NOVEMBER 21 NO WONDER, NO HOLY FEAR

And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.

—Leviticus 9:24

We of the nonliturgical churches tend to look with some disdain upon those churches that follow a carefully prescribed form of service, and certainly there must be a good deal in such services that has little or no meaning for the average participant—this not because it is carefully prescribed but because the average participant is what he is. But I have observed that our familiar impromptu service, planned by the leader twenty minutes before, often tends to follow a ragged and tired order almost as standardized as the Mass. The liturgical service is at least beautiful; ours is often ugly. Theirs has been carefully worked out through the centuries to capture as much of beauty as possible and to preserve a spirit of reverence among the worshipers. Ours is often an off-the-cuff makeshift with nothing to recommend it. Its so-called liberty is often not liberty at all but sheer slovenliness….

In the majority of our meetings there is scarcely a trace of reverent thought, no recognition of the unity of the body, little sense of the divine Presence, no moment of stillness, no solemnity, no wonder, no holy fear. GTM004-005

We need, oh Lord, a renewed sense of the awe, the wonder and the beauty of worship. Grant that I might begin to sense Your awesome presence in my worship today. Amen. ^[1]

---

^[1] Tozer, A. W., & Eggert, R. (2015). Tozer on the almighty god: a 365-day devotional. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers.

Share this:

November 21 Right Thinking

These were more noble–minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.

Acts 17:11

It’s frightening to realize our culture has more interest in emotion and pragmatism than in thinking. That’s evident when people more often ask, “How will it make me feel?” instead of “Is it true?” That wrong focus is also evident in today’s theology, where the predominant questions are “Will it divide?” and “Will it offend?” rather than “Is it right?” Not enough people are like the people of Berea, whom the Bible describes as being “noble–minded” because they were interested in finding truth, not good feelings or pleasant circumstances.

Too many people are going to church today not to think or reason about the truth, but to get a certain feeling. But living by emotions rather than right thinking will produce instability. In his book Your Mind Matters, John Stott explains this point: “Sin has more dangerous effects on our faculty of feeling than on our faculty of thinking, because our opinions are more easily checked and regulated by revealed truth than our experiences.”^[1]

---

^[1] MacArthur, J. (2001). Truth for today : a daily touch of God’s grace (p. 350). Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman.

“There Is Now An Alternative”: BofA Expects Stocks To Peak In 2018, Drop In 2019

In her just released forecast for 2019, BofA equity strategist Savita Subramanian echoed what Goldman said yesterday, when it advised its clients to “lift cash allocations“, with Subramanian stating that TINAA – or There Is Now An Alternative – is the new TINA.

Specifically, the BofA strategist writes that for much of this cycle, the “TINA” argument (“There is no alternative”) held for stocks: bonds’ elevated rate risk and zero-yielding cash allowed stocks to handily win the asset class beauty contest. But cash is now competitive and will likely grow more so (assuming the Fed keeps hiking which is increasingly in doubt).

BofA calculates that cash yields today are higher than the dividend yield for 60% of S&P 500 stocks, and the bank’s Fed call which sees the Fed continuing to hike for much of 2019, puts short rates close to 3.5% by the end of 2019, well above the S&P 500’s 1.9% dividend yield.

What does this mean for stocks? Here Subramanian writes that she expects equities to peak next year, but bearish positioning and weak sentiment in stocks present upside, especially if trade risks subside.

As a result, Subramanian expects upside to equities through year-end and into next year and thus maintains its 2018 year-end target outlook for 3000 on the S&P 500 as a result of “still-supportive fundamentals, still-tepid equity sentiment and more reasonable valuations keep us positive.”

But in 2019, BofA now sees elevated likelihood of a peak in the S&P 500; not helping is BofA’s rates team calling for an inverted yield curve during the year (same as Goldman which expects the yield curve to invert in the second half), and with homebuilders peaking about one year ago and typically leading equities by about two years, the bank’s credit team is forecasting rising spreads in 2019.

The punchline: 2019 will end modestly below 2018, making 2019 the peak of this cycle, to wit:

Assuming the market peaks somewhere at or above 3000, our forecast is for modest downside in 2019.

How does BofA get its 2019 target? It explains below:

Our S&P 500 target model incorporates fundamental, technical and sentiment models, and as investor focus shifts toward longer-term growth, we increase the weight of our Fair Value Model and Long-term Valuation Model, and decrease the weights of our shorter-term sentiment model as well as our technical model. The weighted average of these models implies a 2019 year-end value of 2900 (+8% from today, but below our 2018 year-end target of 3000).

“What if we’re in a bear market?”

And while BofA provides several upside scenarios to its base case, the more interesting question the bank asks is what if Morgan Stanley is correct, and we are in a bear market?

To answer this question, BofA flags thatits bear market signposts briefly flagged 79% triggered in early October, and notes that “whereas credit conditions, sentiment, positioning and the yield curve would suggest we’re not done yet, it is worth considering that we are in a bear market now, and if so, what makes sense”

Next, the bank puts bear markets in context, and provides historical context of S&P 500 bear markets (20%+ price declines) since 1929. Across all these events, the market has seen a median peak-to-trough price decline of ~30%, with trailing P/E compressing to 12x at market trough from 18x at market peak.

Bear markets have historically lasted about a year and half, and the peak of the market has generally preceded an economic recession (if one occurred) by three quarters. EPS peaks have varied but have occurred on average two quarters after the market peak. EPS recessions (which have not occurred in every bear market) have seen an average ~20% peak-to-trough decline.

These observations are summarized below:

Here, the most relevant observations is that while not every bear market coincides with a recession, but the most painful ones do. The S&P identifies 13 bear markets since 1928, 10 of which have coincided with US recessions. The exceptions were 1961, 1966 and 1987, which were relatively short-lived and followed by swift recoveries.

How to think about recession timing: the general rule of thumb is that the stock market leads the economy by 1-2 quarters, and on average, the market has historically peaked 7-8 months before a recession. But the range has been wide: for example, in 1948 the market peaked 2.5 years before the start of the recession.

Another good timing indicator: keep an eye on the homebuilders, which as noted above, led market peaks by 2 years in last two cycles. In the current cycle, they peaked one year ago.

So if indeed we are in a bear market, what sectors should investors focus on? This is tricky because according to BofA, bear market returns for sectors might be different this time.

Historically, Health Care, Consumer Staples and Utilities have been the best performers during bear markets, while Industrials, Financials, Tech and Materials have fared most poorly. But the changing composition and fundamentals of sectors suggests that relationships for factors may be more consistent than sectors, and a historical framework may not necessarily apply. For example, as shown in the tables, below:

• Financials have typically lagged during bear markets, but held up better during non-financial driven downturns (e.g. +15% during the 2000 tech bubble). BofA believes that the sector can hold up better this cycle as well, with much healthier balance sheet and low risk of another financial crisis.
• Tech underperformed during 1990 and 2000 bear markets, but the sector is more mature and stable now. Valuations look more attractive at 16.7x forward P/E vs. 52.6x during the tech bubble and margins are double what they were in 2000-2007. It is the only sector with net cash, which can support stocks in the next downturn.
• Industrials have been a typical laggard during bear markets and were recently hit by escalating trade tensions with China and rising rates. The sector can outperform once trade issues resolve next year, according to BofA. The bank’s Political Control Model shows the midterm election result of a Republican Senate and Democratic House was the best outcome for defense spending. A potential infrastructure bill could also boost the sector outlook.

BofA concludes the analysis on two distinct notes, a positive and a negative one.

The first one is that despite the risk of a bear market, according to the bank’s economics team, even though by July 2019, this cycle will surpass that of the 1990s to become the longest in post-war history, recession risk remains low, according to their models, with the highest pointing to a 26% probability, although it concedes that “these can adjust rapidly.”

How do time the recession? BofA recommends watching jobless claims (which has historically jumped double-digits ahead of recessions) as a key indicator. In their view, a recession likely originates in the corporate sector (where high leverage represents a sign of “excess”), vs. in the household sector where leverage and housing investment are low.

The bad news? BofA expects the VIX to double by 2021, by referencing a popular correlation between the volatility index and the flatness of the yield curve. Specifically, a flattening yield curve signaled a withdrawal of liquidity and over the last three cycles has preceded rising volatility by a few years,

To hedge, BofA notes that volatility is not always synonymous with equity losses. From 1993 to 1998, the VIX rose from ~15 to ~25 amid S&P 500 total returns of 21.6% per annum. Between Jan 94 and Aug 98 (trough to peak in vol), High Quality stocks (S&P Quality Ranks of B+ or Better) have outperformed the Low Quality stocks (B or Worse) by 19.3ppt, or 3.9ppt per annum.

Then again, a sustained increase in the VIX traditionally correlated with a sharp drop in risk assets, which – whether the S&P is in a bear market or not – remains the biggest risk.

Source: “There Is Now An Alternative”: BofA Expects Stocks To Peak In 2018, Drop In 2019

Off-teleprompter Obama rambles, nearly incoherently attacking American global warming skeptics

Barack went so far off the rails into incoherence that I am wondering if Obama has reverted to the habits of his choom gang days? (video)

Source: Off-teleprompter Obama rambles, nearly incoherently attacking American global warming skeptics

Clinton Foundation Donations Plummet 90%

The Clinton Foundation saw contributions dry up approximately 90% over a three-year period between 2014 and 2017, according to financial statements.

2014: 

2017: 

The global charity is currently under investigation by the DOJ, FBI and IRS for a variety of allegations – including whether favors were handed out while Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, also known as “pay for play.”

The Clinton-led State Department authorized $151 billion in Pentagon-brokered deals to 16 countries that donated to the Clinton Foundation – a 145% increase in completed sales to those nations ove teh same time frame during the Bush administration, according to IBTimes. 

American defense contractors also donated to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state and in some cases made personal payments to Bill Clinton for speaking engagements. Such firms and their subsidiaries were listed as contractors in $163 billion worth of Pentagon-negotiated deals that were authorized by the Clinton State Department between 2009 and 2012. –IBTimes

Then there was that $1 million check Qatar reportedly gave Bill Clinton for his birthday in 2012, which the charity confirmed it accepted.

Coincidentally, we’re sure, Qatar was one of the countries which gained State Department clearance to buy US weapons while Clinton was Secretary of State, “even as the department signaled them out ofr a range of alleged ills,” according to IBTimes.

Then there was the surely unrelated $145 million donated to the Foundation from parties linked to the Uranium One deal prior to its approval through a rubber-stamp committee.

“The committee almost never met, and when it deliberated it was usually at a fairly low bureaucratic level,” Richard Perle said. Perle, who has worked for the Reagan, Clinton and both Bush administrations added, “I think it’s a bit of a joke.” –CBS

Meanwhile, according to a November 2016 report by the Dallas Observer,  the Clinton Foundation has been under investigation by the IRS since July, 2016, while the Arkansas FBI field office has been investigating allegations of pay-for-play and tax code violations, according to The Hill.

The officials, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, said the probe is examining whether the Clintons promised or performed any policy favors in return for largesse to their charitable efforts or whether donors made commitments of donations in hopes of securing government outcomes.

The probe may also examine whether any tax-exempt assets were converted for personal or political use and whether the Foundation complied with applicable tax laws, the officials said. –The Hill

As we reported earlier Wednesday, House Republicans will hear testimony on December 5 from the prosecutor appointed by Attorney General Jeff Sessions to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by the Clinton Foundation, according to Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC).

“Mr. [John] Huber with the Department of Justice and the FBI has been having an investigation – at least part of his task was to look at the Clinton Foundation and what may or may not have happened as it relates to improper activity with that charitable foundation, so we’ve set a hearing date for December the 5th.,” Meadows told Hill.TV on Wednesday.

Meadows also told The Hill that the committee is “just now starting to work with a couple of whistleblowers that would indicate that there is a great probability, of significant improper activity that’s happening in and around the Clinton Foundation.”

One has to wonder why, if there was no pay-for-play, donations to this “highly rated” charity dried up 90% over a period in which the wealth gap continued to increase? (h/t @thebradfordfile)

This is jaw-dropping. The Clinton Foundation’s 2017 annual report is finally online–WOW. Lots to unpack but digest this nugget:

2015 Total Contributions: $182.5M

2016 Total Contributions: $135.4M

2017 Total Contributions: $22.8M 😭

WHEN THEY CAN’T PLAY–NOBODY WANTS TO PAY!

— thebradfordfile™ (@thebradfordfile) November 21, 2018

Source: Clinton Foundation Donations Plummet 90%

Lauren Daigle, Avril Lavigne Glorify God on Prime Time TV — ChurchLeaders

---

Christian music seems to be getting a lot of mainstream air time lately thanks to Avril Lavigne and Lauren Daigle. Both artists performed songs with strong Christian themes Monday night on the popular show Dancing with the Stars.

Lavigne performed her new single, “Head Above Water” and Daigle performed “You Say”. The two were featured prominently in the series finale for Dancing with the Stars, which drew about 7.9 million viewers.

Some of Lavigne’s fans may be surprised by the Christian themes found in her songs lately. The artist, who became popular in the early 2000s for her skater persona and powerful singing voice, left the spotlight for a few years after announcing in 2015 that she was battling Lyme disease. Her song “Head Above Water” is a musical rendition of a prayer she prayed one night as she thought she was dying. The ordeal with her sickness has caused Lavigne to consider her spiritual condition and reach out to God. A new album featuring “Head Above Water” is due out early next year.

Lavigne has used her Instagram account to share Scripture and positive messages lately.

Daigle, on the other hand, is a familiar name on the Christian music charts. The singer has been growing in popularity among Christian fans for the last several years. However, this year she really broke onto the secular stage. With performances on The Ellen Show and The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon, Daigle is winning fans who normally wouldn’t listen to Christian music. Her performances on those shows were met with some consternation from Christian fans who wish her not to sell out, but for the most part, fans have been very supportive of her trying to cross over into more secular audiences.

Daigle’s song “You Say” talks about the difference between what a person might think about him or herself versus what God says about them. The song is featured on Daigle’s “Look Up Child” album, which came out earlier this year. The chorus of “You Say” really communicates the theme of love and acceptance we find in Christ:

You say I am loved when I can’t feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
When I don’t belong, oh You say that I am Yours
And I believe, oh I believe
What You say of me
I believe

The fact that a show as popular and with as many viewers as Dancing with the Stars asked Daigle and Lavigne to perform Christian-themed songs is very significant. The show has had Christian contestants on before who have danced to Christian music, but this is a first for them to prominently feature two artists who are public about their respective relationships with God. It’s certainly going to be interesting to see what these two artists do next!

via Lauren Daigle, Avril Lavigne Glorify God on Prime Time TV — ChurchLeaders

How quickly we lose our Thanksgiving — Christian Research Network

“It’s not easy to be joyful in this life. Our emotions at times can seem to control us, but the one thing that our emotions and life circumstances cannot take away is our future. Hell has been defeated and heaven has been won, it is guaranteed, so we have a whole eternity of blessing to be thankful for.” 

(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate)  There was a beeping sound that wouldn’t stop.

I mean, what kind of restaurant would seat a party of eight next to this unceasing, annoying sound?

Here we were in an airport terminal. Eating at a nice chain restaurant. And I couldn’t stop complaining in my mind about this nagging sound.

We had just spent a week in a communist country where people have practically nothing. One of our translators, who was a well-known teacher, told us that his average salary was around $30 a month for 30 years. And here I am chewing on my overpriced cheeseburger and complaining about this sound that the waiter and restaurant wouldn’t turn off.

It was a shocking reminder about how quickly my heart turns to complaining.

Thankfulness is not a natural feeling. It is something that results from a heart transformed by God. Of course, anyone can experience thankfulness, but believers can experience a different kind of thankfulness, a deeper kind because we don’t limit our thankfulness to this life but to eternity.

Christians know that ultimately we deserve hell.

The fact that we are not in hell right now is an incredible mercy of God. I’m not talking about hell once you die at an old age, but right now. We deserve to be in Hell right now. This is a deeper thankfulness than worldly thankfulness. Most people will tell you “you should be thankful because there are people around the world with less than you have,” or “you should be thankful because there are people who have worse problems than you have,” and though that may be true and may help you be a more positive person, that is shallow depth. We are talking about you not burning for eternity even though you deserve it.Christians know that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23a) and that for each individual sin we deserve eternal punishment. In other words, we have millions of eternal life counts against us, and yet, because of the mercy of God (Eph. 2:4), we won’t spend even a millisecond being punished for our sin. This Thanksgiving, you can be thankful for the incredible mercy God has shown you, not only for not punishing you instantly for your sin but for taking hell off the table entirely.  View article →

via How quickly we lose our Thanksgiving — Christian Research Network

Overcoming Fear and Anxiety During Thanksgiving Week — Juicy Ecumenism

Thanksgiving ostensibly represents a time to contemplate and recall our God-given blessings over the previous year. Perhaps Thanksgiving week would also serve as an appropriate time for many of us to grapple with our fear and anxiety since these feelings are an assessment of both our present situation and future blessings.

Fear and anxiety are not only common human traits, but pervade our culture. Indubitably there is something accurate behind British author Ruth Whippman’s moniker for the United States and title of her recent book, “America the Anxious.” Whippman argues that Americans tend to remain stuck chasing happiness rather than achieving it.

That Americans overwhelmingly experience fear and anxiety is borne out by the data, especially as of late.

The American Psychiatric Association revealed that “Americans’ anxiety levels experienced sharp increases in the past year” according to their 2018 survey of Americans. Anxiety increased “in all five areas” covered by the survey: “health, safety, finances, relationships and politics.”

What exactly do Americans fear? The list is expansive. Chapman University ranked nearly one hundred specific fears that Americans identified in the institution’s appropriately titled Survey of American Fears. Most Americans fear multiple different types of environmental, political, and personal disasters.

Americans’ top ten anxieties in 2018 are ranked in the chart below, compared to previous years. (Examine the complete series of 94 fears from the survey results published online here.)

Sadly, it remains true in our fallen world that tragic and terrible things do still happen. Inevitably we will all experience the brokenness inherent to our world, whether in the ways we fear or otherwise.

Fear as we may, we will also inevitably come to the conclusion implicit behind the question posed by Jesus Christ: “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27, Luke 12:35, ESV)

In other words, fear in and of itself is fruitless.

So how should we respond to fear? I believe there are several important lessons we should strive to internalize.

First, we should realize that many of our fears are unfounded. The truth is that many of the political, environmental, and economic trends we fear are not based in reality. Quite the opposite.

By virtually every conceivable measure, our country and world are becoming better places to live and thrive. Well-being in terms of economics, health, safety, education, and science, the world’s population is better off than ever. Even religious declinism is a factually dubious theory.

“Hardly anyone thinks the world is getting better,” Forbes Senior Contributor Steve Denning writes. “And yet the facts show otherwise.”

On an individual level, an important truth to internalize is that not everything we fear will come to pass. God gives us grace for each situation that we actually encounter, but does not ask us to muster up the faith all at once for everything that could happen. Fearing every possible eventuality is simply not our burden to bear.

Christian thinker and author C.S. Lewis summed up this lessen beautifully in his book The Screwtape Letters. The book contains a series of fictional letters from one demon to another about derailing a human “patient” who has become a Christian and attempting to thwart the “Enemy” (i.e., God).

In the book’s sixth letter, demon Screwtape writes to his demon nephew Wormwood about using fear to tempt the “patient” as follows:

Your patient will, of course, have picked up the notion that he must submit with patience to the Enemy’s [God’s] will. What the Enemy [God] means by this is primarily that he should accept with patience the tribulation which has actually been dealt out to him-the present anxiety and suspense. It is about this that he is to say “Thy will be done”, and for the daily task of bearing this that the daily bread will be provided. It is your business to see that the patient never thinks of the present fear as his appointed cross but only of the things he is afraid of.

Let him regard them as his crosses: let him forget that, since they are incompatible, they cannot all happen to him, and let him try to practise [sic] fortitude and patience to them all in advance. For real resignation, at the same moment, to a dozen different and hypothetical fates, is almost impossible, and the Enemy does not greatly assist those who are trying to attain it: resignation to present and actual suffering, even where that suffering consists of fear, is far easier and is usually helped by this direct action.

Another temptation related to fear is one that many conservative Christians are likely to struggle with: nostalgia. Not all nostalgia is bad, but when it comes to politics and culture, it can actually reveal a subtle fear about the future.

Dr. Russell Moore spoke about this sentiment in his Dianne Knippers Memorial Lecture, hosted by the Institute on Religion and Democracy in October 2015.

“There is a kind of religious conservatism that can easily present itself as time travelers from the past. Those who are seeking to bring forward the values of the 1950s,” Moore said. “We are not time travelers from the past. We are pilgrims from the future.”

Moore clarified that the impetus for the appropriate future-oriented focus by Christians lies in Christ’s statement “my kingdom is not of this world” in John 18.

This language echoes Christ’s previous instruction to his disciples in the same passage quoted already. After exposing that no one can add an hour to their life through worry, Christ commanded “do not be anxious about tomorrow,” but instead “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

Our faith-filled focus on Christ’s kingdom empowers us to live freely in the present. The kingdom of God is simultaneously already but not yet. This means we have faith for God to provide the grace we need today, and rest assured of the reward to come.

Christian author John Piper refers to this as faith in “future grace.” (Although he dedicates an entire book entitled “Future Grace” to the topic, find a shorter explanation here.)

“What I have in mind when I say ‘future grace’ is the grace we’ll receive at the Second Coming and the grace that is arriving every moment as I move into the future,” Piper explains. “So future grace is God’s power, provision, mercy, and wisdom—everything we need—in order to do what he wants us to do five minutes, five weeks, five months, five years, and five thousand years from now.”

So as we examine our hearts this Thanksgiving, let us take to heart Christ’s command: “do not be anxious about your life.” Let us remind ourselves during Thanksgiving week about His grace in the present and for all eternity to come.

Our King will empower us on Thanksgiving and throughout the year as we wrestle with our anxiety and lay hold of faith in future grace. This Thanksgiving week offers us a chance to exercise clear-headed thinking and hold fast to the Lord’s promises to provide for us now and forever.

Let us join with the psalmist in declaring: “I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.” (Psalm 116:17, ESV)

via Overcoming Fear and Anxiety During Thanksgiving Week — Juicy Ecumenism

Good News, Bad News This Thanksgiving

Eradicate: Blotting Out God in America

This Thanksgiving season, there’s good news and there’s bad news and it may depend on your perspective. As you know, most of our founders came to this bountiful land to live in freedom from religious persecution, and their standards were based on the principles in the Holy Bible. And yet, here we are in 2018 – hanging on by a thread to the religious freedoms this nation has enjoyed – and has taken for granted. 

Though we’re seeing a toxic increase of hatred, we can be still thankful for our history – and especially for hope.

The very first Thanksgiving took place almost 400 years ago—long before the nation was even born. But prior to arriving on these shores, William Bradford, the founder of Plymouth colony settlement wrote:

“…Having undertaken, for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith and Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage…

View original post 767 more words

Obama Makes ‘Surprise’ Visit to Chicago Food Bank – WITH HIS OWN CAMERA CREW (VIDEO) — The Gateway Pundit

Barack Obama made a ‘surprise’ visit to a Chicago food bank on Tuesday and brought his own camera crew.

Obama waltzed into the Greater Chicago Food Depository wearing a White Sox hat with his Obama Foundation camera crew in tow.

Leave it to Obama to make feeding the homeless and poor about himself.

VIDEO:

Thank you to ⁦@BarackObama⁩ and ⁦@ObamaFoundation⁩ for joining our volunteers today at the Food Depository. We believe no one should go hungry, especially this time of year, and that’s why we’re working to address the root causes of hunger in Chicago and Cook County. pic.twitter.com/d6YfBjvJl2

— Chicago’s Food Bank (@FoodDepository) November 20, 2018

Obama then tweeted about it, thanking the food bank for ‘letting him crash.’

OBAMA: Thanks to the Chicago @FoodDepository team for all you do and to the volunteers who are doing great work and let me crash today. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Thanks to the Chicago @FoodDepository team for all you do and to the volunteers who are doing great work and let me crash today. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody! https://t.co/r4QeBeCoT1

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) November 21, 2018

The Obamas are set to become a billion-dollar brand soon off of book deals, speeches and Netflix videos.

Didn’t Barack Obama once say ‘At certain point you’ve made enough money’?

At least he put some potatoes in a netted baggie for the poor while his crew captured it on camera.

via Obama Makes ‘Surprise’ Visit to Chicago Food Bank – WITH HIS OWN CAMERA CREW (VIDEO) — The Gateway Pundit

My interview about NAR with ex-New Ager Doreen Virtue — Spirit Of Error

Yesterday, I was interviewed about the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) by two ex-New Agers, Melissa Dougherty and Doreen Virtue. Doreen Virtue was a well-known New Age author before converting to Christianity two years ago. Now she has a ministry warning people about the dangers of New Age beliefs. She has a large following, including many New Agers and former New Agers.

On her webcast, yesterday, we discussed NAR and how specific NAR practices, such as exercises designed to “activate” the miraculous gift of prophecy, have more in common with New Age practices than the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit found in Scripture. We also discussed the major role Bethel Church in Redding, California, has played in promoting these New Age-type activation exercises. And we talked about the need for spiritual discernment, including the importance of having a full understanding of the Bible, not just a superficial understanding, and how to get that understanding. The webcast has already received over 3,000 views in less than 24 hours. Check out the webcast on YouTube.

via My interview about NAR with ex-New Ager Doreen Virtue — Spirit Of Error

Grifter Hillary Peddles Expensive Tickets to ‘An Evening With The Clintons’ Going Into Thanksgiving Holiday — The Gateway Pundit

Lifelong grifter, Hillary Clinton peddled expensive tickets to ‘An Evening With The Clintons’ going into the Thanksgiving holiday.

Bill and Hillary are embarking on a 7-month tour dubbed ‘An Evening with the Clintons’ where they will hit 13 cities.

A top ticket VIP seat costs upwards of $750.00, but don’t worry, if you are one of Bill and Hillary’s poorer fans, the ticket will only cost you $100-$200.

The grifters will speak on topics such as their time at the White House to Hillary’s failed presidential run in 2016.

Hillary promoted her expensive tour going into the Thanksgiving holiday. Classy.

“Spend an evening with Bill and me as we discuss where we go from here. Hope to see you out there!” Hillary Clinton tweeted Tuesday linking to her website selling the expensive tickets.

Spend an evening with Bill and me as we discuss where we go from here. Hope to see you out there! https://t.co/scnEwCzRc6 pic.twitter.com/ndZugzrFSB

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) November 20, 2018

Perhaps Bill and Hillary should have taken notes from Obama and taken their own camera crew to a food bank for a photo op rather than peddle expensive tour tickets.

via Grifter Hillary Peddles Expensive Tickets to ‘An Evening With The Clintons’ Going Into Thanksgiving Holiday — The Gateway Pundit

November 21, 2018 Truth2Freedom Briefing Report (US•World•Christian)

REUTERS

President Donald Trump’s administration is considering giving U.S. troops on the border with Mexico the authority to carry out medical screening of migrants.

President Trump has submitted written answers to questions from Special Counsel Mueller in his probe of Russian meddling in the 2016 election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign.

A Congressional committee will investigate Ivanka Trump, U.S. President Donald Trump’s daughter and a White House adviser, following reports she repeatedly used a personal email account for government work, a House Democrat said on Tuesday.

A U.S. federal judge on Tuesday struck down a Mississippi law that bans most abortions after 15 weeks, ruling that it “unequivocally” violates women’s constitutional rights.

Iran on Wednesday praised European efforts to maintain business with Tehran despite U.S. sanctions, citing “constructive meetings” with British and French officials in Tehran this week on setting up a way to conduct non-dollar trade.

Gunmen kidnapped an Italian volunteer and shot and wounded a woman and four children in Kenya late on Tuesday, police and witnesses said – the first abduction of a foreigner there since raids blamed on Somali Islamist militants six years ago.

International police organization Interpol on Wednesday elected Kim Jong-yang of South Korea as president, beating a Russian whose candidacy had raised concerns in Europe and the United States about the risk of Kremlin interference.

Three men have been jailed for life in Turkey for a 2016 car bombing that killed 36 people and wounded 344 in a crowded transport hub in Ankara, the state-run Anadolu agency reported on Wednesday.

U.S. farmers finishing their harvests are facing a big problem – where to put the mountain of grain they cannot sell to Chinese buyers.

New orders for key U.S.-made capital goods were unexpectedly unchanged in October and shipments rebounded modestly, which could temper expectations of an acceleration in business spending on equipment early in the fourth quarter.

A North Korean guard post in the demilitarized zone is blown up November 20. The two Koreas are taking steps to disarm areas along the border as part of talks between the two nations, including removing some landmines and guard posts.

AP Top Stories

At least 43 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a meeting of top clerics in Kabul on Tuesday, officials said, in one of the deadliest attacks to strike Afghanistan this year.

A Northern California sheriff says two more sets of human remains were found Monday, bringing the total number killed in a devastating California wildfire to 79. Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea says the list of names of those unaccounted for after a deadly wildfire has dropped to around 700. He says that’s about 300 fewer than what was posted at the start of Monday. Authorities stressed that many of the people on the list may be safe and unaware they have been reported missing.

Using thousands of military troops to help secure the Southwest border will cost an estimated $210 million under current plans, the Pentagon told Congress on Tuesday, even as questions arose about the scope and duration of the controversial mission.

Pakistan’s central bank said it had received $1 billion from Saudi Arabia as part of a support package agreed last month as Islamabad attempts to plug its rapidly deteriorating finances. A further $2 billion is expected to arrive in the next two months.

Boko Haram jihadists have killed 53 soldiers and farmers in three days of attacks in northeastern Nigeria, security sources said Tuesday, in a new show of force ahead of February elections in the West African country.

US air strikes in Somalia killed an estimated 37 fighters from the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab, the US military said Tuesday.

The US slapped fresh sanctions on Iran Tuesday, accusing it of creating a complex web of Russian cut-out companies and Syrian intermediaries to ship oil to Damascus, which in turn bankrolled Hezbollah and Hamas.

BBC

An American man, John Allen Chau, a 27 year old from Alabama, has been killed by an endangered tribe in India’s Andaman and Nicobar islands. Fishermen who took the man to North Sentinel Island say tribespeople shot him with arrows and left his body on the beach. Local media have reported that Chau may have wanted to meet the tribe to preach Christianity to them.

A 26-year-old man has been charged in a case described by police as Norway’s biggest ever sexual abuse case. The man, reportedly a football referee, has been under investigation for several years and now faces charges involving more than 300 teenage boys.

An Indian groom made his vows despite being shot on the way to his wedding in Delhi. After a few hours of surgery, the 25-year-old returned to his bride-to-be and completed the ceremony with a bullet still lodged in his shoulder.

A Moroccan woman is accused of killing her lover and serving up his remains to Pakistani workers for dinner in the United Arab Emirates. The woman killed her boyfriend three months ago, but the crime was only recently discovered when a human tooth was found in her blender.

WND

A rights group has slammed Facebook for allowing a child bride auction in South Sudan to take place on its platform. The father of a 16-year-old girl reportedly received 500 cows, three cars and $10,000 in exchange for his daughter’s hand in marriage.

Oregon – The UO’s Native American Law Students Association and the Native American Student Union are hosting an event, titled, “Thanks But No Thanks-giving: Decolonizing an American Holiday.” The event will focus on how people can continue to give thanks, while at the same time “raising [their] critical consciousness and identifying ways to decolonize the holiday.”

---

News – 11/21/2018

Special Archaeological Finding in City of David
Archaeologists working on the Temple Mount Sifting Project have unearthed a special archaeological find. Dating from the First Temple period, they found a small weight with the word Beka imprinted on it. Weighing the same as a half-shekel, it was used to check the weight of donations to the Temple. (video)

UN Drafts Resolution: Abortions/Assisted Suicide Are Human Rights
The United Nations Human Rights Council recently declared that abortions are a universal human right in a move that one rabbi sees as a reenactment of drowning Hebrew babies in Egypt. The nascent Sanhedrin reacted by ruling that this is a clear violation of the Noahide laws incumbent upon all humanity, warranting a hearing before the International Court of the Sanhedrin. The United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC) recently drafted a resolution placing the life of the mother ahead of that of the unborn child.

Landmark: US Votes Against UN Anti-Golan Resolution
The United States for the first time voted against an annual U.N. resolution condemning Israeli control over the Golan Heights at the world body. The decision by the United States to change its stance on the resolution, after previously voting for years to abstain, may be part of a broader shift in American policy towards the Golan Heights. The resolution was adopted in a U.N. General Assembly committee by a vote of 151 to 2, with only the U.S. and Israel voting against the measure…

U.N.’s Mladenov hints that Iran trying to spark Gaza war
“There are forces out there that want to disrupt that agreement and push us all into the abyss of a confrontation.”

Unprecedented Interfaith Conference Tackles Temple Mount Controversy
A conference is set to be held in Jerusalem in two weeks which will for the first time, educate Christians on the importance of the Temple Mount. The conference will bring the archaeological proof, refuting the theory that the Jewish Temples were not located where Jewish tradition holds.

The Russian-Iranian deal offered to Israel
Russia reportedly proposes that Iran be granted relief from some US sanctions in in return for the removal of its forces from Syria. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in a closed hearing on Monday that Russia recently proposed to Israel and the US that Iran be granted relief from some US sanctions that were imposed on it, in return for the removal of Iranian forces and proxies from Syria…

Hamas has run out of credit
Hamas has run out of credit. At least, as far as the IDF’s top brass are concerned. And If Hamas chooses to escalate the security situation on the Gaza border for whatever reason, the IDF is prepared to strike back within several minutes, rather than days or hours. Israel will also no longer hold prolonged “inquiries” into who fried and where. The military’s plan—which has already been presented to the Security Cabinet—will be put into action.

Shaked: I recommend Trump not waste time with peace plan, deal impossible
In anticipation of the Trump administration’s rollout of its long-awaited peace plan, Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked she said that US should not waste its time, as the gaps between Israel and the Palestinians were too great to bridge. Speaking at the Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference on Wednesday, Shaked also said that any deterrence Israel had against Hamas after the 2014 Gaza War was lost over the last two years.

Livni: Ceasefire without weakening Hamas is not acceptable
The government needs a coherent strategy to weaken Hamas and bolster more moderate factions in the Palestinian Authority, opposition leader Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) said at The Jerusalem Post Diplomatic Conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday. “When I criticize the government and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, it’s not for having a ceasefire, it’s for not having a strategy,” Livni said.

Interpol presidency vote: Russia in surprise loss to South Korea
Interpol has elected South Korean Kim Jong-yang as its president, rejecting the Russian frontrunner who had been accused of abusing the international police body’s arrest warrant system. Mr Kim was chosen by Interpol’s 194 member states at a meeting of its annual congress in Dubai. He beat Russia’s Alexander Prokopchuk, who had been widely tipped to win.

Saudi Arabia ‘tortured female activists’, charities say
Saudi Arabia tortured and sexually harassed human rights activists, including several women, human rights groups have alleged. Prisoners in the kingdom’s Dhahban Prison have allegedly been electrocuted and flogged. Saudi Arabia arrested several women’s rights activists earlier this year and influential clerics and intellectuals have also been detained.

Report: 80 Percent of Venezuelans Short of Food
Around 80 percent of Venezuelans are now short of food, according to the new data compiled by NGO Human Rights Watch on Tuesday. Following a trip to the Venezuelan border with Brazil by a team of health experts from John Hopkins University, researchers found that malnutrition continues to rise aggressively, with 80 percent of households unable to access enough food and rates of malnutrition among five years now over the World Health Organization’s crisis limit.

Knesset conference calls for evacuation of Hebron settlers
A conference titled “Hebron First” will take place in the Knesset next week calling for the immediate evacuation of the Jewish settlement in the West Bank city. The conference, organized by Joint List MKs Ayman Odeh and Dov Khenin and Meretz MK Michal Rozin, will feature a speech from B’Tselem Executive Director Hagai El-Ad, who recently spoke at the UN Security Council against Israeli treatment of the Palestinians.

Israel launches campaign to sabotage Palestinian propaganda
The United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day has for years been exploited by pro-Palestinian groups to spread misinformation and construct a narrative about Israel’s inhumane treatment of children in its military operations. This year the Ministry of Strategic Affairs and Information, headed by Gilad Erdan, has decided to fight back against the propaganda.

Heavy rains expected to hinder search for victims of California wildfire
Heavy rains are forecast to begin on Wednesday in northern California, where they are likely to hinder search teams sifting through ash and rubble for the remains of victims of the deadliest wildfire in the state’s history. As much as six inches (15 cm) of rain was expected to fall over the next several days around the town of Paradise, a community of nearly 27,000 people, many of them retirees, that was largely obliterated by the Camp Fire.

Facial Recognition’s Growing Adoption Spurs Privacy Concerns
Facial recognition is fast becoming embedded in everyday life. But as it improves, the technology is raising new privacy concerns.

Christian churches facing ultimatum in China’s Sichuan: Join Communist network or be shut down
Four Christian churches in China’s Sichuan province have been given an ultimatum and told they must join the official Communist government network or be shut down.

US military will not leave Syria until Iranian forces are out of the country – will they wage war to ensure they leave?
The US State Department had not spelled out a clear policy, and the Pentagon didn’t seem to know if removing Iran and Iranian proxies was actually the official stance.

Canadian PM Trudeau insists on inserting an LGBT agenda into the US-Mexican-Canadian Trade Agreement – and government conservatives are livid
Conservative Republicans in the House of Representatives on Friday demanded that LGBT-friendly language be removed from the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement (USMCA) before it’s ratified by Congress.

Australian PM infuriates Muslims around the world by blaming the latest terror attack in the country on Islam, NOT on a mental illness
The Prime Minister has doubled down on calls for Islamic leaders to be vigilant and pass information about suspected terrorists to intelligence agencies, saying they “can’t look the other way”.

Turkey is infuriating Trump by aligning with Iran and Russia – is it time to kick them out of NATO?
Why Turkey Is Pivoting Toward Iran and Russia

German chancellor Merkel attacks right-wing nationalism and says only United Nations values will pave the way for a new future
In a speech, on the Paris Peace Forum, German Chancellor Angela Merkel attacked nationalism and warned against “destructive isolationism”.

Imam recites the Islamic call to prayer in the Church of England WITHOUT permission – Christians furious at the disrespect
Imam performed call to worship in front of 400 people at Blackburn Cathedral Was part of anti-war concert last Saturday – the night before Remembrance Day He said ‘Allah is the greatest, I bear witness that there is no other God but Allah’ Dean Peter Howell-Jones said he ‘partially agrees’ with calls for his resignation.

Islamic Malaysia and Indonesia warn Australia that if they follow Trump and move their embassy to Jerusalem, Muslims will commit terror attacks against their citizens
Moving Australia’s embassy in Israel will cause terrorism, Malaysian and Indonesian leaders warned.

USS Truman aircraft carrier and strike force bound for waters off Syria amid Russian naval buildup – is this how WW3 begins
The USS Harry Truman with a strike force of 5 guided missile warships were on their way on Sunday, Nov. 18 to waters off the Syrian coast. They entered the Mediterranean on Friday, Nov. 16, just as the Russian Middle East fleet wound up a series of search and destroy exercises against enemy submarines and warships. They were led by two Russian guided missile frigates Admiral Makarov and Admiral Essen, armed with Kalibr-NK cruise ship-to-shore missiles. Russia air force helicopters took part in the drills. By week’s end, there were 8 Russian warships in the eastern Mediterranean.

Unmanned airship fitted with a surveillance camera can spy on people from above 
Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird or a plane or even Superman? No, it will probably be an unmanned airship that is silently spying on your every moment with a surveillance camera on a 24/7 basis.

Palm Beach bought coloring books with vote-machine money
…This year, the county used its $909,000 share of HAVA funds to buy iPads for voters to check in at the polls. In 2009, according to an audit, the county’s elections department spent $48,000 in HAVA money on coloring books.

Orange County vote count suggests fraud
The traditionally conservative Southern California enclave of Orange County has turned entirely Democratic in the House elections after finding tens of thousands of votes since Election Day.

Unmanned airship fitted with a surveillance camera can spy on people from above 
Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird or a plane or even Superman? No, it will probably be an unmanned airship that is silently spying on your every moment with a surveillance camera on a 24/7 basis.

Trans-everything – but this 1 thing!
Back in the crazy, wild and free ’60s (yes, I know I date myself, but I embrace reality – I am what I am), there was an adage: “You are what you eat.”

Pedophiles, Killers, Gang Members Arrested by Texas Border Agents
Texas Border Patrol agents have arrested a group of 39 migrants attempting to enter the United States illegally, with many of illegal immigrants having criminal histories that include convictions for homicide, child rape, and other sexual crimes against children.

Special Prosecutor John Huber to Testify to House GOP on DOJ’s Probe of Clinton Foundation After Thanksgiving
John Huber, the Special Prosecutor tapped by Sessions will testify at a GOP-led Congressional hearing on December 5th on the DOJ’s probe of the Clinton Foundation.

Swedish Men Sterilising Themselves up 70 Percent in Five Years
Since 2013, there has been a 70 percent increase in Swedish men seeking voluntary vasectomies, according to a report.

PEDOPHILE RING BUST: More than 400 ‘users’ of child pornography messaging group identified
AN international network of child pornography involved in producing and distributing material in 27 countries has been identified, and 14 arrests made in Spain.

---

Mid-Day Snapshot

The Foundation

“I do recommend and assign Thursday … next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.” —George Washington (1789) Many Reasons to Give Thanks Despite the current political rancor, Americans have so much for which to be thankful. McRaven Goes Left, Again Trump goes after the admiral, but he has a point about missing Osama bin Laden. The Conservative’s Guide for Where to Shop Some companies invest to oppose your values. But there are plenty of other places to shop. Giving Thanks for Climate Authenticity Once again, we find overheated stories about the end of the world. People should chill. Fellow Patriot — Here’s why we ask for your support: The Patriot Post is “free” because from our inception more than 22 years ago, we sought to reach the largest possible audience with the message of Liberty. Doing so at no charge is a high-risk business model, but your generosity has sustained our mission and operations ever since. Please consider making your donation to The Patriot Fund’s Year-End Campaign today. These funds are put directly toward our daily operations budget. We are nearing the half-way point of our goal — if you can, please help us to the finish line today. Thank you for contributing to our mission! —Mark Alexander, Publisher Mark Alexander Publisher The Patriot Post Bernie Sanders Threatens Walmart The senator continues toking his socialist pipe dream, demanding the retail giant raise its minimum wage. The Women’s March Bigots The group’s founder criticizes its leaders for anti-Semitism and anti-“LBGTQIA” sentiment. Video: Crenshaw Smashes Claims of Trump ‘Undermining Democracy’ Representative-elect Dan Crenshaw debates assertions that Trump is “undermining critical freedoms.” Wednesday Short Cuts “In less than five years even the worst skeptics are going to be believers.” —Gov. Jerry Brown Wednesday Top Headlines Thankfulness, Trump’s answers, migrant informants, Ivanka’s email, Saudi Arabia, and more. Today’s Opinion Tony Perkins Free to Be Thankful John Stossel Grateful for Not Starving Ben Shapiro The Ungrateful Nation Michelle Malkin First Step: Pro-Cop, Pro-Borders, Pro-Criminal Justice Reform Walter E. Williams Fruits of College Indoctrination Today’s Meme Today’s Cartoon

---

Headlines – 11/21/2018

Report: Hamas preparing for Israeli operation despite ceasefire

Israel may look to punish Airbnb with special tax after settlement ban

U.K. Quakers to Boycott Companies ‘Profiting From the Occupation’ of West Bank

Support for Israel rises among European Jewish leaders, survey finds

City of David proves Jerusalem is Jewish

Amid tensions, Jordan asks Israel for increase in water allocation due to severe drought in the kingdom

Armed with laptops, IDF warriors tasked with securing Israel’s cyber-borders

On Visit to Golan, IDF Chief Praises Efforts to Keep Iran From Establishing Syria Foothold

Putin floated deal to remove Iran from Syria for sanctions relief

US sanctions Iran-Russia oil network it says funds Hamas, Hezbollah

Putin floated deal to remove Iran from Syria for sanctions relief

Iraq: airstrikes kill 40 IS terrorists in Syria

Iraqi university rebuilds after IS ‘dark age’

Yemen’s government calls on UN Security Council to condemn Houthis’ violations

Saudi Arabia, UAE Jointly Pledge $500 Million in Yemen Aid

Yemen crisis: 85,000 children ‘dead from malnutrition’

Saudi Arabia ‘tortured female activists’, charities say

Trump ‘stands with’ Saudi Arabia and defends crown prince over Khashoggi

Citing ‘US, Israeli interests,’ Trump balks at punishing Saudis over Khashoggi

Trump statement on Saudi role in Khashoggi case ‘shameful’: Iran

Trump weak on Saudi accountability to protect Kushner peace plan

Ex-CIA Director Hayden: Iran looking to outlast Donald Trump

Irate Pakistan warns Trump remarks may “undermine” Afghan peace efforts

More than 50 killed by suicide bomber in Kabul banqueting hall

Attacker shouting ‘Allahu akbar’ stabs Belgian policeman

US sounds word of caution on expansion of Korea ties

The US may name Venezuela as a state sponsor of terrorism. Here’s why that could backfire.

Venezuela: Maduro Regimes Continues Military Purge as Arrests Reach Record High

Report: 80 Percent of Venezuelans Short of Food

Haiti hit with more violence amid third day of protests

Mexicans Protest Migrant Caravan Arrivals at U.S. Border: ‘They Are Invaders’

US judge stalls enforcement of Trump asylum restrictions

Trump vows to battle judges after latest immigration court defeat

Trump weighs authorizing U.S. troops to medically screen migrants

As Immigrant Farmworkers Become More Scarce, Robots Replace Humans

Trump defends Ivanka’s private emails as lawmakers launch probe

Trump reportedly wanted to order prosecutions of Hillary Clinton, Comey

White House’s new press rules will make it harder for reporters to hold Trump accountable

Trump: ‘I can’t imagine anybody else’ other than myself for Time Person of the Year

Dow plunges more than 500 points, erases gain for 2018

Dow Jones Falls 1,000 Points In 2 Days; Will These 7 Growth Stocks Hit Bottom?

The Dow may drop another 2,000 points before the stock market selling is done: CNBC CFO survey

US stock market’s slide is flashing a warning about the economy

Tech’s ‘FAANG’ stocks have lost more than $1 trillion and counting from highs amid tech rout

Here are the scandals and other incidents that have sent Facebook’s share price tanking in 2018

Facebook’s ad platform has crashed – causing chaos just days before Black Friday

“People Have Panicked” – Crypto Collapse Accelerates, Bitcoin Plunges Towards $4,000

As bitcoin nosedives, regulators said to be investigating whether it was propped up illegally

Greek crisis returns as Italian banks enter the danger zone

EU to launch joint spy school, boost electronic warfare skills

Mars revisited: NASA spacecraft days away from risky landing

5.5 magnitude earthquake hits near Kyushu, Japan

5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Molucca Sea

5.1 magnitude earthquake hits the Kuril Islands

5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near New Britain region, Papua New Guinea

Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 27,000ft

Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 20,000ft

Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 17,000ft

Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft

Tropical Storm Man-Yi expected to pass south of Guam on Thanksgiving

40-foot waves batter the Canary Islands after storm causes dozens to evacuate

NYC Skies Get Hazy as Smoke From California Wildfires Float East

Romaine Lettuce Warning: Throw Away All Heads of Lettuce Because of E. Coli Illness Fears, CDC Says

West Virginia native hospitalized in ICU after flu shot

Researchers modify genetic code of cancer-killing virus so it can target cells that protect cancer from immune system

Ohio’s legislature is considering laws to ban abortion after 6 weeks, and could punish patients and abortion providers with the death penalty

Federal judge strikes down Mississippi’s controversial 15-week abortion law

Judge dismisses female genital mutilation charges in historic case

Child bride auctioned on Facebook in ‘barbaric use of technology’

‘Dream come true’: Migrant caravan LGBTQ couples celebrate mass wedding

Human Rights Watch Says Florida’s HIV Prevention Leaves Behind Trans Women

Murders of Transgender People Rising Worldwide

Elderly prisoner claims he’s America’s deadliest serial killer with 90 victims. Police believe him.

Four Mass Shootings Rock the U.S. as Thanksgiving Week Gets Underway

If only they could talk: the psychics who know what your pet is thinking

---

Apostasy Watch Daily News

Mike Ratliff – Let us devote ourselves to running the race God has set before us

Megachurch pastor Jamal Bryant to lead Eddie Long’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church

Release of New Booklet on “A Course in Miracles” Coincides With Marianne Williamson’s Announcement About 2020 Presidential Election

Ergun Caner Remarries

Pastor of Texas town’s only black church charged for shining light off property

11-Year-Old ‘Trailblazing’ Child Drag Queen Promoted on Good Morning America

Judge dismisses female genital mutilation charges in historic case – Rules this is a state issue, not federal

‘Pro-life’ John Kasich threatens to veto new bill banning abortions on babies with heartbeats

US ‘missionary’ shot dead with arrows by tribe as he landed on remote island to convert them to Christianity

Canadian hospital advertises euthanasia in hospital waiting room

Zion Oil – We Drilled A Dud

---

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.

November 21, 2018 Afternoon Verse Of The Day

30. I will celebrate the name of God in a song. The Psalmist now elevated with joy, and sustained by the confident hope of deliverance, sings the triumphant strains of victory. This psalm, there is every reason to believe, was composed after he had been delivered from all apprehension of dangers; but there can be no doubt that the very topics with which it concludes were the matter of his meditation, when trembling with anxiety in the midst of his troubles; for he laid hold upon the grace of God by assured faith, although that grace was then hidden from him, and only the matter of his hope. God is here said to be magnified by our praises; not because any addition can be made to his dignity and glory, which are infinite, but because by our praises his name is exalted among men.^[1]

---

69:30 I will praise. The transition from pain and the call for judgment to resolute praise is abrupt. Such compression of thought is not unusual in biblical poetry.^[2]

---

^[1] Calvin, J., & Anderson, J. (2010). Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 76). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

^[2] Sproul, R. C. (Ed.). (2005). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (p. 796). Orlando, FL; Lake Mary, FL: Ligonier Ministries.

November 21 Growing in Wisdom

“Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 3:18

✧✧✧

Growing in wisdom means growing in Christlikeness.

Perhaps you’re asking, “Shouldn’t believers acquire more wisdom?” Yes, we should. No matter how much of God’s wisdom we have, we should always hunger for more. The Bible tells us that we have all the principles we need to walk in wisdom, and yet there’s much more available to us. We should “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18), and we should be more and more conformed to the image of Christ by the transforming work of the Spirit of God. Our wisdom should increase, as should our godliness, but we are given the basic principles at salvation. Even though a person may not know all the truths in the Bible, God’s Spirit, who is resident in him from the moment of salvation, will convict and convince him of righteousness and sin.

What do you do if you want more wisdom? First, worship. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Make it your goal to have a worshipful heart throughout each day and to be faithful in attending the Lord’s house regularly (see Heb. 10:25). Second, pray. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Make it your continual prayer to ask God for more of His wisdom. Third, receive instruction. The apostle Paul encouraged “admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom” (Col. 1:28). If you want more wisdom, one good way to receive it is to be instructed by someone who is wise. Finally, study Scripture. In 2 Timothy 2:15 Paul says, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, handling accurately the word of truth.” Set up a regular Bible study time, and let the Holy Spirit teach you.

What about you? Are you growing in wisdom? If not, make it your priority.

✧✧✧

Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you grow in wisdom.

For Further Study: Make it your daily goal to implement the four ways mentioned in today’s lesson for growing in wisdom.^[1]

---

^[1] MacArthur, J. (1997). Strength for today. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Striving To Enter the Narrow Gate — The Watchman’s Bagpipes

The Lord Jesus declared there are only two roads that lead to eternity, but only a few will find the narrow way that leads to life. Everyone else will travel the broad way that leads to death (Matt. 7:13-14). The many people who are on the broad way will take comfort in knowing they are doing and believing what everyone else does and believes. They need to know, as far as salvation is concerned, there is no security in numbers. Anyone entering the narrow gate must enter alone with empty hands of faith, trusting Christ alone.

Why are there only a few who find the narrow way? It is because false prophets, dressed in sheep’s clothing, are constantly directing people to the broad way (Matt. 7:15). These ravenous wolves are successful because the broad way seems right to man, but its end is death (Prov. 14:12). This is why Jesus said, “Strive to enter through the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able” (Luke 13:24). Jesus is pleading with people to strive to enter God’s Kingdom and be set free from a fallen world that is held captive by Satan to do his will (2 Tim. 2:26). Only the truth will set captives free, and only when they abide in God’s Word will they know the truth (John 8:31-32). Then they will be able to discern truth from error and the narrow gate from the wide gate.

Many gullible people fall prey to false teachers because of their deceptive appearance. As servants of Satan, they “disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Cor. 11:15). Like anything that is counterfeit, their goal is to fool people. False teachers mask their deceptive lies with an air of religious authority. They hide their fatal gospel under a thin veneer of truth, such that the outer shell is believable, but what’s inside is deadly poison. They often hide their blasphemies and heresies with illogical arguments and traditions of men. They have no fear of God and twist and distort His word to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). They are not interested in saving souls, only in gaining more followers. They are not interested in building the Lord’s church, but a church of their own.

Tragically, there are many who never take the time to consider on which road to eternity they are traveling. It is the responsibility of everyone on the narrow way to warn those who are in peril on the broad way. Let us encourage them to consider the many contrasts between the narrow way and the broad way before it is too late:

*One is guided by pure truth (1 Jn 2:21); the other by truth mixed with error (Gal. 1:6-7)

*One is directed by the infallible Word of God (2 Tim. 3:16); the other by the fallible traditions of men (Mark 7:7-8)

*One follows Jesus, the true Shepherd (John 10:3, 14:6); the other follows anyone else (Matt. 7:15)

*One is by grace and totally undeserved (Eph. 2:8-9); the other is by trying to merit God’s favor (Titus 3:5)

*One is entered by repenting and believing the Gospel (Mark 1:15); the other by rituals and self-righteousness (Rom. 10:3).

*One is entered by divine accomplishment (Hebrews 7:25); the other by human achievement (Luke 18:9)

*One is traveled by the humble who know they deserve hell (Eph. 2:1-5); the other by the proud who think they deserve heaven (Luke 18:11-14)

*One group will arrive expectantly because of God’s promises (1 John 5:13); the other will be tragically surprised (Matt. 7:23)

Both ways do have one thing in common; they both lead people to the Lord Jesus Christ. Many will meet Him as a sin-avenging Judge and hear Him say, “Depart from me, I never knew you” (Mat. 7:23). Others will stand before Him as their gracious and merciful Savior and sing His praises throughout eternity!

 

Mike Gendron, Proclaiming the Gospel email, 11/1/18

Striving To Enter the Narrow Gate — The Watchman’s Bagpipes

November 21 Daily Help

OH, how precious is Christ! How can it be that I have thought so little of him! How is it I can go abroad for joy and comfort when he is so full, so rich, so satisfying? Fellow-believer, make a covenant with thine heart, and ask thy Lord to ratify it. Bid him set thee as a signet upon his finger, and as a bracelet upon his arm. The sparrow hath made a house, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God; and so too would I make my nest, my home, in thee, and never from thee may the soul of thy turtle dove go forth again, but may I nestle close to thee, O Jesus, my true and only rest.^[1]

---

^[1] Spurgeon, C. H. (1892). Daily Help (p. 329). Baltimore: R. H. Woodward & Company.

There’s a $9 trillion corporate debt bomb ‘bubbling’ in the US economy

• Companies are carrying a $9 trillion debt load, posing a potential threat should rates continue to rise and the economy weaken.
• Most Wall Street bond experts think the issue is contained for the next 12 to 18 months, though one says the market’s “angst” is “not misplaced.”
• A principal worry is over companies teetering between investment grade and junk that could cause market trouble should their standing deteriorate.
  — Read on www.cnbc.com/2018/11/21/theres-a-9-trillion-corporate-debt-bomb-bubbling-in-the-us-economy.html

Fed injecting ‘monetary heroin’ into economy created biggest bubble ever – Schiff to RT’s Boom Bust

As US markets took a deep dive this week, RT’s Boom Bust talks to market guru and Euro Pacific Capital CEO Peter Schiff about the downturn. 
— Read on www.rt.com/business/444540-us-biggest-bubble-economy-/amp/