White House denies, defends as new bombshells hit
McCain: Latest Trump revelations are of ‘Watergate size and scale’
White House disputes explosive report that Trump asked Comey to end Flynn probe
Fox News: Murdered DNC Staffer Sent 44,053 Internal Emails to WikiLeaks
Dems launch ‘Resistance Summer’
Montage: The Media Can’t Stop Asking Democratic Guests If They’re Ready to Impeach Trump
Congressional Dems making early calls for Trump’s impeachment
Pelosi warns Democrats pushing impeachment that they’re adding to the ‘hearsay’
Dems warn their Trump obsession will hurt party
France’s Macron calls for ‘historic reconstruction’ of Europe
Starbucks Computer System Crashes
Here’s How Facebook Knows Who You Meet In Real Life
Facial recognition installed in female university dormitory in China – to keep out ‘strangers’
Amid Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Ruins, a New Push for Statehood
Rash of media murders highlights deadly threats in Mexico
5.4 magnitude earthquake hits near Tambo, Peru
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits South of the Fiji Islands
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Visokoi Island, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Sheveluch volcano on Kamchatka, Russia erupts to 40,000ft
Sinabung volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Cleveland volcano on the Aleutian Islands erupts to 12,000ft
2 dead after tornadoes hit Oklahoma, Wisconsin
China is creating a massive “Orwellian” DNA database
3D-printed ovaries successfully restore mouse’s fertility in ‘holy grail of bioengineering’
Babies From Skin Cells? Prospect Is Unsettling to Some Experts
Women Safely Take Abortion Pills At Home, With Online Consult
‘Internet abortions’ may be option in some restrictive countries, study suggests
Tennessee passes viability test for abortions after 20 weeks
Indian girl, 10, granted abortion after rape
Bob DeWaay – Reject The Benedict Option
Jim Bakker: Trump Opponents Have Triggered The Apocalypse
Christian Mom Blogger Glennon Doyle Melton Marries Soccer Star Girlfriend Abby Wambach
Calgary Pastor, Charged With Murder In Death Of 3-Month-Old Son
Poll: More say Bible is ‘book of fables’ than ‘word of God’
‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ Coming to Television
Christians Slam ‘Demonic’ Practice of Turning Frozen Embryo Children Into Jewelry for Parents
Italian evangelicals fight to legalise their places of worship
Christianity Growing in North Korea Despite Persecution, Defector Says
Christian sect members attack Congo prison, free leader
Trump to visit Western Wall without Netanyahu Posted: 17 May 2017 07:01 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
Deadly Tornadoes Strike Elk City, OK and Chetek, Wisconsin Posted: 17 May 2017 06:55 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
Dangerous parasite showing up in sushi and raw fish
Posted: 17 May 2017 06:43 AM PDT
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Christianity Growing in North Korea Despite Persecution
Posted: 17 May 2017 06:36 AM PDT
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New Orleans Continues Purge Of Historical Monuments Deemed Racially Offensive Posted: 17 May 2017 06:27 AM PDT
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RUMORS OF WAR: South Korea Warns of ‘High Possibility’ of conflict with North Korea
Posted: 17 May 2017 06:20 AM PDT
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Vladimir Putin says can prove Trump did not pass Russia secrets Posted: 17 May 2017 06:16 AM PDT
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Dollar losses build as Trump crisis stokes fears for agenda
Posted: 17 May 2017 06:13 AM PDT
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Congressional Dems making early calls for Trump’s impeachment Posted: 17 May 2017 06:09 AM PDT
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Keep Your Faith and Take your Mountain! Posted: 17 May 2017 06:05 AM PDT
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100K Sign Petition to ABC to Save Conservative Values Sitcom ‘Last Man Standing’ Posted: 17 May 2017 05:55 AM PDT
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Earthquake Shakes Up Residents in Bardwell, KY – 3rd Quake on New Madrid In 7 Days Posted: 17 May 2017 05:51 AM PDT
Read more at End Time Headlines. |
DEVELOPING: Chaffetz ready to issue subpoena for Comey memo
Posted: 17 May 2017 05:47 AM PDT
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‘I Came…to Graduate, Not Go to Church’: High School Seniors Demand Apology After Superintendent’s God Comments
Posted: 16 May 2017 07:16 PM PDT
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Kim Jong-Un Vows to Keep Testing Missiles Despite Threats from White House
Posted: 16 May 2017 06:50 PM PDT
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Trump Pushed for Release of American Pastor During Meeting With Turkey President, Source Says Posted: 16 May 2017 06:31 PM PDT
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MASS DECEPTION? Giant ‘Alien Megastructures’ Could Be Orbiting Dozens of Nearby Stars
Posted: 16 May 2017 06:23 PM PDT
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Facial recognition installed in female university dormitory in China Posted: 16 May 2017 06:15 PM PDT
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Upcoming Total Solar Eclipse Brings End Times Speculation
Posted: 16 May 2017 06:09 PM PDT
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Satellite Images Reveal NK Nuclear Missiles More Powerful Than World Feared And Can Hit US Posted: 16 May 2017 05:56 PM PDT
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North Korea Cyber Sleeper Cells Prep War-Contingency.. Posted: 16 May 2017 05:51 PM PDT
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LEAKS TURN TO FLOOD: Ousted FBI chief James Comey Throws Trump Under the Bus Posted: 16 May 2017 05:47 PM PDT
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More than 1,600 Accept Jesus in Texas Revival
Posted: 16 May 2017 01:40 PM PDT
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The Undeniable Sign Of Christ’s Return Posted: 16 May 2017 01:26 PM PDT
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Istanbul ‘Overdue’ For Mega-Quake – Magnitude 7 or Greater Expected in Next Few Years Posted: 16 May 2017 01:22 PM PDT
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DEVELOPING: Instagram Down: Facebook-owned app suffers worldwide outages
Posted: 16 May 2017 01:13 PM PDT
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School Rebukes Worker for Saying ‘I’ll Pray for You’
Posted: 16 May 2017 01:09 PM PDT
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Satanic Church Openly Celebrates as Christians Hide for Their Lives
Posted: 16 May 2017 01:05 PM PDT
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Israel Named as Source of Secret Intelligence Trump Gave to Russians
Posted: 16 May 2017 01:00 PM PDT
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North Korea-US End Times Bible Prophecy, Nuclear Destruction Fears: Should Christians Despair?
Posted: 16 May 2017 09:51 AM PDT
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FALLING AWAY: More Americans Now Believe Bible Is a Book of Fables, Not Literal Word of God
Posted: 16 May 2017 09:47 AM PDT
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Trump praised for expanding protections for Unborn
Posted: 16 May 2017 09:44 AM PDT
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Top Private School Brings in Skirts for Boys Amidst ‘Surge’ in ‘Trans Children’ Posted: 16 May 2017 09:23 AM PDT
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What is The Gospel?
Who Do You Think That I Am?
Selected Scriptures
Code: A335
With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.
Consider what the Bible says about Him:
JESUS IS GOD
While Jesus was on earth there was much confusion about who He was. Some thought He was a wise man or a great prophet. Others thought He was a madman. Still others couldn’t decide or didn’t care. But Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). That means He claimed to be nothing less than God in human flesh.
Many people today don’t understand that Jesus claimed to be God. They’re content to think of Him as little more than a great moral teacher. But even His enemies understood His claims to deity. That’s why they tried to stone Him to death (John 5:18; 10:33) and eventually had Him crucified (John 19:7).
C.S. Lewis observed, “You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to” (Mere Christianity [Macmillan, 1952], pp. 40-41).
If the biblical claims of Jesus are true, He is God!
JESUS IS HOLY
God is absolutely and perfectly holy (Isaiah 6:3), therefore He cannot commit or approve of evil (James 1:13).
As God, Jesus embodied every element of God’s character. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form.” He was perfectly holy (Hebrews 4:15). Even His enemies couldn’t prove any accusation against Him (John 8:46)
God requires holiness of us as well. First Peter 1:16 says, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
JESUS IS THE SAVIOR
Our failure to obey God—to be holy—places us in danger of eternal punishment (2 Thessalonians 1:9). The truth is, we cannot obey Him because we have neither the desire nor the ability to do so. We are by nature rebellious toward God (Ephesians 2:1-3). The Bible calls our rebellion “sin.” According to Scripture, everyone is guilty of sin: “There is no man who does not sin” (1 Kings 8:46). “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And we are incapable of changing our sinful condition. Jeremiah 13:23 says, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.”
That doesn’t mean we’re incapable of performing acts of human kindness. We might even be involved in various religious or humanitarian activities. But we’re utterly incapable of understanding, loving, or pleasing God on our own. The Bible says, “There is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Romans 3:10-12).
God’s holiness and justice demand that all sin be punished by death: “The soul who sins will die” (Ezekiel 18:4). That’s hard for us to understand because we tend to evaluate sin on a relative scale, assuming some sins are less serious than others. However, the Bible teaches that all acts of sin are the result of sinful thinking and evil desires. That’s why simply changing our patterns of behavior can’t solve our sin problem or eliminate its consequences. We need to be changed inwardly so our thinking and desires are holy
Jesus is the only one who can forgive and transform us, thereby delivering us from the power and penalty of sin: “There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Even though God’s justice demands death for sin, His love has provided a Savior, who paid the penalty and died for sinners: “Christ … died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Christ’s death satisfied the demands of God’s justice, thereby enabling Him to forgive and save those who place their faith in Him (Romans 3:26). John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” He alone is “our great God and Savior” (Titus 2:13).
JESUS IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE OBJECT OF SAVING FAITH
Some people think it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere. But without a valid object your faith is useless
If you take poison—thinking it’s medicine—all the faith in the world won’t restore your life. Similarly, if Jesus is the only source of salvation, and you’re trusting in anyone or anything else for your salvation, your faith is useless.
Many people assume there are many paths to God and that each religion represents an aspect of truth. But Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6). He didn’t claim to be one of many equally legitimate paths to God, or the way to God for His day only. He claimed to be the only way to God—then and forever.
JESUS IS LORD
Contemporary thinking says man is the product of evolution. But the Bible says we were created by a personal God to love, serve, and enjoy endless fellowship with Him
The New Testament reveals it was Jesus Himself who created everything (John 1:3; Colossians 1:16). Therefore He also owns and rules everything (Psalm 103:19). That means He has authority over our lives and we owe Him absolute allegiance, obedience, and worship.
Romans 10:9 says, “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Confessing Jesus as Lord means humbly submitting to His authority (Philippians 2:10-11). Believing that God has raised Him from the dead involves trusting in the historical fact of His resurrection—the pinnacle of Christian faith and the way the Father affirmed the deity and authority of the Son (Romans 1:4; Acts 17:30-31).
True faith is always accompanied by repentance from sin. Repentance is more than simply being sorry for sin. It is agreeing with God that you are sinful, confessing your sins to Him, and making a conscious choice to turn from sin and pursue holiness (Isaiah 55:7). Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15); and “If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine” (John 8:31).
It isn’t enough to believe certain facts about Christ. Even Satan and his demons believe in the true God (James 2:19), but they don’t love and obey Him. Their faith is not genuine. True saving faith always responds in obedience (Ephesians 2:10).
Jesus is the sovereign Lord. When you obey Him you are acknowledging His lordship and submitting to His authority. That doesn’t mean your obedience will always be perfect, but that is your goal. There is no area of your life that you withhold from Him.
JESUS IS THE JUDGE
All who reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior will one day face Him as their Judge: “God is now declaring to men that all everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
Second Thessalonians 1:7-9 says, “The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power.”
HOW WILL YOU RESPOND?
Who does the Bible say Jesus is? The living God, the Holy One, the Savior, the only valid object of saving faith, the sovereign Lord, and the righteous Judge.
Who do you say Jesus is? That is the inescapable question. He alone can redeem you—free you from the power and penalty of sin. He alone can transform you, restore you to fellowship with God, and give your life eternal purpose. Will you repent and believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?
Available online at: https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A335
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