There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
12:25 Cf. Matt. 6:27, note. The word here translated “stature” can be used in a temporal sense, meaning “span of life.” It is probably best understood here in that sense.[1]
12:25 a single hour to his span of life. Or, “make his life any longer.”[2]
12:25able to add an hour An additional reason to not worry: Anxiety accomplishes nothing.[3]
12:25 It is uncertain whether Jesus is saying through His rhetorical question that worry cannot add to one’s physical height or that worry cannot add to one’s life span. In fact, worry can sometimes shorten life. What is clear is that worry is utterly useless and shows a lack of faith in God’s plan for our lives.[4]
Notes. 25 The Greek phrase is lit. ‘a cubit’ (a measure of length that could be used metaphorically for a period of time) to his ‘height’ (a word that could also be used for ‘span of life’). 31 To seek God’s kingdom is to set one’s aim in life on God himself and the accomplishment of his purpose of bringing all life under his rule.[5]
12:25. What do you accomplish by worrying? We are not certain precisely what Jesus meant by his example. The Greek word for “single hour” can mean either eighteen inches or one hour. Jesus may have been talking about adding to one’s height or to one’s time on earth—probably the latter. Whichever is meant, worrying accomplishes nothing. Rather, worrying slumps the shoulders and stresses the body so much that it may actually subtract hours or years from your life.[6]
12:25 “ ‘which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span’ ” The term pēchus is literally “cubit.” It is the distance between a man’s elbow and his longest finger. It is usually about 18 inches long. It is used in two different ways in Greek: (1) it can be used of size (cf. John 21:8; Rev. 21:17) or (2) it can be used of time (cf. Matt. 6:27; Luke 12:25).
The same dual meaning is found in the Greek term hēlikia (NKJV, “add one cubit to his stature”). It can refer to size (cf. Luke 19:3; Eph. 4:13) or time (cf. John 9:21, 23; Heb. 11:11). Both terms seem to refer to time in this context.[7]
25. In any case people are limited. It is not quite clear what the limitation is that Jesus singles out: the word hēlikia can refer either to age (John 9:21) or to stature (19:3). A cubit is a measure of length (the distance from the tip of the fingers to the elbow). But measures of length were occasionally applied to time (e.g. ‘handbreadths’ in Ps. 39:5). So the expression might mean ‘add a short period to his life’ or ‘add 18 inches to his height’. Those who favour the former meaning hold that few people worry about increasing their height by 18 inches, but many worry about lengthening their life. The rich fool could not add one moment to his span of life when God’s summons came. They hold also that this fits better with the references to a ‘small’ thing in the next verse. Though an increase in the span of life seems a large matter to us, it may well be the point that it is small to God. Those who see a reference to height point out that the same thing could be said about adding 18 inches to one’s height. They also say that this fits the context better, with its reference to the growth of plants. Plants do not worry, but they make great increases in height. Certainty is impossible but the way the terms are generally used favours the second view.[8]
12:25add a single hour to your life? The alternative translation “add a single cubit to your height” hardly fits the context here. Not many people would want to be half a meter taller, and this would hardly be a “very little thing” (12:26). The “cubit” is used here as a metaphor for a period of life (compare “lifespan”). The passage is about survival, not stature, and worrying about our survival changes nothing. It may even shorten our life.[9]
12:25 / add a single hour to his life: Lit. “to add a cubit to his lifespan [or stature].” The reference is undoubtedly to lifespan, as is indicated by the context, particularly by the Rich Fool’s death shortly after building his new barns. A cubit is 18 inches (which would be quite an addition to one’s height!), but it can be used, as it is here, with reference to time (Marshall, p. 527). Lachs (p. 132) notes that the cubit might refer to an increase in the height of one’s crop (i.e., the height of standing corn, perhaps in references to the Rich Fool’s good crops in vv. 16–17).[10]
25 The NIV’s translation of ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν αὐτοῦ προσθεῖναι πῆχυν (epi tēn hēlikian autou prostheinai pēchyn) as “add a single hour to his life” is debatable (cf. NIV text note). The word ἡλικία, hēlikia (GK 2461), can mean “age” or “bodily stature” (cf. BDAG, 435–36). The word πῆχυς, pēchys (GK 4388), means “cubit,” a unit of measure based on the length of a human forearm (roughly eighteen inches). It could be used to describe the extent of the ἡλικίαν, hēlikia, in either of its senses. The NIV takes ἡλικίαν, hēlikian, in the sense of “age,” which fits well with the parable about the rich fool (vv. 16–21), who could not add to his life. Yet the words “how the lilies grow” (v. 27), suggest the idea of height. A person of normal stature would scarcely want to add another foot and a half to his height, so such an explanation seems unlikely. The meaning could, however, be that one normally grows inch by inch without giving it any thought. Even if a person thought about it, he or she could not suddenly gain eighteen inches and be fully grown. While to live on some “borrowed time” may seem important and to grow a foot and a half taller is to gain about an additional fourth of one’s stature, these are both insignificant in comparison with the entire scope of one’s life, especially considered in its spiritual dimension. At any rate, neither is possible; so why worry at all?[11]
[1] Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J., eds. (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Lk 12:25). Thomas Nelson.
[3] Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., Whitehead, M. M., Grigoni, M. R., & Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Lk 12:25). Lexham Press.
[5] Marshall, I. H. (1994). Luke. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1002). Inter-Varsity Press.
[6] Butler, T. C. (2000). Luke (Vol. 3, p. 205). Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[9] France, R. T. (2013). Luke (M. L. Strauss & J. H. Walton, Eds.; p. 219). Baker Books.
[10] Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (p. 201). Baker Books.
[11] Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 225). Zondervan.
And ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. (Malachi 4:2)
Yes, when the sun shines, the sick quit their chambers and walk abroad to breathe the fresh air. When the sun brings spring and summer, the cattle quit their stalls and seek pasture on the higher Alps. Even thus, when we have conscious fellowship with our Lord, we leave the stall of despondency and walk abroad in the fields of holy confidence. We ascend to the mountains of joy and feed on sweet pasturage which grows nearer heaven than the provender of carnal men.
To “go forth” and to “grow up” is a double promise. O my soul, be thou eager to enjoy both blessings! Why shouldst thou be a prisoner? Arise, and walk at liberty. Jesus saith that His sheep shall go in and out and find pasture; go forth, then, and feed in the rich meadows of boundless love.
Why remain a babe in grace? Grow up. Young calves grow fast, especially if they are stall fed; and thou hast the choice care of thy Redeemer. Grow, then, in grace and in knowledge of thy Lord and Savior, Be neither straitened nor stunted. The Sun of Righteousness has risen upon thee. Answer to His beams as the buds to the natural sun. Open thine heart; expand and grow up into Him in all things.
When dancers spin, they establish a focal point so they can maintain their balance. Christians similarly need focus to stay strong in faith in the midst of chaos and confusion. So where do we look? We’ll find out on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
Kathy thought about the approaching New Year as she filed away the boxes of last year’s paperwork. There were things she would like to do differently in this new year.
Oh, there were the usual things most of her friends were claiming as their New Year’s Resolutions:
• Lose weight • Stop smoking • Take more time for relationships • Set goals
The list went on. The office was filled with laughter and the prospect of hope for change that a new year would bring. Yet Kathy knew, in a week or so, the chatter would turn to the broken resolutions and very few of the hoped for changes would become a reality. She wanted something more for her life.
That night Kathy picked up her Bible and read Psalm 25. It was full of hope and an expectation of change that only God could bring to her life. She read it through a couple of times and underlined some verses that seemed to jump off the page, bringing fresh hope to her heart.
“Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long.” Psalm 25:4&5
The second time she read it through it struck her… here was her New Year’s resolution!
This would be the prayer of her heart every day in this New Year. She grabbed a recipe card and wrote out the words, letting them soak into her soul. This was the change she wanted in her life… to keep her focus daily on the path God wanted her to walk in hope and in faith.
Take a little time over the next few days and read through Psalm 25 yourself. Consider reading it every day for a week and ask God to make the promise of hope come alive to your heart. Write verse 4 & 5 on a card or a sticky note and place it where you will see it regularly. Memorize it and let it soak into your soul and change your life.
Father God, Thank you for the promise of hope You bring to my heart and my life. I do lift up my soul and my life to You now. I want to trust in You more fully this year. Tune my ears to hear Your voice more clearly. Teach me Your path and guide me in Your truth. In these changing days I need to discern Your ways for me. Help me to put my hope in You, not just occasionally or when I am in a hard place, but every day all day long. Thank you that You are God, my Savior! I ask this in the strong name of Jesus, amen.
May God guide us as we face another challenging year!
“Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.” 1 Peter 1:13
I love happy endings.
I enjoy watching artsy movies that leave me with unanswered questions and issues to ponder. But, at the end of the day, I honestly prefer seeing everyone get their “happy ending” – whatever that may look like: finding true love, financial security, a dream career, etc.
Scripture teaches us that that if you trust Christ, we ALL get a happy ending; even more, a permanent happy ending than could never be described in a movie or book. Scripture tells us (1 Corinthians 2:9) that we can’t even conceive what it would be like!
On the other hand,
how many Christians have been severely wounded because they expected their happy ending to come on this side of eternity?
I confess that I am one of the worst. I seem to have this deep seeded sense of entitlement that tells me, because of certain struggles and disappointments, that my “happy ending” is just around the corner.
But God never promises that in this life.
1 Peter 1:13 warns us that to have our hope set on the things of this world is to be lethargic and inebriated in the boxing ring. In other words, foolishly and unnecessarily vulnerable to being wounded or taken out.
So for those of us who are sick of getting sucker punched, let’s get our hands up, and our heads down by adjusting our hopes and expectations away from the happy ending that our culture guarantees, and on to the happy ending that Our Lord promises.
Father, please ignite my imagination with images and visions of being with You forever in heaven. Enable me to emotionally hold on to the promise of heaven in the face of any and all disappointments, while continuing to love and serve You and the people around me. Thank You!
Question: When you’re facing a stumbling block, and you’re struggling to keep Heaven in focus, which Scripture verses do you turn to?
Volunteers search for rare artifacts in Israel’s Judean Desert “In the last five years we are checking every cave here, even the smallest ones,” “We found here a collection of papyrus from the Bar Kochba Revolt era. This cave suffered for years from antiquities looting. Once we entered the cave we found remains of looting from different eras.”
Pledging Deepened Military Ties With Putin, Xi To Visit Russia In Spring Against Backdrop Of War Vladimir Putin in a Friday virtual meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping hailed Russia-China ties as at their “best in history” and the strategic partnership between the two countries a “stabilizing factor” amid broader geopolitical tensions with the West. Putin vowed to his “dear friend” Xi to strengthen military cooperation with China, while Xi reciprocated by saying Beijing stands ready to expand ties.
Biden Family Disowns Hunter’s 4-Year-Old Daughter, Remains “Estranged From The Child” The Biden family has remained “estranged” from Hunter Biden’s 4-year-old daughter, and ‘seemingly wants nothing to do with the child, The filing cites President Biden, Jill Biden and Hunter’s late brother Beau as examples of successful individuals bearing the last name, and says that the Biden family remains “estranged from the child. To the extent this is misconduct or neglect, it can be rectified by changing her last name to Biden so that she may undeniably be known to the world as the child of the defendant and member of the prestigious Biden family.”
‘I Also Orchestrated It’: Uncharged J6 Witness Ray Epps Transcript Released Ray Epps, the uncharged man identified as a key instigator behind the January 6, 2020 Capitol Breach for telling people to storm the Capitol, said in a text message to his nephew that he “orchestrated” things, according to newly released witness transcripts from the January 6th Committee.
EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act will lead the world on regulating AI The European Union is set to create the world’s first broad standards for regulating artificial intelligence. As well as determining how the technology affects the lives of almost 450 million citizens in the 27 countries of the EU, the rules are likely to influence how AI is used elsewhere in the world.
North Korea fires 3 ballistic missiles after unprecedented year of tests North Korea fired three ballistic missiles toward the sea east of the Korean Peninsula on Saturday, the South Korean military said. The launches were the latest in an unprecedented number of missile tests conducted by North Korea this year, as Pyongyang presses on with weapons development amid speculation it could test a nuclear weapon for a seventh time.
Scientology leader disappears after being named in child trafficking lawsuit David Miscavige, chairman of the board of the Religious Technology Center, is the leader of the controversial Church of Scientology and the sect’s company Sea Org, according to the Tampa Bay Times. Process servers visited 10 Church of Scientology properties and have made 27 attempts to serve Miscavige, but the church leader has been missing for months, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
U.S. Virgin Islands implicates JP Morgan Chase bigtime in Jeffrey Epstein’s sex-trafficking operation An explosive new lawsuit brought by the U.S. Virgin Islands Attorney General Denise George has accused banking behemoth JP Morgan Chase of turning “a blind eye” to Jeffrey Epstein’s heinous human sex-trafficking operations, which allegedly represented the “principal business” of the now-deceased pedophile’s accounts with the institution. According to the suit, filed on Tuesday, JP Morgan “knowingly facilitated, sustained, and concealed the human trafficking network operated by Jeffrey Epstein” and “financially benefitted from this participation,” the Insider reports.
Bovard: Liberals Learned Nothing In 2022 …more Americans are finally recognizing that, regardless of Biden’s preening or the media’s cover-ups, the federal government is the most dangerous threat to their rights and liberties.
Global stocks lose $18 trillion in rout! More tech tantrums. China’s Covid surge. And above all, no central banks riding to the rescue if things go wrong. Reeling from a record $18 trillion wipeout, global stocks must surmount all these hurdles and more if they are to escape a second straight year in the red.
2023 could start with severe weather outbreak in South The FOX Forecast Center is tracking the potential for dangerous weather beginning Monday in eastern parts of Oklahoma and Texas and stretching eastward into western Kentucky, Tennessee and Mississippi. The highest chance of severe storms appears to be centered over the Ark-La-Tex region.
Damaging tornado hits La Paz and El Alto, Bolivia A damaging tornado hit the cities of La Paz and El Alto in Bolivia on December 28, 2022. The tornado formed at about 18:15 LT and lasted for about 20 minutes, enough to cause damage to some houses. This was the first tornado to hit the area since 2019.
EXCLUSIVE: Freedom Caucus Considers Keeping Kevin, Pelosi’s House Rules Some members of the supposedly conservative House Freedom Caucus are negotiating away the House Rules established by Thomas Jefferson that kept the lower house accountable to voters, according to conversations National File has conducted with members of the House Freedom Caucus.
CDC Instructs School Districts to Promote ‘LGBT Inclusivity’ The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is instructing school administrators to adopt a self-assessment that will measure how “inclusive” their district is for the LGBT community.
1-2 Million COVID Deaths Likely in China China’s dam against COVID-19 has broken. Beijing canceled lockdowns precipitously, and the resulting tidal wave of infections is inundating the country.
The Infrastructure Of Antichrist: Living In The Age Of Surveillance | Harbingers Daily We live in the age of surveillance. Cameras (attached to facial recognition systems), satellites, street sensors, license plate readers, drones, credit cards, computers, phones, televisions, “smart” devices, and other technologies watch every move we make. Corporations use this avalanche of data to make money. But does it work? Not always. According to Business Insider, Amazon is on track to lose $10 billion dollars on its Alexa division this year. That’s billion… with a “B.”
After deadly Buffalo blizzard, families scramble to find food Families in western New York were scrambling to find food, medicine and other essentials Monday after a historic blizzard blocked roads and cut off electricity, forcing many major supermarkets and pharmacies to close.
The vast majority of Americans don’t realize that MSM are bribed with big bucks to feature state-approved propaganda.
That truth and full disclosure on major world and national issues are excluded from their reports.
That press freedom throughout the US/West is a meaningless figure of speech, what only alternative media feature.
That controlling the message is prioritized by US/Western regimes.
That peace, equity, justice and the rule of law are virtually banned throughout the West.
That MSM operate as virtual ministries of truth in Western nations where they’re located.
In the US, the above reality applies under both wings of the one-party state.
Things are no different throughout the debauched West and its Eastern European vassal states.
State-approved censorship is the new abnormal.
It applies to everything diverging from the fabricated official narrative.
Julian Assange remains brutally persecuted and imprisoned for revealing vital truths about the lawless way hegemon USA operates on the world stage.
Are many other truth-telling journalists threatened in similar fashion ahead?
As hegemon USA and its Western vassals head toward full-blown tyrannical rule, will truth and full disclosure on vital issues be criminalized?
Will only state-approved fake news be tolerated, similar to what MSM feature?
Even throughout the holiday season, including on Christmas Day and New Year’s eve, the self-styled newspaper of record, NYT, turned truth on its head on all things Russia and Ukraine — in support of the US-installed, Nazi-infested regime in Kiev.
As Russian forces systematically degrade and destroy Ukraine’s made-in-the-USA war machine, the Times defied reality by falsely claiming that both sides are “locked in a bloody stalemate (sic).”
And the Times sounded delusional by calling US-controlled puppet Zelensky, a buffoon devoid of leadership, a kleptocrat war criminal, “an impassioned and effective orator (sic).”
And “aggression” is how US-dominated NATO regimes and Ukrainian Nazis operate, clearly not Russia.
Indeed they’ve been “no peace talks” because hegemon USA prohibits them in favor of perpetual war on the Russian Federation, ignoring the risk of full-scale war on the nation and its people with nukes.
Yet no matter how long US-dominated NATO regimes drag out conflict by supplying Ukrainian Nazis with arms, the outcome of Russia’s SMO was clear from day-one of its launch.
Kiev will be demilitarized, deNazified and rendered impotent when things end.
Liberated parts of its territory will remain free from the scourge of Nazified control.
And this Times trash, falsely accusing Russian forces of “kill(ing) thousands of civilians (sic)” — how US/NATO regimes operate in all their wars of aggression on invented enemies, how Ukrainian Nazis operate.
More of the same, falsely calling Russia’s largely self-sufficient economy “vulnerable” — what applies mostly to UK and EU regimes, the US likely to be more adversely impacted in the new year as growing economic weakness takes a greater toll than already..
And this Times perversion of reality, falsely calling Russia “increasingly isolated, economically and politically (sic).”
And this fake news, falsely saying Putin skipped his annual news conference.
On Dec. 22, he held a Q & A with reporters for 48 minutes, his marathon press conference to be scheduled in the new year.
On Dec. 30, he extended new year’s greetings to leaders of allied nations.
In all his public remarks, he’s candid, delivering them without crib notes or an earpiece delivering instructions, how the fake Biden’s public remarks are choreographed.
Without these aids, he’d be tongue-tied. Even with them, he’s inarticulate.
Before installed by hegemon USA, puppet Zelensky refused to take a drug and alcohol test, fueling speculation of a possible addiction.
Russia’s military found opioid drugs and ephedrine substances at positions abandoned by Ukrainian troops, what’s fed them as a combat aid.
Blood tests on Ukrainian POWs found these substances in their blood.
MSM-spread rumors about Putin’s alleged deteriorating health are fabricated, part of US/Western propaganda war on Russia.
He’s a giant on the world stage in stark contrast to his pigmy US/Western counterparts and buffoon Zelensky.
Separately on Thursday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said events in 2022 “ended a 30-year period of honest attempts by Russia to build an equal partnership with the collective West” in vain because their ruling regimes prioritize forever wars for dominance over cooperative relations with other nations.
Moscow exposed the diabolical aims of US/Western regimes.
“By resorting to openly Russophobic rhetoric and acknowledging in public that Minsk (principles were) just a way to buy time for Kiev (to be) pump(ed) full of weapons, US-dominated NATO regimes chose perpetual war over cooperative relations with Russia and other independent nations to try transforming them into vassal states.
Looking ahead to the new year, there’s not a hint of positive change in prospect, just more of the same likely worsening.
Without a doubt, millions of Americans must be scratching their heads as to the choices and stupidities of our elected representatives in Washington DC. Every time you turn around, they out-do themselves with dumb, dumber and really stupid decisions that harm the American people. Instead of representing our best interests…they represent everyone else’s best interests.
On the world stage, how could one man rain-down so much death and destruction onto innocent men, women and children of Ukraine? Hitler did the same thing, and now, all these decades later, another nut-case named Putin has killed untold tens of thousands of innocent people. He’s displaced millions of people from their homes. He’s forced millions into other peoples’ countries. He’s wrecked an entire country. As this winter drags on, his death toll will become astronomical. His actions portend pure madness.
And yet, world leaders, especially in Europe, sit by twiddling their thumbs. There’s some kind of madness going on in the world when such a madman as Putin can get away with the same kind of madness as that Kim Jong Un nut-bag in North Korea. How do such insanity cases get to be leaders of major countries?
But then, you look at the United States…and scratch your head. We’ve got a senile president that has sent something close to $100 billion in war aid to Ukraine for them to protect their borders. But he’s allowed in excess of 6.6 million illegal refugee migrants to storm our borders, overwhelm our cities, and millions more to come in 2023. In fact, tens of millions more are expected to penetrate our country with no consequences. Along with that, he’s opened the borders to the greatest drug cartels known in modern history to kill off our own citizens by the hundreds of thousands of young people annually. No one in Congress blinks an eye to any of this human tragedy occurring in our own country.
Even more ironic, we voted most of the incumbents back into Congress this past November…that have caused the nightmares we’re living financially, gas-prices, inflation and racial conflict.
While we spend millions helping other countries, over 500,000 American homeless citizens sleep in the streets 24/7. Nothing is being done to house them, feed them, care for them or, in any way, give them a chance for a better life in our own country. While they sleep in the streets, Biden sends all those illegal refugees to hotels with food services. Tell me that any of that insanity makes any sense!
Have you seen the continuing criminal onslaught in our major cities where “smash & grab” crimes have become the norm? This year alone, $94 billion in stolen goods from mercantile stores across America. What’s being done? Nothing! In fact, the attorney generals in most of those big cities give those criminals “no-bail” releases within hours…that’s “if” those criminals are caught. They are back in business in places like California and they are allowed to steal up to $900.00 of goods with no penalty or prosecution. You can’t help but shake your head at the insanity of it all. We’re actually raising a generation of kids who lack an adequate education, job skills, and any sense of ethics, personal accountability and morality.
The Founders of this country wrote our U.S. Constitution based on a morally and ethically responsible citizenry. What we have today are minorities who enjoy the greatest opportunities on this planet demanding that we “defund the police”, “do away with prisons”, and “anything goes.” What happens when their numbers supersede the numbers of responsible American citizens? Answer: we’re talking anarchy on a national level.
One of the worst attacks going on in America is a re-engineering of our First Amendment rights. Stanford University pitched a whole new vocabulary that does not fit America. In reality, that institution of higher learning teaches its students to condemn free speech. You can’t say, “American” any longer because it “degrades” other people. When you have such “media terrorists” like Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, and Joy Reid trashing half the country daily on their programs, is it little wonder that kids hate their own country and want to see it destroyed? Isn’t it ironic that NPR features a 90 percent white listening audience, but condemns America as basically a racist country where minorities have faced horrible inequities. When in fact, America’s minorities enjoy the highest standard of living, education and job opportunities in the world!
Do such people that rail against America have a better replacement? Answer: look around the world folks. It’s not so nice in China, Russia, Mexico, India, North Korea, Bangladesh, Somalia, et al.
How much longer can our country continue on this kind of unethical path where so many of our House and Senate members are dishonorable, our president is senile beyond anyone’s comprehension, and we citizens are taken for fools?
How many more millions of refugees can we absorb before we, too, become refugees? Can we take-in another 20 or 30 million or more? Because they ARE coming! How can we survive our $31.5 trillion national debt? How can we survive the outflow of over $100 billion annually in cash transfers by these “immigrant refugees”? How much longer will we remain any kind of a cohesive society with so many completely alienated against our country?
If we continue on this path set by Biden, Congress and other world leaders, the year of 2023 will prove an even greater disaster than 2022. You can count on it.
Mourners attend the funeral for victims of June 5, 2022, church attack in Owo, Ondo state, Nigeria. | Catholic Diocese of Ondo
The persecution of Christians worldwide appears set to increase in at least three pivotal countries — Nigeria, India and China — in the coming year 2023, according to a report by the United Kingdom-based aid and advocacy organization Release International.
Providing aid to persecuted Christian families in over 25 countries, the charity released its annual “Persecution Trends” report Wednesday. The document is based on findings from its partners in the world’s worst persecution hotspots.
The report identified Nigeria, India and China as countries of “growing concern” for 2023. Among the three, Release International identified Nigeria as its “country of key concern” for 2023.
Nigeria
Christians hold signs as they march on the streets of Abuja during a prayer and penance for peace and security in Nigeria in Abuja on March 1, 2020. The Catholic Bishops of Nigeria gathered faithfuls and other Christians to pray for security and to denounce the barbaric killings of Christians by the Boko Haram insurgents and the incessant cases of kidnapping for ransom in Nigeria. | Kola Sulaimon/AFP via Getty Images
According to the report, violence is growing in Nigeria, where thousands have been killed in recent years as the country grapples with Islamic extremist groups in the northeast and radicalized herdsmen in the Middle Belt. Additionally, the group warns of potential demands to divide the nation in the run-up to the presidential election scheduled for February 2023.
“Every indication suggests Nigeria is at a pivotal point in its history. The election in 2023 will determine whether the nation grows as an entity or disintegrates,” one of the organization’s Nigerian partners is quoted as saying in the report.
Pressure is building from Islamists, including terrorist groups, in the north for an independent Islamic state, the report notes, adding, regional ethnic groups in the south are also calling for secession.
In the Middle Belt region, persistent attacks against predominantly Christian communities are being reported. And persecution is no longer limited to the north as it spreads to the central and southern regions.
“Terror groups Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa continue to defy the authorities, and Fulani militants attack Christian villages with impunity,” the report states.
Release International estimates that Fulani extremists killed thousands and destroyed at least 17 villages this year.
Violence in Nigeria has driven more than 2 million people from their homes.
“Kidnapping for ransom has now become the major money earner for terrorist groups, while the numbers of victims of rape and people living with disabilities due to attacks continue to grow among the Christian communities,” a local partner is quoted as saying in the report.
“Hundreds of thousands of children in these Christian villages are unable to go to school or access good education. … Whichever way the election goes, Nigeria as a nation is in need of a miracle.”
China
Early Rain Covenant Church in China | Facebook/Early Rain Covenant Church
In China, Christians come under even greater pressure to demonstrate unswerving allegiance to Premier Xi Jinping by rejecting the Christian faith, the report claims.
A growing number of Evangelicals are being targeted and arrested on charges of being cults, corruption or illegal religious activity.
“The government under Xi Jinping wants to control everything. They see Christianity as not fully under their control,” says Release International’s local partner in that country, explaining that Christianity is depicted as unpatriotic, outdated and Western in origin.
China only recognizes five religious groups that submit to the government’s influence.
Christians from unregistered churches, including the heavily persecuted Early Rain Covenant Church, have been taken in by the authorities for questioning.
The report adds that many young people, teachers and parents are being told religion will harm their education and they should report anyone involved in such activity.
As The Christian Post reported, the Chinese government implemented Administrative Measures for Internet Religious Information Services in March, mandating an “Internet Religious Information Service License” for any religious group seeking to disseminate religious content on the internet.
Under the law, only “legally established” organizations may register for a license in the country.
Open Doors USA, which monitors Christian persecution in over 60 countries, ranks China as the 17th worst country when it comes to Christian persecution.
“Christian leaders are generally the main target of government surveillance, and a very small number have been abducted,” Open Doors states in a factsheet.
There may be as many as 100 million Christians in China, as scholars have said that there could be more Christians in China than anywhere else in the world by 2030.
India
Christian nuns wave placards as they march during a demonstration against the tabling of the Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill on December 22, 2021, in Bengaluru, India. The Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill also known as the Anti-Conversion Bill makes provisions for the prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by force, allurement or by any fraudulent means with punishments ranging between a minimum of three years and a maximum of 10 years along with monetary penalties. However, leaders of opposition political parties and activists allege that this law targets Muslims and interfaith couples and is a tool provided to pro-Hindu activists to harass interfaith couples from entering into consenting relationships and marriages. | Abhishek Chinnappa/Getty Images
Release International predicts that persecution is also likely to increase in India, where radical Hindus appear increasingly emboldened by the dominance of the nation’s right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party government, according to the report.
Religious freedom conditions in India have drastically deteriorated in recent years following the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the rise of the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2014.
While Christians comprise only 2.3% of India’s population and Hindus account for about 80%, about a dozen states have enacted anti-conversion laws, claiming that Christians “force” or entice Hindus to convert to Christianity.
“More states are passing anti-conversion laws. Karnataka followed suit in September. There are concerns that a national law to limit the right to convert may follow,” the report reads. “As intolerance rises, reports of violent attacks against pastors and congregations continue.”
Anti-conversion laws typically state that no one can use the “threat” of “divine displeasure,” which means Christians can’t talk about Heaven or Hell since it would be seen as luring someone to convert.
The Evangelical Fellowship of India reported 200 attacks on Christians in the first five months of 2022, Release International notes.
Over the recent Christmas period, there were reports of Hindu radicals burning effigies of Santa Claus, which they equate with Christianity, and chanting “Death to Jesus Christ,” the report says.
“The persecution of Christians in India is intensifying as Hindu extremists aim to cleanse the country of their presence and influence,” a fact sheet from Open Doors USA states. “The driving force behind this is Hindutva, an ideology that disregards Indian Christians and other religious minorities as true Indians because they have allegiances that lie outside India, and asserts the country should be purified of their presence.”
“This is leading to a systemic, and often violent and carefully orchestrated, targeting of Christians and other religious minorities, including use of social media to spread disinformation and stir up hatred.”
The United Christian Forum reported at least 486 violent incidents of Christian persecution in 2021, calling it the “most violent year” in the country’s history. And the number of attacks this year could be even higher.
Release International CEO Paul Robinson says the next 12 months will be significant for large swathes of the Church across the globe.
“Those who use violence to try to stamp out Christianity have forgotten the lesson of history,” he adds. “It teaches us that persecution, terrible though it is, strengthens resolve. It emboldens and refines the Church.”
The American Cornerstone Institute founder and chairman Dr. Ben Carson joins ‘Hannity’ to discuss Dr. Anthony Fauci’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and the legacy he will leave behind. #foxnews #hannity #fox
Poll: Voters Say GOP Should Release Federal Tax Returns of Democrats Who Voted to Release Trump’s
Most voters believe that Republican lawmakers should pursue the release of tax returns of Democrats who voted to release former President Donald Trump’s, a Rasmussen Reports survey released Thursday found.
While the survey found that most, 63 percent, approve of Democrat members of the House Ways and Means Committee releasing six years of Trump’s tax returns, most want the same to happen to the Democrats who made that happen.
The survey said:
Republicans will take control of the House of Representatives next year. Should Republicans in Congress release the federal tax returns of the Democrats who voted to release Trump’s tax returns?
Most, 54 percent, said “yes,” followed by 31 percent who said “no” and 16 percent who remain unsure.
Let’s see Nancy Pelosi’s tax returns. And Biden’s.
If we're releasing politicians' tax returns now… I also want to see all the investments made by members of Congress and their families… starting with Nancy Pelosi.
Yet another Democrat scam backfires. Releasing Trump's tax returns shows his net worth declined while in office. Is there a single Democrat who could say the same? Clinton? Obama? Biden? Pelosi doubled her net worth.
Trump’s tax returns are, in truth, terrific. Now, let’s get the Pelosi, Schumer, Biden S Corp, Roberts, Garland, and all the others! pic.twitter.com/yzOkyb2PVr
Mixed Signals The president offered a Christmas Address told of how things are improving, like “COVID … no longer controls our lives” while the news reports that the U.S. is the first nation to report total COVID cases in the 9-figure range (over 100 million). Someone needs to get their stories straight.
Figures They complained about Trump adding $7 trillion to the national debt (By the way, Obama increased the national debt by the most yet — $8.6 trillion), but Biden signed that grand budget to take us farther and farther down the national debt rabbit hole. In fact, in his two years in office he has bumped it up $4 trillion. Oh, and here’s a fun fact. Only one Democrat voted against the spending bill — AOC. Hard to believe, being the queen of wanting to spend other people’s money, but makes sense. She’s opposed to funding ICE or the military, so … (and that was her reasoning, not my snark.)
The Women of Afghanistan say “Thank You, Joe” The Taliban doesn’t discourage women from working. They have banned them … from government and non-government work. In August, just after Biden pulled the troops out with their tails between their legs, the Taliban promised to protect women’s rights … per the Sharia law … which is zero. That’s our Joe … always concerned about people’s rights.
Fire That MAiD In March of next year Canada will start killing the mentally ill. Okay, that sounds harsh, but I don’t think it’s particularly incorrect. Having already put together a nice package of euthenasia for the masses, the government program called MAiD (Medical Assistance in Dying) will allow the mentally ill to be executed. Where suicide is illegal in most places, the government will assist if you’re crazy enough to want it. How long before it is “offered” to those who don’t?
Global Warming Dozens have died in the Buffalo area alone from the winter storm that hit this week. I’m telling you. If this global warming keeps up, we’re all going to freeze to death.
Happy New Year Remember that fabled “Inflation Reduction Act” that was supposed to save us all from soaring inflation? Turns out people making less than $400K a year should expect to pay hefty taxes to cover that “inflation reduction” that was supposed to be a gift from Joe. (I know I received notification that income I was receiving would be getting taxed this coming year when it wasn’t this last year.) Not sure how increasing taxes to the poor and middle class is “inflation reduction.” Your fine government at work. Happy New Year, all.
Don’t Worry; Bee Happy With all the canceled flights this last week, some of the airlines are taking a closer look at their “work from home” policy. On the other hand, there was a whole lot of Spirit Airline passengers that were severely disappointed that their flights weren’t canceled. I don’t know if you saw the news item, but apparently Ukrainian president Zelensky shot his eye out while playing with the rocket launcher he got from the U.S. for Christmas. But, seriously, satire aside, why wasn’t this a news item around the world? “Breaking: God Is With Us.”
As we end this happy year, we think of the new cereal, Lost. Next time your mother goes to the store, tell her to get Lost.
The program, which has a supposed value of “$995.00,” offers “mentoring” and “personal insights and revelation from influential leaders making Massive Kingdom Impact in the areas of Business, Ministry, Hollywood, Social Media, Government, and more. (Editor’s Note. Seven Mountain Mandate)
Organizer Pedro Aduro explains to prospective participants that “I’d like to invite you to decide and declare that no matter what happens in 2023, it will happen for you good…it will be for you and not to you” so that you can “experience even more of God’s goodness, favor, and prosperity in 2023 all while making a massive impact for the Kingdom.”
He says, “I can’t tell you how excited I am to start announcing the incredible line-up of revelatory teachers and prophets…and the incredibly successful entrepreneurs I have lined up to share with you, very private and personal study notes…from their own search for the wisdom of God as provided in the Book of Proverbs…if you hunger for increased wisdom and kingdom revelation…and are committed to 2023 being a year of favor, prosperity, and breakthrough…” then this event is for you.
Some of the revelatory teachers and prophets include:
Christine Caine, the charismatic, egalitarian, one-time leader from Hillsong who preaches the word/faith prosperity gospel while leading a network designed to empower women to become preachers and pastors. Caine holds to the notion that Jesus died on the cross to give you possessions, wealth, and health, and that it is there for the taking if you have enough faith and confess it positively.
Keith Ferrante, the founder of Emerging Prophet and the founder of Prophetic Consulting Certification, he offers a certification program where he can train you how to grow your prophetic ministry for only $4997.00
Dr. Brian Simmons, a NAR “apostle” who is the author of wretched and anti-biblical The Passion “translation.” He claims that Jesus appeared to him and gave him “secrets” of the Hebrew language. Lest you are confused about the “Dr.” in front of his name, it wasn’t due to his scholarly prowess. Rather, he received it from Wagner Leadership Institute – a NAR organization founded by C. Peter Wagner that offers courses in subjects like dream interpretation and miracle-working and where you can get a “Masters of Spiritual Healing, Deliverance, and Warfare” or a “Masters of Apostolic Leadership and Applied Ministry.”
Graham Cooke, the head Prophet and Founder of Brilliant Perspectives. He is a “specialist in exploratory dialogue” and a “consultant to numerous churches, organizations and businesses.”
Stacey Campbell, a charismatic prophetess known for violently and vigorously shaking her head when she’s prophesying. She is described on her website as “a prophetic voice to this generation” who has a “passion to teach believers to know how to hear the voice of God through proper teaching and strong values.”
Dano McCollam, a Co-founder of Bethel School of the Prophets and founder of Prophetic Company.
Kris Vallotton, Bethel Church’s chief prophet and healer. The leader of the Bethel School of Supernatural ministry, he’s claimed his prayers have regrown and recreated hymens before and can fix vehicles just by laying hands on them. He famously prophesied Trump would win the 2020 election.
The program is also endorsed by Shawn Bolz, the poster child for false prophecies and whose prophetic predictions have proven to be less accurate than a drunken meteorologist. He falsely prophesied about the quick end of COVID-19 back on February 28, 2020, before any deaths in the United States, and falsely prophesied that Trump would win in 2020.
Sadly, hundreds of thousands have undergone this program, being exposed to this wretched hive of scum and villainy.
As soon as we signed up, we were invited to buy a “Wisdom Journal for $31,” which we declined.
Then we were prompted to buy a special offer of a “Wisdom Pack” workshop, a “$2300 value” for only $95.
This pack includes the journal, a 90-minute workshop on how to Dream with God (value $495), tickets to his conference in March (value $695), a “Kingdom Wealth Workshop” where in just three hours he’ll teach about “creating wealth, protecting wealth, stewarding wealth and multiplying wealth from a kingdom perspective.” (value $995) and access to some YouTube Videos. (value $95)
The website is plastered with warnings that “ONCE YOU LEAVE THIS PAGE, YOU WILL NOT SEE THIS PRICE AGAIN! with a countdown timer showing 5 minutes left. This naturally resets each time you refresh the page, because you can absolutely get this price anytime you want, creating a deceptive sense of urgency.
Once you bypass this, the site prompts you to download the 31-Day Wisdom app, where much of everything will take place. Despite claiming that over 100,000 people have done the Wisdom Training, the app has only 5000 downloads.
This entire event is one big red flag on every level possible, and now Ruslan is right in there along with this, joining with these hucksters and money grubbers for a truly wretched event. We are not asserting that he agrees with all of this- maybe he does and maybe he doesn’t- but the lack of discernment involved to find himself among them is truly breathtaking, and shows how unqualified he really is.
Government-weaponized public health: Disease used to control populations is like tear gas is used to control crowds.
Guest post by Lawrence Sellin
U.S. government officials and scientists assisted China to create the COVID-19 virus in a laboratory causing a global pandemic and then tried to cover up their involvement.
Government officials nationwide used the pandemic to assume dictatorial powers, impose lockdowns, deny individual rights guaranteed under the Constitution, and rig elections.
In complicity with the pharmaceutical industry, U.S. public health institutions lied about the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and, either directly or indirectly, enforced unethical and dangerous vaccination mandates, while suppressing the use of early intervention therapeutics.
All of the above caused over a million unnecessary American deaths. And we are still counting.
Yet, so far, no one has been held accountable because the Globalist Uniparty that controls the U.S. government, like the Chinese Communist Party, considers all of the above part of a successful operation in controlling the American population and maintaining its iron grip on power.
Modern genetic engineering techniques make it easy to create new disease-causing viruses and restricting the availability of medications to treat those diseases can extend the duration, expand the geographical effect and increase the lethality of an epidemic.
From sources inside China, Dr. Li-Meng Yan has been reporting more severe symptoms, increased transmission and unprecedented death rates for a new COVID-19 Omicron variant, while the Chinese Communist Party imposes lockdowns and restricts the availability of drugs, even those for simple fever reduction.
Antibody evasion, which has made the COVID-19 vaccines ineffective against Omicron variants, would not necessarily explain an increase in the severity of symptoms or an extraordinary increase in the death rate without other contributing factors, especially those originating from government policy.
We also must not overlook the possibility that government policy led to laboratory-created Omicron variants.
The current Omicron variant situation in China described by Dr. Yan closely matches laboratory experiments conducted at Boston University’s controversial National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, which handles the world’s most deadly viruses and is located in the South End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, reported on previously by The Gateway Pundit, here and here.
According to the Daily Mail, the Boston University scientists genetically-engineered the spike protein from the highly infectious, but mild Omicron variant onto the more lethal original Wuhan COVID-19 virus, creating an entirely new virus with an 80% death rate.
Could the Chinese Communist Party have authorized the creation of a similar COVID-19 variant now circulating in China that would appear to be Omicron in diagnostic tests, but be far more dangerous?
Possibly, and worth investigating.
In addition, similarly to what is happening in China, the Biden regime is doing nothing about a critical shortage of common U.S. medicines, which is becoming an emergency situation for many American families.
Are Americans about to become the victims of another public health crisis precipitated by the unholy alliance of the U.S. Globalist Uniparty, the World Economic Forum and the Chinese Communist Party?
Controlling populations with disease and the fear of it may be too potent a tool for the tyrants to pass up.
At the end of each year, Lighthouse Trails presents its Year in Review, divided into different parts. Below is Part 1 of our 2022 Year in Review. 2022 marks the year that Lighthouse Trails began critiquing the highly popular series The Chosen. While we posted nearly two dozen articles, letters, or videos about The Chosen in 2022, below are the top ten entries. Click the “Read more” link at the end of each article to read the complete post. They are in order of when they were posted.
This week, a Lighthouse Trails reader contacted us and sent us a link to a YouTube video that discusses Dallas Jenkins’ film series, The Chosen. While we realize that many Christians are watching the series and find it valuable and meaningful, we encourage believers to use discernment and biblical truth in all matters. To view … [Read more…]
Last week, Lighthouse Trails began posting information about the series, The Chosen, because evidence shows that this series and the story behind its creation are lacking biblical integrity though the creators say the contrary is true. Director Dallas Jenkins says that God told him The Chosen would be the “definitive portrayal of God’s people … [Read more…]
The incredibly popular series The Chosen is being described as a “global phenomenon” and growing “movement” that is creating the groundwork for world “revival.” However, there are some critical concerns about this series and where it is heading. The following are ten of these concerns … [Read more…]
Did you know that in the hugely popular series, The Chosen, the apostle Peter continually calls John the Baptist “creepy John”? Yet the Bible highly esteems John the Baptist saying he would “be great in the sight of the Lord” and come in the spirit and power of Elijah—Luke 1:15-17. Did you know that in … [Read more…]
Thank you for writing about The Chosen series.We are so pleased to see it. We hope you do not mind that we’ll suggest that all our warnings about The Chosen need to start from the beginning – i.e. from the Triune God! … [Read more…]
Many fans of The Chosen were alarmed and upset earlier this week when billboards promoting the popular faith-based television series during Holy Week appeared to be defaced with graffiti that mocked the show. … [Read more…]
Prior to and after the release of our booklet, Lighthouse Trails received many phone calls, letters, comments, and e-mails (some from ex-Mormons) expressing concern that Christian leaders like Jack Hibbs, Greg Laurie, and Kirk Cameron were heartily promoting The Chosen. Sometime in April, Lighthouse Trails learned that Jack Hibbs’ ministry was issuing a response regarding their support of the series to those who contacted them with concerns. … [Read more…]
Growing numbers of Christian leaders and pastors are giving a thumbs up or a casual pass to The Chosen series; and the latest defense by Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins and many defenders of the series is—”It’s not produced by Mormons.” This seems to provide license for leaders and pastors and others … [Read more…]
Pastors and leaders who should know better are giving a hearty pass to this Jesus. From the beginning of The Chosen, both Jesus and the disciples have been re-invented and even slandered with unbiblical depictions and stories. Taking that a step further, the Jesus of The Chosen is actually un-deifying the Jesus Christ of the Bible who is God in the flesh. … [Read more…]
We are watching, I believe, the growing spiritual unity between those of different faiths via The Chosen. This is a spiritual syncretism centered around an ecumenical, false Christ. Christianity, Mormonism, and mystical Catholicism are coming together. Differences are becoming blurred in the eyes and hearts of many. Because, after all, we have heard again and again, this is the “authentic Jesus.” … [Read more…]
(Photo from alamy.com; used with permission; from the cover of the Lighthouse Trails booklet: The Chosen Series: 10 Critical Concerns)
From its very first page, the Bible declares that there is one God over all creation. How do we square this truth with the revelation of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? Today, R.C. Sproul speaks on the essential oneness of our triune God.
When dancers spin, they establish a focal point so they can maintain their balance. Christians similarly need focus to stay strong in faith in the midst of chaos and confusion. So where do we look? We’ll find out on Truth For Life with Alistair Begg.
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