June 27: The Truth about Truth

Nehemiah 12:1–13:31; 2 John 1–6; Psalm 115:1–18

John the Evangelist’s letter to the “elect lady” presents a picture of joy and hope, as he “rejoiced greatly to find some of [her] children walking in truth, just as we were commanded by the father” (2 John 4). One word keeps reappearing in John’s letter, focusing his message: truth. John says that he loves the elect lady and her children “in truth” (2 John 1). He says that all who know the truth also love them. His reason is simple: “the truth … resides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). When John speaks of truth, he’s referring to Jesus (John 14:6).

After his initial greeting, John goes on to express his wishes: May “Grace, mercy, [and] peace … be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Son of the Father in truth and love” (2 John 3). In acknowledging the source of truth, John acknowledges his connection to it. All believers live in truth because they are linked to God, who is the Truth. He is the source for all they do (that is godly), all they are (that is holy), and all that they will become (that is virtuous).

In a few brief statements, John teaches us an important lesson: God is the source of all the goodness in the world. Even in acknowledging others, we must acknowledge Him. If we’re to discuss truth, then we must talk about Him.

The elect lady that John addresses is not only truthful—she also leads others to the truth. When we act to encourage someone to work toward who they’re meant to be, we need to follow her example. We need to first lead them to truth: God.

What is God teaching you about truth? How can you live it?

John D. Barry^[1]

---

^[1] Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

June 27 Exposing Dead Faith

“What use is it, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but he has no works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and be filled’; and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body; what use is that? Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:14–17).

✧✧✧

Dead faith is hypocritical, shallow, and useless.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Your righteous deeds illuminate the path to God by reflecting His power and grace to others. That brings Him glory and proves your faith is genuine.

Your deeds also serve as the basis of divine judgment. If you practice righteousness, you will receive eternal life; if you practice unrighteousness, you will receive “wrath and indignation” (Rom. 2:6–8). God will judge you on the basis of your deeds, because what you do reveals who you really are and what you really believe. That’s why any so-called faith that doesn’t produce good works is dead and utterly useless!

James illustrates that point in a practical way. If someone lacks the basic necessities of life and comes to you for help, what good does it do if you simply wish him well and send him away without meeting any of his needs? It does no good at all! Your pious words are hypocritical and without substance. If you really wished him well, you would do what you could to give him what he needs! Your unwillingness to do so betrays your true feelings. Similarly, dead faith is hypocritical, shallow, and useless because it doesn’t put its claims into action; indeed, it has no divine capacity to do so.

I pray that your life will always manifest true faith and that others will glorify God because of your good works.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer:  Perhaps you know someone whose claim to Christianity is doubtful because his or her life doesn’t evidence the fruit of righteousness. If so, pray for that person regularly and set an example by your own good works.

For Further Study: Read John 15:1–8. ✧ What illustration did Jesus use for spiritual fruitfulness? ✧ What is the prerequisite for fruitfulness?^[1]

---

^[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1993). Drawing Near—Daily Readings for a Deeper Faith (p. 191). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Share this:

06/27/2018 — Wretched

WR2018-0627

•Peer Pressure day on Witness Wednesday
•Cayenne doesn’t want to be preached at, but her family pushes her onto the phone
•Michael’s lady friends cheer him on as he gets witnessed to
•Joshua is open to any religion
•Antonio is trying to better his life

Download Now (right click and save)

via 06/27/2018 — Wretched

Russell Moore wants Evangelicals to “crucify our political alliances.” – Wretched — Pulpit & Pen

via Russell Moore wants Evangelicals to “crucify our political alliances.” – Wretched — Pulpit & Pen

The Supreme Court Delivers Another Stinging Rebuke to Anti-Free-Speech Authoritarians — National Review

In Janus v. AFSCME, the court struck a strong blow against government-compelled speech for the third time this term.

via The Supreme Court Delivers Another Stinging Rebuke to Anti-Free-Speech Authoritarians — National Review

What The Media Really Thinks of You

06-27-2018 • Mark Dice Video-What The Media Really Thinks

Mark Dice Compiles the left view of what the Media Thinks of You

Read Full Story

Source: What The Media Really Thinks of YouWhat The Media Really Thinks of You

Protestant Students in Russia Deported, Fined for Worship Videos in Anti-Missionary Crackdown

Anti-missionary crackdowns in Russia are increasing and largely targeting Christian Protestants, a human rights group has warned, with two African students recently being told they will be deported for participating in worship videos in Nizhny Novgorod.

Source: Protestant Students in Russia Deported, Fined for Worship Videos in Anti-Missionary Crackdown

Poll: Americans Trust NPR and PBS, but Don’t Trust Fox and MSNBC

Americans say NPR, the Associated Press, PBS and The Wall Street Journal are the most accurate and unbiased news sources while MSNBC and Fox News are among the least accurate and most biased, according to a new survey and report by Gallup and the Knight Foundation.

Source: Poll: Americans Trust NPR and PBS, but Don’t Trust Fox and MSNBC

CNN Gets Served: Failing Network Loses To Food Network In Latest Ratings

“Take that, Hallmark Channel!” That could be one of the phrases being kicked around CNN’s marketing department, as the network looks for slogans to promote its performance in last week’s ratings of basic cable channels. According to the numbers compiled by Nielsen Media Research, CNN’s prime-time programming attracted an average viewership of 758,000 from June… The post CNN Gets Served: Failing Network Loses To Food Network In Latest Ratings appeared first on Conservative Tribune .

Source: CNN Gets Served: Failing Network Loses To Food Network In Latest Ratings

Alexander: If hypocrisy was a virtue…

Democrat Protagonists Are Masters of Hypocrisy

If hypocrisy was a virtue, Democrats would be the most virtuous among us.

Mark Alexander

“Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks — no form of government can render us secure.” —James Madison (1778) Group generalizations are rarely accurate, but in the case of Democrat protagonists, hypocrisy is a virtually unanimous trait. This past week provided several notable examples of how leftist hypocrites have taken their trade to new lows, as if such duplicity were virtuous. Last weekend, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders was dining with family and friends at Red Hen, a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Lexington, Virginia. After she was recognized by one of the Hen’s gender dysphoric employees, he frantically phoned the restaurant owner to respond to this crisis. When owner Stephanie Wilkinson arrived, by her account she asked her employees, “Tell me what you want me to do. I can ask her to leave. They said ‘yes.'” According to Wilkerson, a leftist sympathizer, Sanders works for an “inhumane and unethical” administration, whose “cruelest policies could not stand.” She asked Sanders to step outside and told her to leave. She went back to the table to gather her belongings, and not wanting to create a disturbance for the rest of the customers, she and her friends walked out. According to Wilkinson, “They offered to pay. I said, ‘No. It’s on the house.'” (Isn’t that special!) Wilkinson added, “This feels like the moment in our democracy when people have to make uncomfortable actions and decisions to uphold their morals.” She then followed Sanders and her party across the street to another restaurant where she heckled her from the sidewalk. Such brave and bold bigotry! Sanders confirmed: “I was told by the owner of Red Hen in Lexington, VA to leave because I work for @POTUS, and I politely left. Her actions say far more about her than about me. I always do my best to treat people, including those I disagree with, respectfully and will continue to do so.” The Red Hen is a case study of hypocrisy for two reasons. First, Wilkinson displays a quote from Martin Luther King in her front window: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” So her idea of “love” is to throw people out on the street because they don’t comport with her political views? Were he alive today, I suspect Dr. King would be deeply discouraged by the intolerance of the Left and saddened by its cynical use of his image and words. And I’m certain that he’d deplore this discrimination by mere association — which is precisely the sort of thing he spent his life peacefully protesting against. Second, after the Supreme Court recently affirmed the right of a small business owner to refuse to use his artistic talents toward a message that was at odds with his deeply held First Amendment religious beliefs, Democrats howled about the injustice. “Bake us a cake or else!” they screeched. But as Ben Shapiro notes, “The [Red Hen and Masterpiece Cakeshop] cases are easily distinguishable in that the restaurant serves the same menu to people of all political persuasions generally, and the baker was being asked to provide a special, tailored service to a special event.” In the Masterpiece Cakeshop case, the owner had always served all people, regardless of their affiliations. In the Red Hen case, Sarah Sanders was denied service altogether precisely because of her affiliations. For his part, Donald Trump chastised Wilkerson: “The Red Hen Restaurant should focus more on cleaning its filthy canopies, doors and windows (badly needs a paint job) rather than refusing to serve a fine person like Sarah Huckabee Sanders. I always had a rule, if a restaurant is dirty on the outside, it is dirty on the inside!” Even Barack Obama’s chief strategist David Axelrod said he was “amazed and appalled by the number of folks on the left who applauded the expulsion of [Sanders] and her family from a restaurant.” Given the avalanche of negative press her actions created for the small, historic town of Lexington, Wilkinson was asked to resign her post as executive director of Main Street Lexington, a group tasked with promoting Lexington’s economy. My recommendation would be that grassroots conservatives wearing Trump shirts and MAGA hats flood the Red Hen and ask to use the bathrooms! So what inspired this absurd confrontation? Ironically, the Red Hen incident is the result of Democrat leaders scrambling to derail support for Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. I note “ironic” because the Red Hen is undoubtedly riding the wave of economic confidence and growth that Trump administration policies have generated. Adding to his economic policy success this week, CNBC’s All-America Economic Survey reports that Trump’s economic approval rating has surged six points to 51%, and overall 54% of Americans say the economy is good or excellent — the highest recorded by CNBC since the survey began 10 years ago. I outlined the Demos’ derailment efforts last week in “Demo Party Leaders Don’t Care About Immigrant Children,” an assessment of their viral diversionary immigration charade thrust upon the nation’s conscience. They and their Leftmedia machine unleashed a massive social media campaign of lies and deceptions to create a firestorm, using viral images of children in cages, claiming they were “ripped from the arms of their parents by Donald Trump” and comparing Trump to Hitler. (The photos were taken in 2014 when Obama was setting immigration policy.) Demos then followed up with loads of other spurious viral images of crying children (one of them featured on a Time magazine cover), and even a fake Facebook fundraiser. They calculated that the emotional impact of these photos would overrule any concern for authenticity, banking on the fact that many of their constituents are emotionally incontinent dupes and are unable to exercise discretion regarding this immigration Demo-goguery. It appears that the Demos have found the hatefest that will elevate the immigration issue before the midterm elections and undermine Republican efforts to pass any meaningful immigration reform legislation. But their immigration farce is also an abject example of hypocrisy (which I explain at the end of this column). Seizing the “babies ripped from mothers’ arms by Trump” momentum, race-bait agitator Maxine Waters (D-CA) called for mob attacks on Trump administration officials who dare show their faces in public. According to Waters, “Let’s make sure we show up wherever we have to show up. If you see anybody from that [administration] in a restaurant, in a department store, at a gasoline station, you get out and you create a crowd! And you push back on them! Tell them they’re not welcome anymore, anywhere! … Already you have [Trump people] that are being booed out of restaurants. We have protesters taking up at their house. … God is on our side!” That was a reference to Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen being harassed out of a restaurant by socialists who spotted her there — before Sanders was jack-booted from the Red Hen. Members of the #Resistance then showed up at Nielsen’s home to harass her and her family. Trump responded to Waters: “The face of the Democrats is now Maxine Waters who, together with Nancy Pelosi, have established a fine leadership team. The Left is trying to bully and buy their way back into power. Not on my watch. I will always stand up for you. … Waters has just called for harm to supporters… Be careful what you wish for Max!” Rarely a voice of reason, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) knew exactly where Trump was going with his “be careful Max” warning and that Waters’s incitement was going to lead to violence. Schumer issued this rebuke: “I strongly disagree with those who advocate harassing folks if they don’t agree with you. … No one should call for the harassment of political opponents. That’s not right. That’s not American.” But Waters’s hateful rhetoric is already drawing out the unhinged fringe. As I note in this column, Democrats have unleashed a massive campaign of lies and deceptions in order to ensure victory in the upcoming midterm elections — especially to ensure that Donald Trump will have no more opportunity to nominate conservative jurists for the Supreme Court after the next Congress is seated. We are on the frontlines of the battle to undo the Democrats dezinformatsiya campaigns and are the most cost-effective means of dislodging the Leftmedia’s stranglehold on public opinion. Please support our fight to defend Liberty by supporting The Patriot Fund today. Yesterday, a Democrat activist was arrested for threatening to kill the children of Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL). And the frequency of death threats against Republican members of Congress is growing. This is the same hate-mongering that resulted in the armed assault on Republicans last year, when a Bernie Sanders supporter shot House Majority Whip Steve Scalise and four others. Responding to the growing chorus of hate rhetoric on the Left, Scalise said, We have a responsibility to make sure that, as we’re discussing our disagreements, we’re not trying to incite others to violence. … Nobody should be inciting harassment or violence of any sort just because we disagree with each other on issues. We’ve got a great battlefield of ideas where we can actually discuss our disagreements publicly, but we’ve got to do it in a civil way where we respect the differences of opinion. But Democratic Black Caucus chairman Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) doubled down by defending Waters, declaring, She encouraged Americans to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. He added, Where is the national conversation on civility in these moments? Good question. Adolescent protesters (of all ages) are now taking up residence outside key administration officials’ homes, threatening the children of DHS employees, leaving burned and beheaded animal carcasses on their doorsteps, and exposing the names and addresses of immigration agents so they can be targeted. These agitators are the effluent of last year’s antifa movement of self-proclaimed anti-fascists who are in fact an extreme manifestation of fascism. Of course, leftist cultural icons are also churning the hate against anyone who would dare not support open borders. This is pure and simple racism — that’s all this is, declared Hollywood gatekeeper Rob Reiner this week. [Trump is] hoping that the people who support him will be ginned up and running to the polls to make sure that brown people don’t come into America. … It’s a fascist playbook. … Those people who are supporting what he’s doing [on the border] are racists, period. (His wife compared Trump to Hitler.) What’s gotten very little attention amid all the immigration Demo-drama and their support of open borders is the fact that Mexico, now one of the most violent nations in the world, is about to be under a communist president, who is backed by the drug cartels. On Sunday, Mexico will elect its next president, most likely Andrés Manuel López Obrador (nicknamed AMLO), who’s a follower of Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega and Hugo Chávez. I encourage you to read more about AMLO’s socialist vision and then consider that he’s calling for mass infiltration across our southern border as an assault on the U.S. economy. According to Dick Morris, former political adviser to Bill and Hillary Clinton: AMLO is as radical as they come. He is a true Fidelista or, in more modern vernacular, a Chavista (after Hugo Chávez of Venezuela) or a Sandinista (after Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua). National Review called AMLO a ‘Chávez wannabe.’ He described Fidel Castro as ‘a giant,’ who ‘knew how to steer his people and achieve authentic, true independence.’ He is a dedicated socialist who we can count on being inveterately hostile to the United States in general and Donald Trump in particular. We have never faced so clear a danger on our border as we will after July 1. It is entirely too late to avoid it. AMLO is certain to win. And, then, la deluge! Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, said this week, We stop 10 terrorists every day from getting into this country. Given the volume of illegal immigrants who are not apprehended, how many are getting into the country every day? This is precisely why President Trump has signaled his intent to shut down the pipeline of illegal immigrants in order to avoid the flood. We cannot allow all of these people to invade our Country, declared Trump last weekend. When somebody comes in, we must immediately, with no Judges or Court Cases, bring them back from where they came. Our system is a mockery to good immigration policy and Law and Order. … Hiring many thousands of judges, and going through a long and complicated legal process, is not the way to go — will always be dysfunctional. People must simply be stopped at the Border and told they cannot come into the U.S. illegally. If this is done, illegal immigration will be stopped in it’s tracks — and at very little, by comparison, cost. This is the only real answer — and we must continue to BUILD THE WALL! Of course, leftists who constantly trample Rule of Law in favor of their own rule were outraged by Trump’s proposal, even claiming that he was circumventing due process of law. Actually, no. Trump has the full legal authority to turn immigrants back under 8 U.S.C. §1182. And after Sunday’s elections in Mexico, exercising that authority will be imperative. The latest Supreme Court decision in favor of Trump’s travel ban cited the authority of 8 U.S.C. §1182, which affirms: Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate. Finally, as I promised above, allow me to point out the ultimate Democrat hypocrisy regarding immigration. The immigrants flooding across our southern border, risking their lives and those of their children to get here, are fleeing statist regimes in their Central American countries, along with the corruption and poverty generated by such regimes. The tragic hypocritical irony is that Socialist Democrat Party protagonists, who are riding a tidal wave of support created by their latest immigration charade, are relentlessly promoting the same statist policies that those immigrants are trying to escape. If hypocrisy was a virtue, Democrats would be the most virtuous among us. At the dawn of our republic, James Madison wrote, Public virtue cannot exist in a nation without private, and public virtue is the only foundation of republics. To that end, the Democrats have made great strides in recent years undermining the foundation of our Republic. “The Patriot Post ( https://patriotpost.us/subscribe )”

Billy Graham’s daughter says she’s more worried about the state of the church than today’s secular culture

Evangelist and author Anne Graham Lotz, the 70-year-old daughter of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, has said that most people in today’s American culture are essentially living as ‘practical atheists’

Source: Billy Graham’s daughter says she’s more worried about the state of the church than today’s secular culture

JUNE 27 CHRIST GLORIFIED IN US

Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard…the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1 Corinthians 2:9

The Bible tells us that eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of men, the things that God has laid up for those who love Him!

That is why the apostle goes on to remind us that God has revealed these mysteries to us by the Holy Spirit.

Oh, if we would only stop trying to make the Holy Spirit our servant and begin to live in His life as the fish lives in the sea, we would enter into the riches of glory about which we know nothing now. Too many of us want the Holy Spirit in order to have some gift—healing or tongues or preaching or prophecy.

Yes, these have their place in that total pattern of the New Testament, but let us never pray that we may be filled with the Spirit for a secondary purpose!

Remember, God wants to fill you with His Spirit as an end in your moral life. God’s purpose is that we should know Him first of all, and be lost in Him, and that we should enter into the fullness of the Spirit that the eternal Son, Jesus Christ, may be glorified in us!

O Lord, I desire to lose my life in Yours today, so that You may be glorified in and through me.^[1]

---

^[1] Tozer, A. W. (2015). Mornings with tozer: daily devotional readings. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

June 27 Truth2Freedom Briefing Report (US•World•Christian)

REUTERS

The Democratic Party’s insurgent left wing and Republican President Donald Trump each claimed big victories on Tuesday, as voters in seven states selected the parties’ candidates for November’s midterm elections that will determine control of Congress.

President Donald Trump urged Republican lawmakers to pass a “strong but fair” immigration bill before the House of Representatives on Wednesday, despite its slim chances in the U.S. Senate.

The No. 4 Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, 10-term incumbent Joseph Crowley, lost his bid for another term on Tuesday to a 28-year-old democratic socialist, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The stunning upset is the latest sign that the party’s left-wing insurgency is ascendant in 2018. Crowley had not faced a challenger from his own party in 14 years.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton held talks in Moscow on Wednesday with Russian officials ahead of a meeting with Vladimir Putin, part of an effort to lay the ground for a summit between the Russian president and President Donald Trump.

A humanitarian ship that has had about 230 rescued migrants on board for almost a week will enter a Maltese port, ending a standoff with Italy which refused to let the ship dock.

A U.N. special envoy met Yemen’s exiled president on Wednesday in efforts to find a political solution that would avert an all-out assault on the country’s main port city, which the United Nations fears could trigger a famine.

Australia is expected to pass legislation on Thursday aimed at preventing interference by foreign governments, a move likely to further stoke tensions with major trading partner China.

Police chiefs from across the U.S., Republicans and Democrats, urged the White House to find alternatives to detention of immigrant families given the risks it poses to children and huge cost.

A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that U.S. immigration agents could no longer separate immigrant parents and children caught crossing the border from Mexico illegally, and must reunite those families that had been split up in custody.

AP Top Stories

An underage pregnant girl, a toddler and over a dozen youths were among a group of 57 Central American immigrants who were abandoned in the middle of the desert by their smugglers and rescued by U.S. Border Patrol agents late last week.

A retail industry-supported group, has resurfaced a decade-old – and highly controversial – way to stop intravenous drug users from shooting up in the bathroom: blue lightbulbs. The idea behind this approach, which involves switching out normal light bulbs for blue-tinted ones, is that the blue light makes it hard to see a vein and inject into it.

A woman accused of leaking U.S. secrets to a news outlet pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Georgia.

Italy called on Monday for migrant centers to be set up in Africa to stop a tide of asylum-seekers fleeing toward Western Europe, as Rome raised pressure on its European Union partners to take a much tougher approach to immigration.

The US Supreme Court ruled that a law requiring anti-abortion centers in California to inform pregnant clients that they could obtain the procedure elsewhere was likely unconstitutional.

China on Tuesday confirmed it would cut tariffs on goods from five Asian nations, including soybeans, as a brewing trade war with the US could make American beans more costly.

Syrian state news agency SANA said two Israeli missiles hit in the vicinity of Damascus international airport in the early hours of Tuesday morning, without giving further details.

So much for any drop in the price after the Saudi production boost report: the market appears far more focused on the news of a potential sharp drop in Iran exports, and as a result the price of WTI has spiked above $70 for the first time in a month.

BBC

Air strikes have reportedly put three hospitals out of service in rebel-held south-western Syria, as pro-government forces press on with a major offensive.

The killings of 27 men in Australia between 1976 and 2000 were most likely homophobic hate crimes, police said. Police acknowledged that they had previously played a part in “marginalizing” the LGBT community.

Organizers of a junior surf competition in South Africa have been accused of sexism after discrepancies in the prize money awarded to the male and female winners. The photograph has been shared widely – and sparked discussion about gender equality.

A Japanese spacecraft has arrived at its target – an asteroid shaped like a diamond or, according to some, a spinning top. Hayabusa 2 has been travelling toward the space rock Ryugu since launching from the Tanegashima spaceport in 2014.

Malaysian police have seized a trove of jewelry, handbags and cash worth up to $273m from properties linked to former Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife Rosmah Mansor.

WND

Despite President Trump’s tit-for-tat trade barbs, America’s CEOs are not wasting anytime in taking advantage of his tax reform plan. Over $300 billion was repatriated to the U.S. in the first quarter, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) – the most on record.

Mitt Romney is projected to win the GOP nomination in Utah’s Senate race, essentially clearing the way for the former presidential nominee to claim a Senate seat this fall.

Farmers are dying by suicide at a higher rate than any other occupational group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday slapped down – hard – California’s scheme to promote abortion at the expense of pro-life crisis pregnancy centers, deciding that requiring them to advertise nearby abortionists likely violates the First Amendment.

---

News – 6/27/2018

Scientists record coldest temperature ever seen on Earth’s surface
Researchers from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)…have now identified the coldest places on the planet, where the mercury plummets to almost -100° C (-148° F) under specific conditions.

NOAA Set To Abandon Climate Change Mission
The National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may be about to remove ‘climate change’ from its list of core priorities. In contrast, for the present mission, the word “climate” was gone, and the first line was replaced with “to observe, understand and predict atmospheric and ocean conditions.” The presentation also included a new emphasis: “To protect lives and property, empower the economy, and support homeland and national security.”

Is Gene Editing the New Name for Eugenics?
The question is whether this technology, which is highly controversial, is little more than a stealth way to introduce GMO genetic manipulation by way of another technique.

Arctic Sea Ice Volume Highest In 14 Years
On the 10th anniversary of NASA’s ice-free in 2018 forecast, Arctic sea ice volume is the highest since 2004. Four of the five slowest melt years have occurred during the last five years. Thick sea ice is blocking both the Northern Sea Route and Northwest Passage.

13 rockets fired from Gaza after IDF strikes balloon launcher’s vehicle
Palestinian terror groups fired at least thirteen rockets on Israel from the Gaza Strip on Tuesday evening, according to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. Three of the rockets fired were intercepted by the Iron Dome and at least three launching sites were spotted by the IDF in the Gaza Strip. The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit confirmed that three of the rockets were fired in the direction of Sderot, Sha’ar HaNegev and Sdot Negev.

Israel boycotting 38th UN Human Rights Council session
Israel is boycotting the 38th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, which opened in Geneva on June 18 and ends on July 7. Without any fanfare it stopped attending the daily council session last week after the United States announced that it planned to withdraw from the UNHRC. The US said it planned to give up its seat as one of 47 UNHRC voting members and it would stop attending council sessions.

Knesset bill to stop Palestinian terrorist payments moves forward
The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee voted Wednesday to advance a bill aimed at stopping the Palestinian Authority from giving terrorists and their families 1.2 billion shekels a year in monthly stipends, despite an attempt by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to water down the bill. The legislation is now expected to pass into law next Monday.

Senior Polish official says country will amend controversial Holocaust law
The Polish government will amend a controversial law dealing with the Holocaust so that it will not be a crime subject to prosecution to say that the Polish nation or people were responsible for Holocaust-related crimes, a spokesman for the Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday.

U.S. Army purchases TROPHY active defense system in $193 million deal
The US Army awarded a contract worth $193 million for Israel’s TROPHY active defense system to shield its Abrams tanks “in support of immediate operational requirements,” Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has announced. Designed to detect and neutralize incoming projectiles, the Trophy system has four radar antennas and fire-control radars to track incoming threats such as anti-tank-guided-missiles (ATGMs), and rocket propelled grenades.

Palestinian Authority rejects Israeli, U.S. ideas to help Gaza
The Palestinian Authority on Tuesday expressed fear that the talk about easing restrictions on the Gaza Strip was part of an Israeli-Palestinian “conspiracy” to transform the Palestinian cause into a “humanitarian issue.” The PA, which has been imposing its own financial sanctions on the Gaza Strip, also expressed fear that the easing of restrictions would embolden Hamas and tighten its grip over the coastal enclave.

Syria war: Government forces launch assault on divided southern city Deraa
Syria’s army has launched an assault on rebel-held areas of the divided city of Deraa, after making significant gains elsewhere in the country’s south-west. State media said troops had stepped up their bombardment ahead of an operation to take the road linking Deraa with the nearby Jordanian border. Earlier, they cut in half a strip of rebel-held territory running north from the city by capturing two key towns.

Papua New Guinea polio outbreak declared
An outbreak of polio has been confirmed in Papua New Guinea, 18 years after the country was declared free of the disease. The World Health Organization (WHO) says the virus was detected in a six-year-old boy in April. The same strain of the virus has now been detected in other healthy children in the same community, making it officially an outbreak.

US military aims for $1B missile defense radar in Hawaii
The U.S. military wants to install missile defense radar in Hawaii to identify any ballistic missiles that are fired from North Korea or elsewhere, officials said Tuesday. The $1 billion system would spot warheads on missiles headed for Hawaii and other U.S. states, and provide that information to ground-based interceptors in Alaska designed to shoot them down.

Xi tells Mattis China won’t give up ‘one inch’ of territory
China is committed to peace and won’t cause “chaos” in the world, but cannot give up even an inch of territory that the country’s ancestors have left behind, Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis on Wednesday. Mattis, a former Marine general, has been highly critical of China’s muscular military moves in the disputed South China Sea.

Soros’ Vision for Bilderberg is Finished Thanks to Donald Trump
Globalists’ push for the New World Order is failing as the Old Order rises up. Whether you support Donald Trump or not, one thing that nobody can deny is that he has finally ushered in the beginning of the end for Soros’ Bilderberg vision.

US Debt Burden Set to Break Record in Early 2030s
Growing deficits to push debt to almost 100 percent of GDP by 2028. Debt as a share of the United States economy is on track to blow through the previous World War II-era record within two decades and keep rising from there, the Congressional Budget Office said in its annual long-term budget report. Generally assuming no change in current laws, growing budget deficits would push debt held by the public from the current level of 78 percent of the economy to almost 100 percent of gross domestic product by 2028, and to 152 percent of GDP by 2048, according to the agency.

“You Are Unbalanced”: Hungarian Foreign Minister Shuts Down Enraged BBC Reporter Over EU Migration
“What we don’t want is a massive illegal influx coming from the south to us, we want to keep Hungary a Hungarian country and we don’t think by definition that multiculturalism is good… If you think so, if people in this country think so, we respect that, but please don’t put pressure on us.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez win stuns Democrats, puts new attention on Pelosi
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a former campaign organizer for Bernie Sanders, pulled off a stunning upset in New York City on Tuesday by defeating U.S. Rep. Joseph Crowley, D-N.Y., who was considered a kingmaker and an all but shoo-in. Crowley, 56, a 10-term incumbent from Queens and fierce Trump-basher, was a steady fundraiser for fellow Democrats and was thought by some to be a future Speaker of the House. His defeat left no clear potential choice in the House to succeed U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as the party’s leader.

Administration, Pro-Life Groups Declare Victory at Supreme Court
The Trump administration and pro-life activists hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn a California law that forced pregnancy centers to steer women to abortionists.

Dr Scott Stripling: An Archaeological Maverick Using the Bible As a History Book
Dr. Scott Stripling, provost at The Bible Seminary in Katy (Houston) Texas, has been sifting the sands of Israel for over 20 years. Using the Bible as a guidebook he is now digging in Shiloh, which he surmises may be the true site of the Tabernacle. However, some of his fiercest critics are Israeli archaeologists who claim the Bible cannot be relied upon to tell historical truth.

In Mexico, rising ‘mass crime’ defies security forces
Whoever wins Sunday’s presidential election will have to face not only Mexico’s drug cartels, but a new kind of crime involving whole neighborhoods defying police and military personnel. Such “socialized” or “mass” crimes are spreading in Mexico as entire communities empty freight trains of merchandise or steal hundreds of thousands of gallons of fuel from pipelines. “The logic of the people is that they see politicians and officials stealing big time … and they see themselves as having the same right to steal as the big-time politicians,”

Putin-Trump summit on agenda as John Bolton holds Moscow talks
U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton held talks in Moscow on Wednesday with Russian officials ahead of a meeting with Vladimir Putin, part of an effort to lay the ground for a summit between the Russian president and President Donald Trump.

Warning: Google forming alliance with ‘Deep State’
Information giant, bureaucrats united by progressive ideological agenda. Amid growing calls to break up Google, is the public missing a quietly developing merger of the universal information engine with government? White notes the close relationship forged between Google and the Obama administration, in particular, through various means, including an exchange of personnel.

Abortion Doctor Movie to Air in 750 Theaters in October
…”Gosnell: The Trial of America’s Biggest Serial Killer” will open in as many as 750 theaters through a distribution deal with GVN Releasing. Actor Dean Cain plays the lead detective who pursued the case.

Drag queen-for-children agenda invades Small Town, USA
It’s already been held in left-wing enclaves such as Long Beach and St. Paul, and it’s infiltrated children’s television program.  Now it’s making a move into small town USA.

Showtime to Air Fox News ‘Sex Gate’ Series
Showtime will air an eight-episode TV series to portray the alleged sexual harassment women were subjected to at the Fox News Channel.

Warning: Google forming alliance with ‘Deep State’
Amid growing calls to break up Google, is the public missing a quietly developing merger of the universal information engine with government?

Netanyahu Criticizes Itinerary for Prince William’s Visit: ‘Jerusalem Is Israel’s Eternal Capital’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday leveled pointed criticism of British Prince William’s planned visit to the Jewish state. The official itinerary for the trip refers to Jerusalem as “part of the occupied Palestinian territories,” a determination which has rankled Israeli officials.

Dangerous heat wave to broil northeastern US this weekend through July 4th holiday
…There is the potential for many locations to have highs well into the 90s over a three- to five-day stretch.

Governor Asks Trump To Declare Federal Disaster In Md. After Floods
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan is asking for a Presidential Disaster Declaration for the state of Maryland as a result of the flooding on May 27 that turned deadly in Ellicott City and affected Baltimore city and Baltimore county.

A new supervolcano is brewing under Massachusetts, Vermont and New Hampshire
…“The upwelling we detected is like a hot-air balloon, and we infer that something is rising up through the deeper part of our planet under New England,” says Rutgers University geophysicist Professor Vadim Levin.

Fentanyl-Laced Flyers Placed on Texas Police Windshields — One Deputy Exposed
A sheriff’s office sergeant was treated for exposure to the drug which can be fatal, even in small doses, officials stated. The flyers tested positive for the presence of fentanyl.

Royal Navy intercepts Russian warships after Putin’s forces enter North Sea
THE ROYAL Navy has intercepted two Russian warships when they were sailing close to the UK in the North Sea.

Starbucks Expands Benefits to Cover ALL Transgender Surgeries
Coffee giant Starbucks has announced they will fully fund an employees’ gender transitions, from reassignment surgery to hair transplants and other cosmetic procedures.

“This Is Just the Beginning” – Liberal Website Warns Republicans of 70’s Style Bombings
On Monday Splinter.com published a report threatening bombings because of President Trump’s policies.

Presbyterians Lambaste Israel, Shy From Criticizing Hamas
The 2018 Presbyterian General Assembly voted in favor of several resolutions that called out Israel for its contributions to violence against “Palestinians,” but that gave a free pass to the terror group Hamas.

Teens who mocked, filmed and failed to help drowning Florida man won’t face charges
A group of teenagers who heartlessly videotaped and mocked a drowning man in Florida without helping him will not be charged with a crime because no such law exists, a top Florida law enforcement official said in a statement last week.

Iranians Chant ‘Death to Palestine’ at Economic Protests in Tehran
Iranians protesting their nation’s failing form of currency took to the streets to chant a phrase that’s not oft-in-coming from the Mideast — “Death to Palestine.”

Breaking: Enemy Armies Now Attacking The US / Trump Strikes Back With Rex 84
President Trump is fighting off obstructionists and a Deep State coup, while battling the fake news media and an infestation.

New York Times’ Israel Coverage ‘Literally Worse Than Al Jazeera’
The New York Times, already slammed for its liberal-leaning reporting, can now take home a new label for its newspaper shelves — that of being about the worst outlet in the world when it comes to covering Israel. “How bad is The New York Times’ coverage of Israel?” asked Ira Stoll, in the Algemeiner. “It’s literally worse than Al Jazeera.”

Spain: Ground Zero for Europe’s Anti-Israel Movement
Valencia, the third-largest city in Spain, has approved a motion to boycott Israel and slander it by declaring the city an “Israeli apartheid-free zone.” The move comes days after Navarra, one of Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, announced a similar measure. In all, more than 50 Spanish cities and regions have passed motions condemning Israel. The proliferating anti-Israel activism, driven by the rise to power of the political far-left, is establishing Spain as the EU member state most hostile towards the Jewish state.

---

Mid-Day Snapshot

The Foundation “The Constitution ought to be the standard of construction for the laws, and that wherever there is an evident opposition, the laws ought to give place to the Constitution.” —Alexander Hamilton (1788)

In Today’s Edition A series of 5-4 rulings on cut-and-dried issues reveals Court’s importance. Primary recap: Democrats lose big. The media’s constant attacks on Trump are backfiring. How bad is Trump Derangement? Schumer and Pelosi assail their own. Hard cases make bad Fourth Amendment law. The Army is no longer a social engineering guinea pig. Daily Features: Top Headlines, Memes, Cartoons, Columnists and Short Cuts.

SCOTUS Narrowly Upholds Constitution Three clear issues regarding Rule of Law divide the High Court along ideological lines. Primary Recap: Democrats Lose Big That time the number four House Democrat was ousted by a Millennial socialist. Media’s Constant Attacks on Trump Backfiring Donald Trump is the modern-day Dread Pirate Roberts — immune from “iocane powder.” How Bad Is TDS? Schumer & Pelosi Assail Their Own Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) has become so obscene that some Democrats are urging restraint. Hard Cases Make Bad Fourth Amendment Law The Supreme Court weighs in on expectation of privacy for cellphone location data. Profiles of Valor: Army 1st Lt. Garlin M. Conner An American hero from World War II finally received his due recognition with the Medal of Honor. Army No Longer a Social Engineering Guinea Pig No more mandatory transgender training in the U.S. Army. The focus will be on readiness. Wednesday Short Cuts “The comparison between current day illegal immigrants and European settlers is really stupid.” —Matt Walsh Wednesday Top Headlines Medal of Honor, primary results, Maxine Waters fallout, court rulings, economy, and more.

Today’s Opinion Tony Perkins Speech Righters: SCOTUS Sides With Pregnancy Centers Marc A. Thiessen On Immigration, Democrats Give Trump the Upper Hand — Again Rich Lowry What Trump Gets Michelle Malkin ‘Abolish ICE’ Zealots Occupy Fantasy Island Bill Wagner Travel Ban

Today’s Meme

Today’s Cartoon

ApostasyWatch Daily News

R.C. Sproul – What is the Kingdom of God?

Should Christians Stop Voting Because Jesus Never Voted?

Children of God Cult was ‘Hell on Earth’

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte Blames ‘Stupid’ God for Adam and Eve’s Original Sin

---

Headlines – 6/27/2018

Saudi Arabia affirms ‘adherence to Mideast peace’ through two-state solution

Hailing best ever ties, Prince William praises innovative Israel, urges peace

Rivlin asks Prince William to take ‘message of peace’ to Abbas

Prince William visits Yad Vashem, honors great-grandmother who rescued Jews

Abbas to meet Putin in Moscow next month, PA ambassador says

South Carolina Congressional Candidate: Israel’s a Colonialist State Brutalizing Gaza

Iron Dome intercepts Hamas rockets, Red Sirens heard in southern Israel

At least 9 rockets launched from Gaza after Hamas car explodes in Strip

Tunnel-busting system wins top Israeli defense prize

Israel praises UN condemnation of terrorists’ use of human shields

White House warns Palestinians of aid cut without end to ‘martyr’ payments

Hamas won’t discuss Cyprus seaport for Gaza before its prisoners freed

Israel planning to ease Gaza power crisis by building new solar field – report

Israeli UNESCO envoy wants to rethink withdrawal from agency

‘India Set to Seal $500m Deal for 4,500 Israeli Spike Missiles’

Lebanon’s President: Israel Refuses to Agree on Maritime Borders

Lapid asks US lawmakers to recognize Israeli sovereignty of Golan Heights

Syrian troops launch assault on Daraa as fighting nears Golan

Syrians fleeing to Israel border as Jordan shuts gates amid Daraa offensive

Foreign Minister: Jordan’s border to stay closed to fleeing Syrians

Iranian militia declares it would fight alongside Assad’s army in Daraa

Report: Russians end US de-escalation pact, making way for Moscow to join fighting in south Syria

Russia Military Says U.S. Ceasefire Is Over in Syria As Israel Reportedly Attacks Iran Weapons in Damascus

Iran economic protests enter second day amid rial’s collapse

Iran’s ‘death to Khamanei’ protests continue into third day

Netanyahu to the people of Iran: ‘You show courage’

US demands world halt Iranian oil imports by November 4

Iran says it can handle fresh sanctions amid national strike

Turkey orders detention of 132 people in coup probe

Erdogan win sets up prolonged stand-off with US

China: US can’t protect Taiwan from unification

Largest US nail manufacturer ‘on the brink of extinction’ because of the steel tariffs

Putin-Trump summit on agenda as John Bolton holds Moscow talks

Court upholds Trump travel ban, rejects discrimination claim

Travel ban: Trump hails ‘tremendous’ Supreme Court ruling

Trump’s travel ban vindicated – and the Left goes berserk

On both sides of Atlantic, migrants meet hostile reception

Attorney General Jeff Sessions claims “lunatic fringe” oppose Trump’s border policies

Sessions: Cartels are using migrant kids to smuggle drugs into US

Protesters disrupt immigration agents with encampments across U.S.

‘Calls for Violence:’ Anger in U.S. Politics Boils Over as Both Sides Slam the Other for Incitement

Trump warns left about harassment of his staffers: ‘Not on my watch’

Christian Conservatives Warn of ‘Dangerous’ Hate After Trump Press Sec. Booted From Restaurant

Sarah Sanders to receive Secret Service protection

Bank Stocks Are On Their Longest Losing Streak Ever

Cryptocurrency influencers hype up coin offerings, sometimes making $105,000 a tweet

Rising concerns over hackers using satellites to target US

UK calls for more chemical weapons powers

Boeing’s hypersonic passenger jet could cross the Atlantic in 2 hours

5.5 magnitude earthquake hits near Puerto Villamil, Ecuador

5.2 magnitude earthquake hits near Paredon, Mexico

Negra, Sierra volcano on Galapagos erupts to 35,000ft

Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 28,000ft

Ebeko volcano on the Kuril Islands erupts to 10,000ft

It’s Almost July and Snow Is Falling in Newfoundland, Canada

Public Health England issues health warning over UK heatwave as temperatures soar

Farmers in America are killing themselves in staggering numbers

Supreme Court Backs Anti-Abortion Pregnancy Centers in Free Speech Case

Supreme Court: California Can’’t Force Pro-Life Pregnancy Centers to Promote Abortion

Supreme Court NIFLA decision is major victory for pro-life groups and women, vindication for First Amendment

Before his death, 10-year-old Anthony Avalos came out as gay, official says

UK government wrong to deny pension to transgender woman, rules European court

God in the Holy Bible Is Stupid, Says Philippines’ President Duterte

School District Tells Coach: ‘If You Talk to God, You’re Fired’ Posted: 27 Jun 2018 10:25 AM PDT First Liberty Institute attorney Michael Berry said Bremerton High School in Washington State picked on the wrong Marine.  First Liberty is representing Joe Kennedy, a Marine and former assistant football coach at the local high school. Kennedy was fired in 2015 after he took a knee to pray after a football game.  “The (district told him) if you talk to God you’re fired,” Berry said on the Todd Starnes Radio Show. Since 2008, Kennedy had quietly taken a knee after every football game to honor a covenant he made with God.  “That prayer would be by itself, silent or very quiet, and no more than 15 or 30 seconds,” Berry said. “That happened for seven years without a single complaint or issue, but as we all know, no good deed goes unpunished.” Fearing a potential lawsuit from atheists or secularists, the school district ordered Coach Kennedy to stop praying. He was told he could not even bow his head or do anything that would give the impression that he was praying to God. READ MORE

Dozens of hammerhead shark pups found dead in Honolulu Posted: 27 Jun 2018 10:15 AM PDT Hawaii authorities are investigating after dozens of baby hammerhead sharks were found dead near Keehi Lagoon in Honolulu.  The state Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement has opened an investigation following the discovery of 50 to 100 dead shark pups piled up near La Mariana Sailing Club on Tuesday morning. The lagoon is a known birthing location for hammerhead sharks, but it not natural for shark pups to be found on shore in large numbers, state officials said. The sharks may have been netted and dumped on land by a fisherman, said Andrew Rossiter, the director of the Waikiki Aquarium. “To breathe they have to keep moving, so once they’re in the net for even two to three minutes, they’re unable to breathe and they suffocate,” Rossiter told KHON-TV. READ MORE

DEVELOPING: England dispatches Army to help with ‘largest fire in living memory’ Posted: 27 Jun 2018 08:09 AM PDT The army has been called in to help tackle an ‘unprecedented’ blaze on Saddleworth Moor with flames reaching 20ft high and terrified residents evacuated from their homes.  The massive fire, which has been burning since Sunday, is now visible from space. More than 100 firefighters on a total of 29 engines from the Greater Manchester and neighboring areas are trying to bring the fire under control. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dave Keelan said: “We have been liaising with a military advisor on the scene and following those discussions we have requested military assistance from the Ministry of Defence. “There’s still a lot of smoke from the fire but air quality levels are being monitored regularly in different locations. Air quality is currently at a safe level and therefore residents have been let back into their homes.” Incredible images from this morning show huge plumes of smoke billowing up into the air as the moor continues to burn. READ MORE

Large Percentage Believe Civil War Is Coming To America Posted: 27 Jun 2018 07:57 AM PDT Most voters fear that political violence is coming from opponents of the president’s policies, just as they did in the second year of Barack Obama’s presidency, and nearly one-in-three think a civil war is next. Thirty-one percent (31%) of Likely U.S. Voters say it’s likely that the United States will experience a second civil war sometime in the next five years, with 11% who say it’s Very Likely. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 59% consider a second civil war unlikely, but that includes only 29% who say it’s Not At All Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here.) Democrats (37%) are more fearful than Republicans (32%) and voters not affiliated with either major party (26%) that a second civil war is at hand. READ MORE

Prominent Ugandan Bishop warns of “Prosperity Gospel” Sweeping Africa, While Pentecostals Ignore Jesus Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:40 AM PDT Prosperity gospel preaching is sweeping Africa and Pentecostal congregations, but it is not Christian and it ignores the words of Jesus, a prominent Ugandan bishop declared at the Global Anglican Future Conference in Jerusalem last week. The massive gathering of conservative Anglicans, with nearly 2,000 delegates from 53 countries, featured a speech by Bishop Rt. Rev. Alfred Olwa, where he urged believers not to reject Jesus. Olwa said that the prosperity gospel that is sweeping Africa “especially among Pentecostals” does not belong to the Christian faith, as reported by UGChristianNews.com. “They ignore texts when Jesus talks about the poor and focus on those texts that proclaim wealth,” he said of such preachers, without naming names. READ MORE

Hillsong Worship Pastor’s Evolution Comments Spark Fierce Debate Among Christians Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:29 AM PDT Hillsong Church has, over the years, hardly avoided the limelight, often finding itself at the center of hotly-contested debates. Now one of its biggest leaders is running headlong into the creation debate.  Joel Houston,  eldest son of the Sydney-based church’s founders, lead musician in the worship band Hillsong United, and co-pastor of Hillsong Church in New York City, tweeted Monday that “evolution is undeniable.” Houston is certainly not the first to raise questions about the six-day creation story outlined in Genesis, but the affirmation of evolutionary theory nevertheless remains controversial in many — if not most — Christian circles today. READ MORE

Big Shift in Iran as Thousands Protest Islamic Regime, Currency Collapses Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:19 AM PDT As thousands of Iranians take part in a second day of protests against the Islamic regime, government officials sought to accuse the United States instead of Iran’s economic woes.  In a televised speech Monday night, Iranian president Hassan Rouhani blamed Washington of waging economic warfare against the country.  “As always, America wants to break apart the power, glory of the Islamic Republic of Iran and grandeur of the system and the nation with a new method,” Rouhani claimed, as he sought to reassure Iranians growing angry by the day over the regime’s handling of the economy. READ MORE

Reality Star Claims Her Memoir Will Be ‘Bigger Than the Bible’ Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:12 AM PDT Reality star Gemma Collins expects her new memoir to touch lives, but her comments about how much may have crossed a line.  “I think this book is bigger than the Bible and do you know why?” Collins says in an interview. “Because this is going to spread cheer like the Bible. You know how that touches [our] hearts and everything? My book does the same. It spreads happiness and it’s not the sort of book you’ll read once either—you’ll go back to it and back to it. I cannot stop reading it.”  The GC: How to Be a Diva releases June 28.  According to Amazon:  Gemma Collins burst onto our screens when she joined TOWIE in 2011 and since then she has become renowned for her hilarious one-liners, sassy attitude and, most importantly, memes. Labelled as one of the most iconic women of our nation, her rise to the top has been dazzling. READ MORE

‘The Shack’ Author Claims Unsaved Can Still Be Reconciled to God After Death: ‘I Don’t Think Death Is Our Damnation’ Posted: 27 Jun 2018 05:01 AM PDT William P. Young, the author of the best-selling novel “The Shack,” which was made into a major motion picture and decried by some as containing blasphemous and false doctrine, outlined in a recent interview that he believes people are still given chances to receive Christ’s sacrifice after death, remarking, “I don’t think the story is over just because you die.” An acquaintance of Young’s, who has long expressed concern about the popular author, says that he is saddened that some are so willing to accept such false teaching from Young.  Eternity News published an article about Young on Wednesday, sharing content of an interview that it conducted with the writer as it discussed his part in the new documentary “The Heart of Man,” as well as his beliefs about what the consequences are in this life and upon death if the prodigal son does not return to the Father. READ MORE

State of Emergency declared for Eureka, Kansas after direct hit from tornado Posted: 27 Jun 2018 04:54 AM PDT An active night for severe weather in Kansas saw much of south-central Kansas impacted by strong to severe storms. As the strongest remaining storms began to weaken in Sedgwick County late Tuesday night, the focus remains on Eureka, where daylight will reveal the extent of damage from a tornado that left thousands without power and at least five injured, one critically.  Late Tuesday night, the adjutant general’s office says the Kansas Division of Emergency Management asks people wanting to help with cleanup and recovery efforts in Eureka to stay away from town for now. “We know that their hearts are in the right place,” says Angee Morgan, deputy director of KDEM, “And there will probably be opportunities for people to volunteer, but right now, we need to let the professionals do their jobs, assessing the situation to see what is needed and where it is needed. Though well-intentioned, too many untrained volunteers rushing in can create problems.” READ MORE

Powerful eruption begins at Sierra Negra volcano, Evacuations ordered in Galapagos, Ecuador Posted: 27 Jun 2018 04:47 AM PDT A new eruption started at Sierra Negra volcano, Galapagos, Ecuador around 21:40 UTC (13:40 local time) on June 26, 2018, following intense seismicity in recent weeks. The eruption produced a plume of volcanic ash mixed with SO2 and other gases which is rising up to 8 km (27 000 feet) above sea level. Experts describe the eruption as the worst since 1979. Some say the worst in 200 years. The last eruptive phase of this volcano started on October 22, 2005, and ended on October 30 of the same year. It had Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3.  At least 50 people living close to Sierra Negra volcano on Isabela Island have been evacuated after a series of earthquakes on June 26 resulted in one of the worst eruptions of this volcano in known history. READ MORE

Suicide among farmers in America reaches staggering numbers… Posted: 26 Jun 2018 12:02 PM PDT “Think about trying to live today on the income you had 15 years ago.” That’s how agriculture expert Chris Hurt describes the plight facing U.S. farmers today.  The unequal economy that’s emerged over the past decade, combined with patchy access to health care in rural areas, have had a severe impact on the people growing America’s food. Recent data shows just how much. Farmers are dying by suicide at a higher rate than any other occupational group, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  The suicide rate in the field of farming, fishing and forestry is 84.5 per 100,000 people—more than five times that of the population as a whole. That’s even as the nation overall has seen an increase in suicide rates over the last 30 years. The CDC study comes with a few caveats. It looked at workers over 17 different states, but it left out some major agricultural states, like Iowa. READ MORE

Red meat allergies caused by tick bites are on the rise Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:55 AM PDT Experts say that this year’s tick season is shaping up to be possibly the worst in recent memory. Beyond Lyme disease and other tick-borne ailments, a new threat is emerging from ticks whose bites can prompt an allergy to red meat.   Tick bites can cause a long list of problems, and now there is evidence that a tick bite could be the trigger for an allergy to red meat, according to Dr. Scott Commins, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Department of Allergy & Immunology at the University of North Carolina. A woman from Maryland had a horrible reaction while eating an Italian-style pork sausage last year, and her symptoms were all linked back to a tick bite she got three weeks earlier, while walking her dog.  In susceptible individuals, multiple tick bites appear to result in sensitization to alpha-gal, a substance present in red meat, which then causes an allergic reaction, according to Dr. Commins. READ MORE

Ominous Cloud Formation in TN Prompts “UFO Fears” Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:50 AM PDT Earlier this month, people near Memphis, Tennessee, spotted an odd formation in the sky after a storm.  It was an ominous, cylindrical mass that some likened to a UFO.  The mysterious sight prompted at least one person to snap photos, wondering what this UFO-like image might be.  Colby Hutton saw the mass in the sky over Adamsville, Tennessee, as he was driving over a bridge, his mom Angie Hutton told CBS News.  Angie shared her son’s photo on Facebook, hoping someone could help them identify what it was. Local news station WMC-TV looked into the case.  It wasn’t an unidentified flying object, and despite it’s odd appearance, it has nothing to do with aliens at all. It’s a “roll cloud,” the National Weather Service (NWS) explains. These rare cloud formations are “low, horizontal tube-shaped arcus cloud associated with a thunderstorm gust front,” or sometimes, a cold front, NWS says. READ MORE

California Considers Creating ‘Fake News Advisory Group’ To Monitor Media… Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:44 AM PDT California is considering creating a “fake news” advisory group in order to monitor information posted and spread on social media.  Senate Bill 1424 would require the California Attorney General to create the advisory committee by April 1, 2019. It would need to consist of at least one person from the Department of Justice, representatives from social media providers, civil liberties advocates, and First Amendment scholars. The advisory group would be required to study how false information is spread online and come up with a plan for social media platforms to fix the problem. The Attorney General would then need to present that plan to the Legislature by December 31, 2019. The group would also need to come up with criteria establishing what is “fake news” versus what is inflammatory or one-sided. READ MORE

Rabbis claim mysterious light in the heavens is “Messianic Message” Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:33 AM PDT A recent flash in the cosmos, far brighter than any nova, has scientists stumped, but one rabbi who delved into esoteric ancient sources, suggested an answer to this astronomical riddle, while heralding a powerful Messianic message.  On June 17, astronomers at the Keck Observatory’s twin Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescopes in Hawaii discovered an enormous, unprecedented bright flash in space that had just appeared in the heavens. Supernovae typically take several weeks to develop but this flash, 10 to 100 times brighter than an average supernova, appeared in a region of space the astronomers had checked only two days before. “It really just appeared out of nowhere,” said Kate Maguire at Queen’s University Belfast, part of the ATLAS team, to New Scientist. The discovery was designated AT2018cow in the Astronomer’s Telegram, a website where professionals in the field post new observations of cosmic phenomena. The serendipitous letter ending of the random designation inevitably led astronomers to dub the new discovery, ‘the Cow.’ READ MORE

Florida Teen Is the First Human to Contract Mosquito-Borne Virus Typically Found in Animals Posted: 26 Jun 2018 11:23 AM PDT A Florida teen was infected by a mosquito-borne virus never before seen in humans, and researchers say this could mean there are more diseases being spread by the insects than previously thought.  In August 2016, a young man developed a rash and fever as a result of the Keystone virus, which was first discovered in mosquitoes in Keystone, Florida, in 1964, according to a recent study.  He went to an urgent care clinic, where doctors initially thought he may have gotten an infection from the Zika virus; however, he tested negative for the disease, reports a release on the findings. During his treatment, University of Florida (UF) researchers unexpectedly discovered samples of the Keystone virus in his system. “Although the virus has never previously been found in humans, the infection may actually be fairly common in North Florida,” UF Emerging Pathogens Institute director Dr. J. Glenn Morris said in the release. READ MORE

---

Truth2Freedom Blog Disclaimer

This post was originally posted on: https://truth4freedom.wordpress.com

(Alternative News, Apologetics, Current Events, Commentary, Opinion, Theology, Discernment Blog, Devotionals, Christian Internet Evangelism & Missions Activist).

“In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.”

— Augustine

This blog is an aggregator of news and information that we believe will provide articles that will keep people informed about current trends, current events, discussions and movements taking place within our church and culture.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107,material here is distributed without profit for research and educational purposes.

A headline link on this blog post doesn’t necessarily mean that there is agreement or approval with all the views and opinions expressed within the headline linked article. Caution is also warranted with regards to the advertisements and links that are embedded within the headline linked article.

*Please note that the preceding blog post content is formed by my personal conviction, values, worldview and opinion. It is not necessarily the opinion of any entity by which I am employed, any church at which I am a member, any church which I attend. Any copyrighted material displayed or referenced is done under the doctrine of fair use.

Democrats Are The Only Group Left That Believes The Mainstream Media

In what looks like a validation of the growing public expressions of anger directed at members of the media, a new Axios poll found that nearly all (a staggering 92%) of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents believe that mainstream media organizations knowingly report false or misleading stories, at least occasionally. And while Democrats proved to be the most credulous group, a majority still doubt that US media organizations are 100% credible.

All told, 72% of respondents said they believe mainstream media organizations to be knowingly misleading. Other studies from Gallup and Pew Research Center have drawn similar conclusions, with Democrats, unsurprisingly, revealed as the only group that still has any substantial level of trust in the media. Back in the 1970s, trust in media rose as high as 74% during the aftermath of Watergate.

The poll also found that 43% of Democrats say they utilize “Fact-Checking” resources like Snopes and FactCheck.org, while only 30% of Republicans and Independents do the same.

President Trump regularly lashes out at the “Fake News” media during his rallies and tweets. But most recently, it was Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin who took the media to task for sloppy reporting, rebutting a Wall Street Journal  and Bloomberg scoop about the administration’s plans to block investment by Chinese firms. According to Mnuchin, the story got important details about the administration’s strategy wrong, including its focus on China. Mnuchin shared finalized details about the policy earlier this morning.

Source: Democrats Are The Only Group Left That Believes The Mainstream Media

Nearly 30 Percent of Christians Share Their Faith on Social Media, Reaching Non-Believers: Barna

Nearly three in 10 Christians have shared their faith with non-believing friends and acquaintances on social media, according to a report by the Barna Group.

Source: Nearly 30 Percent of Christians Share Their Faith on Social Media, Reaching Non-Believers: Barna

Harvard Research Scholar Explains How America Created Al-Qaeda & The ISIS Terror Group

06-27-2018 • By Arjun Walia Collective Evolution

It’s truly amazing how much the consciousness of the planet has changed within the past 5 years alone, and it’s not just happening within one topic, but in several different areas ranging from health to geopolitics and everything in-between.

People are really starting to wake up and see through the mass amounts of propaganda and lies we are continuously fed via the mainstream media, with regards to global events and other major areas that surround all aspects of humanity.

Known as “the father of public relations”, Edward Bernays sums it up quite well,

“The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds are moulded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of .” – Propaganda, 1928

This massive ‘awakening’ I am referring to has become evident, as words such as “deep state” and “false flag terrorism” have now become commonplace within mainstream media rhetoric, with multiple global politicians referencing it frequently. Take Russian president Vladimir Putin for example, on more than one occasion he has called out the western military alliance, and the “magical” and “mythical” threats they create to justify economic and geopolitical action & intervention into other countries for ulterior motives.

Or how even Syrian president, Bashar Al-Assad, explained how Donald Trump is just another tool for the Deep State. The acknowledgment of the Deep State is huge as multiple presidents and politicians have been trying to tell the American public about it for years.

Former president of the United Staes,Theodor Roosevelt, was among many who tried to warn us that both parties have strayed from their original purpose and that instead of politics being a tool to promote the general welfare of the masses, “they have the tools of corrupt interests which use them impartially to serve their selfish purposes. Behind the ostensible government sits enthroned an invisible government, owing no allegiance and acknowledging no responsibility to the people.” (source)

The idea that governments do not represent their people, and that the will of governments do not represent their people is nothing new and is most evident in today’s day in age.

For us at Collective Evolution, it’s fascinating because we’ve been writing about topics like the Deep State for years, and to have major political players acknowledge these things definitely raises an eyebrow.

Read Full Story

Source: Harvard Research Scholar Explains How America Created Al-Qaeda & The ISIS Terror Group

The Too Little, Too Late Voice of Russell Moore Regarding Revoice — Christian Blogs – Delivered By Grace

This is a guest post by Pastor Tom Buck. Tom Buck is Senior Pastor at the First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas. He holds a BA in Pastoral Ministries and New Testament Greek from the Moody Bible Institute, a ThM in Bible Exposition from Dallas Theological Seminary, and is presently completing his doctoral work at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Tom previously served for 12 years as the Senior Pastor of Riverside Baptist Fellowship in Florida. He has been at First Baptist Church since 2006.

---

Russell Moore is not generally known for his silence nor slowness in addressing hot social topics. For example, recently he spoke loud and clear about President Trump’s immigration policy that separated children from parents who were arrested for crossing the U.S. border illegally. Dr. Moore expressed his legitimate concerns about the damaging effects that this could have upon those children. When Trump reversed direction, Dr. Moore tweeted his support of this decision within minutes of the announcement.

Therefore, I became increasingly troubled by Dr. Moore’s silence regarding Revoice – a conference designed for the purpose of “supporting, encouraging and empowering gay, lesbian, same-sex-attracted, and other LGBT Christians.” If the ethical implications of a U.S. Immigration policy were worthy of Dr. Moore’s attention, surely Revoice holds equal weight. The latter hits much closer to home for evangelicals and has the potential to result in a far greater and more lasting damage.

Russell Moore’s Days of Silence

On June 13, during the ERLC report at the SBC, Dr. Moore was asked by a messenger about Revoice and its endorsement by ERLC Fellow, Dr. Karen Prior. Dr. Moore responded by saying, “I don’t know about the Revoice Conference,” and then proceeded to give a lengthy defense of Dr. Prior. I consider Dr. Prior a friend, and although I disagree with her endorsement of Revoice, I share Dr. Moore’s appreciation for her. However, Dr. Moore dismissed the core of the messenger’s question, “Will the ERLC disavow Revoice?” Furthermore, he ignored the messenger’s disconcerting description that quoted Revoice’s promotion of the conference as a “celebration of queer culture and the plight of LGBT Christians.”

Considering that concerns about Revoice had been echoed across social media for weeks, it was hard to believe that Dr. Moore could not know about it. Dr. Owen Strachan, an ERLC Research Fellow, published his concerns on May 31. Drs. Jason Allen, President of MBTS, and Albert Mohler, President of SBTS, both tweeted about it on the same day. It is strange that Dr. Moore, who was on Twitter that day and most every day since, could have missed a highly promoted article that addressed such a hot social topic.

Nevertheless, whatever Dr. Moore’s knowledge about Revoice was on June 13, his voice remained silent. After a week, I began to call for Dr. Moore, via Twitter, to please address Revoice. His busyness with other things – both trivial and significant – appeared to communicate a lack of concern. In the days after June 13, he tweeted twice about a rap video, in which he appeared, congratulating J.D. Greear on his election as SBC President. He tweeted about hoping to never hear another political address at the SBC. Four times he tweeted about an ERLC initiative on abuse of women. No less than twelve times he tweeted about his concerns with the effects of President Trump’s immigration policy upon children.

Surely, the risk of redefining the ethical teaching of Scripture on sexuality was as important to Dr. Moore as the danger of children being separated from their parents at the border for a matter of days. Long after any emotional trauma those children experienced has passed, the children of our churches will still be spiritually traumatized growing up with the false teaching that could take root in our churches if Revoice gets its way, while leaders like Dr. Moore remained silent. However, the silence finally broke.

The Silence Breaks

On Friday, June 22, at 4:27 PM (EST), Andrew Walker with the ERLC tweeted an article (https://bit.ly/2txd3i8) that spoke of his “pastoral concerns about how the Revoice Conference is being framed and the potential confusion it might sow among impressionable audiences.” At 5:26 PM (EST), Dr. Moore retweeted Walker’s article with the comment, “Good balanced analysis by my @ERLC colleague @andrewtwalk.”

I was immediately thankful that the silence had finally broken, and that Andrew Walker was “deeply skeptical” about The Revoice Conference. He expressed his concern for how Revoice was labeling homosexuals as a “sexual or gender minority,” and how they were “appropriating the language of sexual and gender progressives who have zero interest in maintaining any semblance of Christian teaching.” In addition, Walker stated that “speakers and presenters at Revoice have made alarming arguments in the past.”

That said, I was surprised and remain concerned by several things. I know, some will say, “First he had a problem that Dr. Moore had not said anything. Now he has a problem with what he did say.” As a pastor, I know what it is like to have people who are never satisfied with anything I do. I pray that is not my attitude. I have not been an avid critic of Dr. Moore, and I detest those who paint him with a tail and a pitchfork no matter what he does. However, I share equal disdain for the fanboys who circle the wagons whenever a legitimate concern is raised. Certain things are still troubling.

The Timing and Manner of the Response

The timing of the response’s release was strikingly odd. If you missed the statement altogether, you are likely not alone. It was released, in what is called in media, as a “Friday News Dump.” No one who is media savvy publishes anything remotely significant on a Friday – especially at around 5:00 PM. In addition, while Dr. Moore tweeted no less than twelve times in a week about Trump’s immigration policy, he has not pointed to Walker’s article since his Friday evening tweet. It makes one wonder whether Dr. Moore sees this issue as critical of an issue as Walker communicates.

This raises the question of why Russell Moore would delegate addressing this issue to a colleague. It was Dr. Moore that was personally asked at the SBC about Revoice, and he claimed ignorance about it. Why would he not educate himself and personally address the concerns?

Understanding the problems with the Revoice Conference does not require PhD level research. Fifteen minutes is sufficient to familiarize yourself with its direction. Dr. Moore could have gone to the Revoice website (http://www.Revoice.us) where he would have discovered topics such as, “Redeeming Queer Culture,” where attendees will learn about the “virtues of queer culture,” and “what queer treasure… will be brought into the New Jerusalem.” Dr. Moore could have been enlightened to “mixed-oriented marriages” where “gay men” – who continue to label themselves as such – are married to “straight women.”

If Dr. Moore did not want to take the time to peruse the website, he could have relied on the vast amount of research that was already available. On June 20, Dr. Mohler once again drew attention to what he called an “important article by Colin Smothers” that extensively detailed “the Revoice conference and its fundamental problems” (https://bit.ly/2tgGUeH).

If Dr. Moore had personally taken the time to research and respond, he would have been prepared to give a much stronger argument against Revoice than was offered in Andrew Walker’s piece. Walker’s approximate five-hundred-word response to Revoice was less than robust in comparison to all the lengthy and thorough responses that preceded it. Amazingly, neither Moore nor Walker even referenced any of these articles – many written by SBC leaders – that warned about Revoice.

While Walker merely referenced that the speakers held troubling views, other articles gave their graphic details. There is little doubt that Revoice is intended to be revolutionary in shaping the thinking of evangelical churches. What was once unimaginable to even openly voice is now considered worthy of “celebrating.” The views of many of the speakers are an assault on the doctrines of sin and sanctification. Although they all declare that LGBT people should not engage in homosexual behavior, they offer new definitions that are not biblical and will not help people overcome its power. Consider the published words of some of those speaking at Revoice :

• “the desire to have sex with others of our own sex is a temptation to sin which is a result of the fall, but it is not, in itself, sinful.” – Ron Belgau
• “the sexual aspect of Sodom’s sin involved gang rape, not a consensual and monogamous relationship between two men.” – Ron Belgau
• “It wasn’t, for me, a matter of whether to be gay or Christian; I knew that I was both…” – Wesley Hill
• “Perhaps celibate gay and lesbian Christians, precisely in and out of their celibacy, are called to express, rather than simply renounce and deny, same-sex love.” – Wesley Hill
• “What if we could imagine a scenario in which a Christian businesswoman, after hearing her pastor preach a sermon about these issues, decided that her conscience would allow her to sell products to a gay couple to use in a wedding ceremony?” – Nate Collins
• “To discern a path forward that enables gay people to view their sexuality as a possibility and not merely as a problem.” – Nate Collins

In addition to these few examples, Nate Collins, is the founder of Revoice. In his personal bio, he describes himself as a “married, same-sex-attracted/gay man.” At one time, this would have been shocking language coming from a pagan. However, it is stunning that this biographical description is chosen by Dr. Collins – a graduate and former NT Professor at SBTS.

It would be one thing if this conference were being conducted by a group of liberals from mainline Protestant churches, but these individuals are from our own theological camp. Dr. Moore’s slowness, timing, and delegated response is far from adequate. But there is one more critical point.

The Glaring Oversight of the Response

Some suggested that Walker chose a more cautious approach in his article, writing, “the Revoice Conference has not yet even occurred, so speculation about the conference could potentially be unwarranted.” Many have declared that we should “wait and see” rather than “rush and judge.” Perhaps Dr. Moore is taking the posture of “wait and see.” The only problem is that an ERLC Research Fellow has taken an attitude that gives the appearance of “embrace and endorse.”

When Dr. Moore was asked about Dr. Prior’s endorsement at SBC 2018, he declared ignorance about Revoice and waxed eloquently about his confidence in Dr. Prior. He spoke of her commitment to Gospel centeredness regarding homosexual issues. I also believe Dr. Prior to be deeply concerned about giving Gospel answers to those struggling with homosexual desires. This is why, being concerned about her endorsement, I privately contacted her because I was concerned about why she would endorse this event. I was not convinced by her reasons, but it was a pleasant interaction.

So, if I contacted Dr. Prior, why did Dr. Moore not take the time to do the same? Why would he not seek to understand her position before taking a position himself? More importantly, if he now believes Revoice to be dangerous, why has he not asked Dr. Prior to withdraw her endorsement as a Research Fellow for the ERLC? I know several people who would confirm that Dr. Moore is not shy to confront those who take a position that is opposite of his – especially if they are leaders in the SBC.

Therefore, shortly after Dr. Moore’s retweeting of Walker’s article, I gave four responses with this tweeted reply:

1. Thankful @andrewtwalk of @ERLC finally spoke on this.
2. Thankful @drmoore pointed to it.
3. How does @ERLC rectify saying the conference is deeply problematic, yet it’s endorsed by @KSPrior (ERLC Fellow).
4. @drmoore was asked this at SBC & it’s still a valid question.

Although Dr. Moore did not respond, Dr. Prior did respond with this tweet:

“We’re Baptists, Tom. We’re allowed to disagree with one another in the application of biblical principles.”

I responded:

“Yes. Baptists disagree. But there is complete agreement on this among the leaders of SBC about the serious doctrinal problems with this conference. After reading the strong words of @albertmohler and @ostrachan – and now @ERLC – would you reconsider your endorsement?

Dr. Prior responded:

“I never expected they would endorse it, and my endorsement of the aims of the conference is well-considered. I don’t know why you need everyone to agree on this, but I don’t have that particular struggle. I stand in support of those with SSA who desire to obey God.”

With all due respect, the issues surrounding Revoice are far deeper than “support of those with SSA who desire to obey God.” It is whether the kind of support Revoice offers is actually biblical and whether the answers the conference gives will help anybody truly obey God. I agree with every warning that I have read about Revoice – including that of Andrew Walker – and I believe this conference is a threat to the Gospel. Dr. Albert Mohler is correct to say, “My biggest concern in this conference and in the language that is used and in the conversation that many evangelicals are now having is that what you see in this conference is the acceptance of the idea that our sexual identity or any individual’s sexual orientation becomes a defining issue that isn’t changed by the gospel and isn’t transformed by sanctification.”

The glaring oversight of Dr. Moore, is that he has failed to ultimately address one of the fundamental questions that he was originally asked on June 13. The question that he answers only with silence. What about Dr. Prior’s endorsement of Revoice? Although his support of Dr. Prior was understandable when he was ignorant about Revoice, I believe his silence now is negligent.

Dr. Prior has every right, as a Baptist, to disagree and be the lone endorser of Revoice among SBC leaders. However, I do not believe that she has the right, as an ERLC Research fellow, to endorse something as dangerous as everyone declares that it is – including the voice of Dr. Russell Moore. I consider Dr. Prior my friend – I hope to remain her friend – but I believe she should step down from the ERLC or Dr. Moore remove her unless she withdraws her endorsement with a good conscience. I do not consider Dr. Prior to be a heretic, nor do I question her love for the gospel. My problem lies not with her sincerity, but her discernment. As Baptists, we can disagree, but our chosen views might prohibit us from being able to lead in certain capacities. It concerns me when someone serving on the ERLC does not exercise better discernment about crucial ethical matters that plague our culture. Dr. Moore should also be concerned, and once again break his silence.

via The Too Little, Too Late Voice of Russell Moore Regarding Revoice — Christian Blogs – Delivered By Grace

Wider Christianity Is Noticing SBC’s Hard-Left Turn — Pulpit & Pen

After reporting for years about the Southern Baptist Convention’s turn leftward, almost single-handedly orchestrated by a former Democratic staffer and George Soros business partner, Russell Moore, Pulpit & Pen is very glad to see many outside the SBC recognize their wayward trajectory. The following was published by One News Now, the website of the American Family News Network…

Concerned about an exhibit at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention, a pastor is warning the denomination is drifting farther leftward.

Sam Rohrer, an independent Baptist who leads the American Pastors Network, says he was shocked after learning about the “Seeking Refuge” demonstration that set up in the SBC exhibit hall.

“Seeking Refuge,” which simulates the horrors of a refugee camp, was first reported in a June 20 story published by Baptist Press:

A guard with a military uniform and a bat is speaking a foreign language. One participant starts to ask questions. She’s taken away from the group. At the medical station, they’re checked for lice. At the food station they’re informed they must eat. They may not have another chance to for days.

The demonstration was sponsored by the Women’s Missionary Union along with other SBC mission organizations, including the International Mission Board and North American Mission Board.

After addressing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for families and military veterans in past years, WMU states on its website that it is shifting its focus to refugees beginning in the 2018-2019 church year.

Likely intended to simulate PTSD, participants described the experience as “terror” and “chaos” and “a helpless feeling,” but it struck Rohrer in a completely different way.

Rohrer says the SBC is trying to adopt a policy of social justice.

“And I’m going to take as far to say there’s an element here of liberation theology that takes place in here,” he warns, referring to the mixture of Christian charity and Marxist-like social justice….

To continue reading, click here.

via Wider Christianity Is Noticing SBC’s Hard-Left Turn — Pulpit & Pen

June 27, 2018 Afternoon Verse Of The Day

9:15 I will remember. Not simple recognition, but God’s commitment to keep the promise.^[1]

---

9:15I will remember The rainbow will serve as a continual reminder of God’s commitment. See note on 8:1.^[2]

---

^[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ge 9:15). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

^[2] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Ge 9:15). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.