BLOOMBERG
President Donald Trump and Republican leaders plan to release a tax framework this week that would dramatically cut taxes for corporations and the wealthy, provide a measure of middle-class tax relief and punish some households in Democratic-leaning states like New York and New Jersey.
U.S. Sen. John McCain says doctors have given him a “very poor prognosis” as he battles brain cancer.
Target Corp. is giving thousands of its employees a pay raise next month, hoping to stay ahead of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and other rivals in the war for talent. The retailer announced plans Monday to boost its minimum hourly wage to $11 an hour in October. Target will later up the rate to $15 by the end of 2020. The increase will apply to the 100,000 seasonal employees it’s hiring for the holidays, but the company declined to say how many of its 323,000 regular employees would see a lift.
President Donald Trump restricted or suspended travel to the U.S. from eight countries, while subtracting Sudan, from his earlier ban on travelers from six Muslim-majority nations. The new restrictions impact travel to varying degrees from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen, all of which were on the original list. The U.S. will also now restrict or ban travel from Chad, North Korea and Venezuela.
Wall Street’s robot revolution has begun. JPMorgan Chase & Co. is rolling out a program called LOXM that executes equities trades so well, it’s replacing the humans who used to do that. Goldman Sachs is in the midst of automating the initial public offering process. Innovations in financial technology — fintech — are creating competition in fields long dominated by the institutions. Vikram Pandit, who ran Citigroup Inc. during the financial crisis, says technological advances could make 30 percent of banking jobs disappear in five years. David Siegel, co-founder of quant hedge fund Two Sigma, is worried that machines will soon make swaths of the workforce obsolete.
AP Top Stories
A strong new earthquake, magnitude 6, 1shook Mexico on Saturday, killing at least two people, toppling already damaged homes and a highway bridge, and causing new alarm in a country reeling from two even more powerful quakes that together have killed more than 400 people.
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck on Friday off the coast of Northern California in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there were no reports of damage or injury.
South Korea’s weather agency said a magnitude 3.2 earthquake was detected in North Korea on Saturday close to where the country recently conducted a nuclear test, but it assessed the quake as natural.
In startling remarks made at the United Nations on Saturday, North Korea’s foreign minister said the escalating rhetoric increased the chances of a conflict.
A top Trump administration official ended up conceding on Sunday that individuals with pre-existing medical conditions might end up with higher premiums under the latest effort by Senate Republicans to repeal the Affordable Care Act.
Saudi Arabia is celebrating the 87th anniversary of its founding this weekend, and on Saturday it allowed women into the King Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh for the first time for a special pageant operetta.
A masked gunman invaded a Tennessee church Sunday and opened fire, walking silently down the aisle as he shot unsuspecting congregants. At least one person was killed and seven others wounded, authorities said. No motive for the shooting was immediately determined. Investigators said they were not aware of any relationship between the gunman and any of the worshippers,
Iraq’s central government in Baghdad ordered the country’s Kurdish region to hand over all border crossings and airports to federal government control late Sunday night, hours before the region is set to carry out a controversial referendum on support for independence.
Several dozen tradition-minded Roman Catholic theologians, priests and academics have formally accused Pope Francis of spreading heresy with his 2016 opening to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics.
US forces carried out six “precision air strikes” against an Islamic State camp in Libya, killing 17 people, the US Africa Command said Sunday.
Russian and Syrian jets escalated strikes on rebel-held Idlib and Hama provinces, several days after jihadist rebels opened an offensive against government-held parts of northwestern Syria, rebels and witnesses said on Sunday.
BBC
Iran says it has successfully tested a new-medium range missile, in defiance of US President Donald Trump.
Australia will establish a national space agency, the government has said. Although its space industry employs about 11,500 people, Australia is one of the few major developed countries that do not have a space agency.
China has moved to limit North Korea’s oil supply and will stop buying textiles from the politically isolated nation, it said on Saturday.
People are voting in a landmark referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq – a move which has been criticized by foreign powers. Kurdish leaders say an expected “yes” vote will give them a mandate to start negotiations on secession.
Hackers working for the so-called Islamic State are bad at coding and hiding what they do, suggests research.
WND
A federal judge in Minnesota with a long history of Democratic Party activism has issued a ruling that effectively concludes the LGBT agenda trumps the First Amendment’s religious-rights protections.
The Briefing 09-25-17
The collision of politics and professional sports as Trump clashes with NBA and NFL
Merkel elected to fourth term as we witness the dawn of a new political era in Germany
Danger in diplomacy: Is North Korea even a rational actor?
The post The Briefing 09-25-17 appeared first on AlbertMohler.com.
News – 9/25/2017
Turnout high as Iraqi Kurds defy threats to hold independence vote
The vote organized by Kurdish authorities is expected to deliver a comfortable “yes” for independence, but is not binding. A teenager in one SUV waved an Israeli flag, which has become common in the Kurdish region at rallies, as Israel is the only country to openly support Kurdish independence aspirations. Many shops were closed on the morning of the referendum for what was a day off in the region.
Buddhist Monk says all races and religions could live together if it weren’t for Muslims
Buddhist Monk: All religions could Coexist…But Muslims Don’t Want To. (Video)
“Forget Germany, Spain Is The Real Problem”
Division wihin Europe are mounting again. Any success by Catalonia sets a dangerous precedent for other want-away regions, not just in Spain. It emphasizes that many of the structural imbalances in the euro zone haven’t been fixed. Inequality is still growing.
150 Years Since Mark Twain’s Prophetic Israel Revelation in ‘Innocents Abroad’ When Twain visited, the Old City was a “backwater town for the Ottomans, not a glorious city like it is today.” But now, he told Breaking Israel News, “We are living in the realization of the prophecies that Twain witnessed. Only when the Jewish people returned to the land was it built up. Am Yisrael (the Jewish people) returned and finally we see the true unfolding of the redemption process.”
European Union to boycott Israeli state ceremony
On Monday, however, Arutz Sheva was informed that the European Union’s Ambassador to Israel, Emanuele Giaufret, will not be attending the event, despite having received a formal invitation. Staff at Giaufret’s office confirmed that the ambassador had indeed been invited to the ceremony, adding that his decision to snub the event was consistent with the views espoused by the EU’s member states.
Iran displays S-300 defense system
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard on Sunday displayed the country’s sophisticated Russian-made S-300 air defense system in central Tehran, … This is the first time that the S-300 air defense system has been displayed in public.
The rise of Germany’s far-right: AfD leader talks to the ‘Post’
Much of the attention throughout the German campaign centered on the rise of the far-right party Alternative for Deutschland (AfD). Established just five years ago as a Euroskeptic party, it has since evolved to garner messages that are similar to other European far-right parties: anti-immigration, anti-Islam, anti-EU and German nationalism.
Greenblatt to Israel ‘to continue peace track’
Special representative Jason Greenblatt will return to Israel in early October. “While President Trump had productive meetings with Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas at the United Nations, we always said that the UN would not focus on peace conversations and that those conversations would be happening on a separate track,” the official said. “The meetings are part of the Administration’s quiet, steady discussions towards peace.”
For first time in over two years, PA to hold cabinet meeting in Gaza
For the first time in more than two years, the Palestinian Authority government will hold a cabinet meeting in the Gaza Strip next Tuesday, official PA media reported Monday morning. “[PA] Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, in consultation with President Mahmoud Abbas, issued a decision to hold the government’s weekly cabinet meeting in the Gaza Strip,” PA government spokesman Yousif Mahmoud said.
Bali volcano: ‘Thousands evacuated’ from Mount Agung area
The Red Cross says more than 42,000 people have been evacuated from their homes near an active volcano in Bali, as authorities warn it could erupt. The area around Mount Agung has seen hundreds of tremors and signs of magma rising to the surface in recent days. Authorities have imposed a 12km (7.5-mile) exclusion zone around the mountain and issued their highest level alert on Friday.
Iraqi Kurdistan in historic independence vote
People are voting in a landmark referendum on independence for the Kurdistan Region of Iraq – a move which has been criticised by foreign powers. Polls are open in the three northern provinces that make up the region, as well as disputed areas claimed by the Kurds and the government in Baghdad. Iraq’s prime minister has denounced the referendum as “unconstitutional”.
Auditor claims Vatican axed him for probing illegal activity
The Vatican’s former auditor general, who resigned without explanation in June, said Sunday he was forced out after his investigations into possible illegal activity hit too close to home. “Let me be clear: I did not voluntarily resign. I was threatened with arrest,” Libero Milone said in an interview conducted with four media outlets including Italy’s Corriere della Sera daily.
Conditions growing dire in hurricane-hit Puerto Rico
Living conditions in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico are growing worse by the day, with tired, bewildered people lining up to buy scarce fuel and food Sunday amid a blackout and little to no telephone service. Puerto Ricans are spending hours waiting in line to buy whatever they can, but often go home empty-handed if they do not manage a purchase before a dusk to dawn curfew takes effect.
Violent Crime in U.S. Rises for Second Consecutive Year
Violent crime, including homicides, rose for the second consecutive year in 2016, driven by increases in a few urban centers including Baltimore, Chicago and Las Vegas, according to F.B.I. data… Violent crimes increased nationally last year by 4.1 percent and homicides rose by 8.6 percent, one year after violence increased by 3.9 percent and homicides jumped by 10.8 percent. A total of 17,250 people were murdered in 2016…
Tennessee Church Shooting Suspect Is A Sudanese Bodybuilder
Nashville Police have identified the suspect of a mass shooting at a church Sunday morning as 25-year-old Emanuel Kidega Samson. Samson is being charged with murder and multiple counts of attempted murder in the attack that killed one and left at least seven other people injured at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ in Antioch, a town just south of Nashville, Tenn.
Debate swirls as power of US tech giants grows
With a handful of US technology giants growing more powerful and dominant, debate is intensifying on whether big tech’s growth is healthy or not. Over the past few years, Apple, Google parent Alphabet, Facebook and Amazon have become among the world’s most valuable companies. Along with stalwarts like Microsoft and rising stars like Netflix, the tech firms exercise enormous control over what people see and how they live.
Netanyahu acquiesces to Trump request to delay settlement talks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed ministers of the Security Cabinet…of his decision to postpone a meeting scheduled for this week of the West Bank Civil Administration’s planning committee following a request by US President Donald Trump. Justifying his decision to hold off on the meeting by a week or two…the prime minister told the ministers present he had no intention of humiliating the pro-Israel Trump administration…
US, Israel pressuring Interpol to reject Palestinian request to join
Israel and the United States are pressuring international policing organization Interpol to not allow the Palestinian Authority to accede to the organization as a member state. Interpol’s General Assembly has convened in China to discuss whether to postpone opening membership to the organization or hold a vote later this week on accepting any new states.
Former Congressman Warns That Foreign Countries Could Bribe The Feds To “Regulate Drudge”
A former Republican Congressman from Colorado has warned that a foreign country could bribe or “incentivize” the FCC to regulate and “rein in” popular conservative news outlets, including The Drudge Report.
Russia’s Secret Agent Man Hiding in Plain Sight
Russia Secret Agent Man’ Barack Hussein Obama is hiding in plain sight. In fact he hid in plain sight right in the Oval Office for eight, long uninterrupted years.
CHRISTIANS OUTRAGED: Ontario Passes Law Allowing Gov’t to Seize Children From Parents Who Oppose Gender Transition
Canada’s Ontario province has passed legislation that allows the government to seize children from families that refuse to accept their child’s chosen “gender identity” or “gender expression.”
Looking Skywards, Buzzards Closing in on the White House
When the globalist/progressive/left created Barack Hussein Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton, assigning them the task to finish off what is left of the West, they crafted them as wind-up dolls that would keep on going even after leaving public office.
More quakes shake ‘ring of fire’
Two more earthquakes shook southern Mexico Saturday, further rattling a country still coming to grips with the devastation from stronger temblors earlier this month. Meanwhile, Californians are anxious about a possible Big One, because of the recent major quakes – all seemingly hitting in the “ring of fire,” where about 90 percent of seismic activity occurs.
Girls as Young as Four ‘Forced’ to Wear Hijab in British State Funded Schools
Islamic schools including those funded by the British government and private institutions are forcing children — some of whom are very young — to wear the Islamic Hijab as part of their uniform code.
BADASS: ISRAEL TO ARM APACHE HELICOPTERS WITH ITS OWN SPIKE MISSILES
How Obama’s betrayal during the 2014 Gaza War made it possible.
THANKS SHMUCK: In violation of Obama’s horrendous nuclear deal, Iran tests balistic
Iran says it has successfully tested a new ballistic missile that can carry multiple warheads and travel up to 2000 kilometres. Over and over again, Iran threatens to destroy Israel – why is the world silent?
3 Large Earthquakes And A Major Volcanic Eruption In Mexico Spark Fears That The Big One Could Hit California Soon
The portion of “the Ring of Fire” that runs along the west coast of North America is starting to shake like a leaf. As most of you already know, the outer perimeter of the Pacific Ocean is known for high levels of seismic activity, and the experts tell us that more than 80 percent of all earthquakes and more than 70 percent of all volcanic eruptions take place within the Ring of Fire. The North American section of the Ring of Fire has been relatively quiet for an extended period of time, but now all of the shaking down in Mexico is causing a tremendous amount of concern. In fact, some now fear that all of the shaking down there may be a harbinger of things to come for California. (Read More…)
The US cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Sacramento have all been rattled by large earthquakes 1.5 magnitude or greater in the past day.
The largest quake measured 2.6 magnitude and struck 4.30am local time at a depth of 23km near Tuolumne City, around 213km from San Francisco.
Eleven of the tremors were over 2.0 magnitude, while the rest were between 1.0 to 2.0 magnitude, according to Earthquake Track.
Although relatively small, the wave of earthquakes will entrench fears that a massive tremor measuring 7.0 or above could strike the region.
Scientists believe the US state is overdue a “big one” magnitude 7 or over earthquake by around 50 years.
Featured Blogs
ZeroHedge Frontrunning: September 25
- Merkel’s Bloc Regroups After ‘Nightmare Victory’ in Germany (Read More)
- Germany’s Election Results Reflect European Unease on Economy, Immigration (Read More)
- Chastened Merkel looks for coalition partners after vote (Read More)
- Jews around world concerned by far-right breakthrough in German election (Read More)
- Iraqi Kurds Vote in Independence Referendum (Read More)
- GOP Revises Obamacare Repeal With Bill Headed to Likely Defeat (Read More)
- Trump Tax Plan to Cut Taxes for Corporations and Wealthy (Read More)
- Trump’s Revised Travel Ban Opens New Stage in Legal Fight (Read More)
- Trump’s War With NFL Threatens to Overshadow Rollout of Tax Plan (Read More)
- Trump’s NFL Anthem Crusade Angers Big Campaign Donors (Read More)
- China Eyeing Rule Change That Could Aid Tesla (Read More)
- Springsteen Tickets Hit $10,000, and Wall Street Gets Scalped (Read More)
- Equifax’s Massive Hack Has a Tiny Silver Lining (Read More)
- Colleges Move to Close Gender Gap in Science (Read More)
- iPhone Disappointment Hammers Suppliers (Read More)
- Funding Tesla Annoys Automakers That Need Electric Car Credits (Read More)
- Department Stores Cling to Power Over Landlords on Mall Upgrades (Read More)
- In World’s Hottest Oil Patch, Jitters Mount That a Bust Is Near (Read More)
- GE Agrees to Sell Industrial Unit to ABB for $2.6 Billion (Read More)
- Activist Funds Seek Ouster of Tuesday Morning CEO (Read More)
- Unilever to Buy Korean Skin-Care Firm for $2.7 Billion (Read More)
Headlines – 9/25/2017
US special envoy Greenblatt expected in Israel to advance peace talks
Netanyahu Tells Cabinet Ministers: Trump Prepping Peace Plan, Determined to Make Progress
Netanyahu said to delay settlement planning committee meet at US request
PA premier to visit Gaza next week to take control from Hamas
Palestinian chief negotiator at top of US transplant waiting list
Women Wage Peace march to end Israeli-Palestinian conflict
‘The Media Is All Garbage’: Why Israelis Have Bought Netanyahu’s Line on Fake News
Israel Tells High Court: Bedouin in Unauthorized West Bank Village Will Be Evacuated by Mid-2018
Israel seeking to block fresh Palestinian bid to join Interpol
For help fighting terror, London police look to Israel
Syrian foreign minister at UN: Israel aids terrorists, we’ll take back the Golan
US Senate boosts Israel’s missile defense program
Despite alleged Israeli strikes, Hezbollah will keep building its arsenal
Russian defense minister to make first official visit to Israel next month
Russian defense minister to make rare Israel visit for talks on Syria
The Kurds: One stateless people across four countries
Iraqi Kurds polarised as region holds historic referendum on independence
Iraqi Kurdish official: No ‘redrawing’ borders
Iraqi PM accuses Kurdish leaders of corruption ahead of referendum
Iraq Kurds begin historic independence vote in defiance of Baghdad
The Birth Pains of a New Kurdish State Start Today
Russia Now Iraqi Kurds’ Biggest Source of Funds, Signals Support for Kurdish Independence
Kurdish president says partnership with Iraq is over
Turkey denies it closed Iraq border over Kurdish vote
Kurdish Referendum: Turkey Threatens to Take ‘All Measures’ as Kurdistan Independence Vote Begins
Syria rejects Iraqi Kurdish independence referendum
Iran halts flights to Iraqi Kurdistan at request of Baghdad
Iran halts flights to Iraq’s Kurdish region in retaliation for independence vote
Iran says Iraqi Kurdish vote ‘untimely,’ ‘wrong’
Iran launches war games near Iraqi Kurdistan border
Iran says Guards attack Islamic State with drones in Eastern Syria
‘Highest Ranking’ Russian General Killed in ISIS Attack in Syria
US army bombs ISIS camp in Libya, kills 17 militants
Pentagon Tests Lasers and Nets to Combat a Vexing Foe: ISIS Drones
London mayor: Like Islamic State, Trump fueling ‘clash of civilizations’
Evidence of rape in Myanmar army ‘cleansing’ campaign
Car bomber hits NATO convoy in Afghanistan, wounds five civilians
Iran shows off S-300 air defense missiles amid rocketing tensions
Liberman: ‘Imagine a World With Iran as Nuclear World Power’
North Korea nuclear tests: How far will radiation travel if a leak occurs?
North Korea ‘blows up US aircraft carrier and jets’ in new propaganda video
Trump and North Korea war of words escalates
Trump cranks up North Korea threats as Pyongyang holds anti-U.S. rally
North Korea, Venezuela, Chad among countries on new US travel ban
Brazil’s army sent to quell Rio favela violence
Catalonia referendum: Madrid moves to take over local policing
As Germans clip Merkel’s wings, Brussels braces for turbulence
Weakened Merkel wins fourth term, hit by nationalist ‘earthquake’
Far-right party wins seats in German parliament for first time in decades
Trepidation looms as Europe’s Jews watch rise of German far-right
Euro slips after German election results
U.S. to partially unveil key NAFTA proposal, talks seen dragging
Jared Kushner Reportedly Used Private Email Account for White House Business
Doomsday Conspiracy Theory: David Meade Reschedules Apocalypse for October After World Didn’t End
The world didn’t end on September 23, but here are six other major threats to humanity
Europe urged to reconsider pullout from ‘Armageddon’ asteroid mission
5.7 magnitude earthquake hits near Paredon, Mexico
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Bristol Island, South Sandwich Islands
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Bengkulu, Indonesia
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Taron, Papua New Guinea
Bali’s Mount Agung volcano ‘critical’ with hundreds of tremors every day
Evacuations from Bali volcano swell to about 50,000
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 27,000ft
Sinabung volcano in Indonesia erupts to 21,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,500ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Ulawun volcano in Papua New Guinea erupts to 10,000ft
Maria prompts tropical storm watches to be issued for Carolina and Virginia coasts
Hurricanes may compel even more Puerto Rico residents to flee to the mainland, officials warn
Conditions growing dire in hurricane-hit Puerto Rico
Puerto Rican Astronaut Slammed By Two Hurricanes While in Orbit
Military stretched thin by hurricane relief efforts
Tropical Storm Pilar to unleash flooding, mudslides across southwestern Mexico
Tropical pressure system on course to hit Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay
Texas Officials Urge Trump to Act on FEMA Funding for Houses of Worship
Joel Osteen opens Houston megachurch to Jews whose synagogue was flooded
Global Emergency: The world is running out of antibiotics, says WHO
Drug-resistant strain of malaria spreading through Southeast Asia
Officials say swine flu detected in 11 pigs at Maryland fair
Pope’s sex abuse advisers also look into children of priests
Clergy abuse cases could hit 1,000
Auditor claims Vatican axed him for probing illegal activity
Bishop blasts ‘satanic’ London Fashion Week show
Vermont substitute elementary school teacher fired after teaching kids Nazi salute
The Politicization of Everything
Lawyers say Trump’s free speech shows contempt for free speech
Trump’s call for boycott of NFL reignites furor over players’ national anthem protests
Police: Man arrested near White House had cache of weapons in car
1 killed, multiple people stabbed in CMC prison riot involving over 160 inmates
Model ‘scalped and drained of blood’ in murder unprecedented ‘outside wartime’
Violent Crime in US Rises for Second Consecutive Year
Michelle Lesley – The Five Solas of the Protestant Deformation
Kris Vallotton — Following the Bible is Small Minded
Prophet James Goll’s ‘revealing’ interpretation of Luke 7:44
The Shack Author Teaches New Age Lie on TBN – The God “in” Everything Heresy
Sudanese Immigrant Kills One, Wounds Seven at Tennessee Church
The Most Evangelical States in America
Idaho ranks worst in nation for faith healing deaths
UK Judge Rules Starving Minimally Conscious Patients to Death Does Not Always Need Court Approval
Planned Parenthood Wants Maine to Allow Nurse Practitioners, Midwives to Perform Abortions
Christian Filmmakers Must Work Gay Weddings Despite Religious Beliefs, Minnesota Court Rules
| North Korea ‘blows up US aircraft carrier and jets’ in new propaganda video
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 08:46 AM PDT  North Korean state media has released a new video depicting the destruction of US aircraft and warships and warning that any attack on the North will see US forces “head to the grave”. The 99-second clip was released on Sunday by the DPRK Today news site, just hours after two US Air Force B-1B Lancer
bombers flew off the coast of North Korea in a show of force. Accompanied by US fighters based in Okinawa, the bombers flew further north of the Demilitarised Zone that divides the Korean Peninsula than any US military aircraft in the 21st century, according to the Pentagon. READ MORE |
| Another Perspective Of The “Days of Noah”
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 08:33 AM PDT  (By Dr. Michael Brown) Have you heard this before? “We know that the last days will be wicked. Very wicked. Just like the days of Noah. That’s what Jesus said.” One website states, “Jesus said that the end times would be like the days of Noah and Lot. Are we living in a day like that?” Another site explains, “Regardless of how one interprets Matthew 24, there’s no doubt that Christ referred to the rebellion and judgment in Noah’s day, which He compared to mankind’s subsequent rebellion and impending judgment. It’s a sober warning
for any generation to consider.” A pastor on YouTube argues that, just as Noah’s day was marked by the great flood, so our day has been marked by massive hurricanes like Harvey, which dumped unprecedented amounts of water on our land. Another Christian teacher goes even further, suggesting a potential connection to aliens: “There continues to be a flow of articles, books and entertainment programs dealing with UFOs, aliens and the like. Many wonder if there is a connection or relationship to the prediction of our Lord in Luke 17:26 (NKJV): ‘And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man.’ READ MORE |
| Mystery Lights In California Spark Planet X Hysteria
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 08:29 AM PDT  ATTENTION: The following report does not reflect the views, opinions or expressions of End Time Headlines
The prediction that a hidden planet was meant to smash into Earth on Saturday — killing us all — was laughed at by experts. But that quickly turned into nervous laughter when a number of people spotted strange lights in the skies above America hours before the destruction was supposed to take place. Freaked-out Los Angeles residents saw what they described as a UFO with a weird crescent flying over them. People in Huntington Beach, California, witnessed it too. One person posted on Twitter: ‘We totally just saw UFO over Los Angeles! crazy crescent wing out of light, sputtered slowly, then zoomed outta here! That was nuts.’ Others joked about it being one of Kim Jong-Un’s missiles.Earlier this week, conspiracy theorists were lining up to warn us of hidden Planet X, which for obvious reasons was not been detected by Nasa. READ MORE
|
| Venezuelan doctors and teachers resort to prostitution to buy food…
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 08:19 AM PDT  At a squat, concrete brothel on the muddy banks of the Arauca River, Gabriel Sánchez rattled off the previous jobs of the women who now sell their bodies at his establishment for $25 an hour. “We’ve got lots of teachers, some doctors, many professional women and one petroleum engineer,” he yelled over the din of vallenato music. “All of them showed up with their degrees in hand.” And all of them came
from Venezuela. As Venezuela’s economy continues to collapse amid food shortages, hyperinflation and U.S. sanctions, waves of economic refugees have fled the country. Those with the means have gone to places like Miami, Santiago and Panama. READ MORE |
| DECLINE OF AMERICA: Only Quarter Of Americans Can Name All 3 Branches Of Gov’t…
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 08:15 AM PDT  A sizable portion of the American public seems to show little interest in the fabric of the country’s government and history, a new survey finds. Researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) surveyed over 1,000 American adults, finding a shocking lack of knowledge as it pertains to U.S. politics among the general populace. Fifty-three percent of respondents believed the falsehood that illegal
immigrants aren’t granted any constitutional rights, while 37 percent couldn’t even name a single right endowed by the First Amendment. Thankfully, 48 percent of those surveyed were able to identify freedom of speech as being a right enshrined by the First Amendment, although far fewer could identify other rights accorded. READ MORE |
| Israel must be ready to take on Iran on it’s own.
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 06:01 AM PDT  Israel must ask the international community to stop Iran’s nuclearization but prepare to do the task on its own in case the world fails, Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post on Sunday. Bennett, who is a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet, spoke before a meeting of the forum, in which the prime minister reported about his meetings with US President Donald Trump and other world leaders and his progress on the Iranian issue. The
meeting was held a day after Iran tested a ballistic missile capable of reaching Israel, as security cabinet members backed Netanyahu’s call at the UN last week to either scrap or change the nuclear deal with Iran.“On the one hand, we need to persuade the US to apply paralyzing sanctions of the highest level as soon as possible,” Bennett said. “Iran must be forced to choose between the nuclear path and a prosperous economy. READ MORE |
| Why are these five locations censored on Google Maps?
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 05:56 AM PDT  Google Maps is one of the most used websites across the globe, but there are some places that even Google don’t want you to see. Most people assume that Google Maps lists every single street, city and country around the world. But there some mysterious places that don’t appear as they should. Five of the most mysteriously blurred-out places were revealed by Youtube user, Dark5, in a video. The information
was uploaded in June 2016, and has been a viral sensation ever since. Express.co.uk researched the places across the globe and lists them below. In the middle of the Mohave Desert, California, is a large airstrip and military testing site known as Junction Ranch. Part of the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, it’s believed people are working on “black” drone projects in the area. READ MORE |
| Israeli planes attack Hezbollah weapons warehouse
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 05:49 AM PDT  Israeli aircraft on Friday night attacked several targets near the Damascus airfield, Syrian media reported. The attack seems to have been directed at weapons storehouses belonging to Hezbollah and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s army. Syrian websites published pictures of fires which were claimed to be the result of the attack. An IDF spokesperson said he would “not respond” to the reports.
On September 7, the Syrian army claimed Israeli warplanes had attacked a military base in western Syria. According to the announcement, two soldiers were killed in the strikes and part of the base was destroyed. The IDF did not confirm responsibility for the attack. READ MORE |
| Crowd Recites Lord’s Prayer at Football Game After Group Complains About Loudspeaker Prayer
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 05:45 AM PDT  Students, players and members of the public attending a high school football game in Alabama stood up and recited the Lord’s Prayer in unison on Friday after a secular group complained about a student-led prayer that was broadcast over the loudspeaker during a recent game. On Aug. 31, the Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) sent a letter to Dr. James McCoy Jr., superintendent of Lee
County Schools, regarding a prayer that a student volunteered to deliver before a high school football game. “It is our understanding that on August 25, 2017, Smiths Station High School broadcasted a prayer over the loudspeaker prior to the first football game of the season,” wrote FFRF legal fellow Christopher Line. “We understand that this prayer took place right after the national anthem.” READ MORE |
| Historic church hosts satanic fashion show
Posted: 25 Sep 2017 05:38 AM PDT 
A bitter row has erupted after a fashion show featuring satanic designs was held at a historic church. Leading clerics branded the event ‘blasphemous’ after models dressed as devils and vampires sashayed in front of the altar. The show, part of London Fashion Week, was highlighting the work of controversial Turkish designer Dilara Findikoglu, whose creations have been worn by celebrities including singer Rihanna. Against a backdrop of demonic images, heavily made-up models wearing horns or displaying upside-down crosses paraded down the aisle-turned-catwalk of St Andrew Holborn church in Central London last week.Ms Findikoglu, who has been described as an ‘up-and-coming rebel of the fashion world’, told Vogue magazine earlier this month of her fascination with the occult and magic. READ MORE |
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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