Everyone who truly repents of his or her sins receives the grace of God’s forgiveness and enjoys the delight of restored fellowship with Him. In this message, R.C. Sproul shows how Psalm 32 helps us grasp the unspeakable joy of forgiveness in Christ. This message is from Dr. Sproul’s 8-part teaching series Psalm 51. Learn more: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/psalm
Source: Psalm 32: The Joy of Forgiveness – Psalm 51 with R.C. Sproul
15:7 as for you, be strong The courage Azariah calls for is not for battle, but for reforms. David gave Solomon a similar charge when he told Solomon to build the temple (compare 1 Chr 22:13; 28:10).[1]
15:7 — “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!”
God loves to reward those who serve Him wholeheartedly and with great joy. Obedience always brings blessing.[2]
15:7 Since Asa was seeking after Jehovah, Azariah encouraged him to keep up the good work. Tucked away in this historical narrative, verse 7 is well worth memorizing: “But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” The parallel for believers today is 1 Corinthians 15:58.[3]
15:7. Asa was admonished to avoid such a sorry cycle of “revival and relapse,” and the phrase be strong and do not lose courage clearly recalled the words of the Lord to a leader who conquered and achieved victory, namely, Joshua (cf. Jos 1:6; cf. 1Ch 22:13b).[4]
Ver. 7. Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak.—Religious resolution:—
I. That resolution is necessary in promoting the cause of religion. Resolution is the essence of that mental strength which gives energy to all the powers and faculties of body and mind. It is composed of love, zeal, and confidence. Such resolution has always had a principal influence in effecting all the great things which have ever been effected by the men of the world. Necessary in religion. The Scriptures inculcate it (2 Chron. 19:11; Ezra 10:4). Examples of resolution: Moses, Elijah, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, John the Baptist, Peter and John, Paul, Luther, Calvin, &c.
II. That the friends of God have good ground for such unshaken resolution in promoting such a great and good design.
1. The friends of God have often been succeeded in their sincere attempts to promote His glory in the salvation of sinners.
2. The promotion of religion is such a noble and laudable design that it is even glorious to fail in the attempt.
3. Those who espouse the cause of religion have reason to expect the peculiar presence and assistance of God in their pious exertions.
4. They also have the approbation and prayers of all good men.
5. They are equally sure of the esteem and affection of all those whom they shall be instrumental in converting.
6. Their efforts shall finally meet a glorious recompense of reward.
III. Inferences.
1. That the friends of God have been very negligent in promoting His cause in the world.
2. That none will ever do much to forward the work of spreading the gospel without a large share of Christian zeal and resolution. (N. Emmons, D.D.)
Strong hands:—
In the Bible, the human hand is often used as a figure to express actions of life. As a symbol, Elisha poured water over the hands of Elijah; meaning that he would henceforth be his servant, and minister unto him in deeds of kindness. The reason why the hand represents so many things is because of its manifold uses. What firmness in its grasp, and what delicacy in its touch! It can forge an anchor or make a needle; fell a tree or feel to read the Bible; and do a thousand things which would seem very wonderful if they were not so familiar. “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak.”
I. That man will have strong hands who regularly lifts them up in prayer. If you lift up your hands in prayer as the apostles did, you shall have strength to do great deeds for God.
II. Let your hands be strong in cleaving to the Cross of Christ. (W. Birch.)
Success the certain fruit of faithful labours:—
Applying these words to the work of Sabbath schools, consider—
I. The work.
1. Its object is the benefit of the rising generation.
2. Its tendencies as to the interests of society at large are beneficial.
3. It accords with the spirit of Christianity and the predictions of sacred writ (Isa. 11:9).
II. The exhortation.
1. To faith.
2. To union.
3. To perseverance.
III. The reward. This is to be found—
1. In the satisfaction of your own minds.
2. In the success of your efforts.
3. In the approbation of your Lord. (N. Hutchings.)[5]
The prophet’s immediate concern in this passage becomes clear in his application to Asa (15:7). With the doctrinal principle and historical illustration established, he called on Asa to be strong and not to give up (15:7). Similar exhortations occur elsewhere in Chronicles (see 32:7; 1 Chr. 19:13; 22:13; 28:10, 20). Azariah did not rebuke Asa, but encouraged him to continue with the full assurance that his work will be rewarded (15:7). At this stage in Asa’s reign, he was a faithful king. Yet, more needed to be done. As the verses that follow explain, idolatry had spread through the land and the temple had been neglected (see 15:8). Azariah encouraged Asa to go further. If he did, even more blessings would come his way.
The prophet’s positive words to Asa easily applied to the Chronicler’s readers. Like Asa, they had received deliverance from their enemies. Yet, much remained to be done. The prophetic word to Asa encouraged post-exilic readers to move forward in their restoration efforts. Initial successes were not sufficient. They had to continue in the way of fidelity as they hoped for more blessings from God.[6]
7 The prophet’s admonition to Asa to “be strong” is a function of one’s spiritual—not physical—fortitude in times of challenge and uncertainty. This spiritual dimension of being strong is seen in Asa’s response (“he took courage,” v. 8) as he embarks on leading the people in worship and spiritual renewal (vv. 8b–15).[7]
[1] 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 (2 Ch 15:7). Lexham Press.
[2] Stanley, C. F. (2005). The Charles F. Stanley life principles Bible: New King James Version (2 Ch 15:7). Nelson Bibles.
[3] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.; p. 453). Thomas Nelson.
[4] Zuber, K. D. (2014). 2 Chronicles. In M. A. Rydelnik & M. Vanlaningham (Eds.), The moody bible commentary (p. 607). Moody Publishers.
[5] Exell, J. S. (n.d.). The Biblical Illustrator: First Chronicles, Second Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther (Vol. 2, pp. 57–58). Fleming H. Revell Company.
[6] Pratt, R. L., Jr. (2006). 1 and 2 Chronicles: A Mentor Commentary (p. 423). Mentor.
[7] Mabie, F. J. (2010). 1 and 2 Chronicles. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 Chronicles–Job (Revised Edition) (Vol. 4, p. 224). Zondervan.
Implications
As I hope to now show the arguments against theistic evolution are much more grounded in the Scriptures. In addition, the creation vs evolution controversy is too important to just gloss over because of the major doctrinal implications a faulty view of creation carries with it. I think that John D. Currid sums up the implications issue well when he says: “If we remove the profoundly historical nature of Genesis 1-3, we will remove the historical foundation on which all the remainder of the Bible rests.”1
Destroys the Basis of the Gospel Message
Since theistic evolution denies that Genesis 1-3 is a historical narrative of the events of creation many of the foundational doctrines of the New Testament are severely undermined. Two examples concern the atonement and the resurrection; both of which if undermined destroy the message of the cross. The problem for theistic evolutionists is that if we deny a historical Adam then we must deny that sin came into the world through Adam. But this clearly contradicts (Romans 5:12) which states: “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.” Thus, theistic evolution denies the doctrine of original sin. But we also read in (Romans 5:19): “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” Thus, the parallel with Christ being the second Adam, who came on the scene to be our atonement for sin, doesn’t work or make any sense. As a result, the doctrine of the atonement is severely undermined.
When it comes to the resurrection of Christ we read in (I Corinthians 15:21-22): “For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” Wayne Grudem sums up the problem relating the resurrection to a non-literal Adam well when he states: “However, if we deny that death came into the world through Adam, and if we deny the unity of the human race as descending from Adam, then once again the parallel between Adam and Christ does not work. In this way, theistic evolution undermines the effectiveness of the resurrection to give new life to all who are saved by Christ.”2
Once we undermine both the atonement and the resurrection we also undermine the need for a Savior. So, you can see that once we strip away the historicity of Genesis 1-3 and the idea of a literal Adam and Eve a host of crucial biblical doctrines begin to crumble. So many of the doctrines of Scripture depend on Genesis 1-3 being literally and historically interpreted that the very truthfulness of the entire Bible comes into question when we begin to treat these pivotal chapters as poetic, allegorical and figuratively.
Misrepresents the Nature of God
When God created our world, the Bible describes his work as very good. However, if one holds to the theory of theistic evolution then we are left with a process of death leading up to the creation of man. Werner Gitt shares the following thought: “Theistic evolution gives a false representation of the nature of God because death and ghastliness are ascribed to the Creator as principles of creation.”3 Does it make sense that a God, who is all good and all powerful, would use the mechanism of death to bring about humanity – is this the nature of God? Ken Ham paints a picture of what the God of theistic evolution must have done to create mankind: “Evolution teaches that for millions of years before man things have lived and died. They have fought and struggled, killed and been killed. It was a world without mercy – ‘nature red in tooth and claw.’ This history of evolution is a history of death. Death has been ‘from the beginning.’”4 Ken Ham then sums up the twisted state of affairs when we bring evolution into the picture when he says: “Evolution says death plus struggle brought man into existence; the Bible says man’s actions led to sin, which led to death. These two are totally contradictory.”5 It also doesn’t seem to be in the nature of God, nor is it even possible, that he would guide or direct an unguided and undirected process which most theistic evolutionist contend. Stephen C. Meyer shows us how impossible this is when he states: “Logically no intelligent being – not even God – can direct an undirected process. As soon as he directs it, the ‘undirected’ process would no longer be undirected.”6
In tomorrow’s Part III devotion, we will explore some additional implications if theistic evolution is true as well as conclude our talk on theistic evolution.
1 J. P. Moreland, Stephen C. Meyer, Christopher Shaw, Ann K. Gauger, and Wayne Grudem, Editors, Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017). p. 862.
2 Ibid. p. 836.
3 Werner Gitt, 10 Dangers of Theistic Evolution. Creation Ministries International. 2010. https://creation.com/10-dangers-of-theistic-evolution
4 Ken Ham, The Lie: Evolution. (Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 1987). p. 147.
5 Ibid. p. 150.
6 J. P. Moreland, Stephen C. Meyer, Christopher Shaw, Ann K. Gauger, and Wayne Grudem, Editors, Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique. (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2017). p. 43.
The post Theistic Evolution: The Wrong Compromise – Part II appeared first on Bible Apologetics – A DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son, (John 14:13)
It is not every believer who has yet learned to pray in Christ’s name. To ask not only for His sake, but in His name, as authorized by Him, is a high order of prayer. We would not dare to ask for some things in that blessed name, for it would be a wretched profanation of it; but when the petition is so clearly right that we dare set the name of Jesus to it, then it must be granted.
Prayer is all the more sure to succeed because it is for the Father’s glory through the Son. It glorifies His truth, His faithfulness, His power, His grace, The granting of prayer, when offered in the name of Jesus, reveals the Father’s love to Him, and the honor which He has put upon Him. The glory of Jesus and of the Father are so wrapped up together that the grace which magnifies the one magnifies the other. The channel is made famous through the fullness of the fountain, and the fountain is honored through the channel by which it flows. If the answering of our prayers would dishonor our Lord, we would not pray; but since in this thing He is glorified, we will pray without ceasing in that dear name in which God and His people have a fellowship of delight.
Dear GOD:
I want to thank You for what you have already done.
I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears ;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job;
I am going to thank you right now.
I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief;
I am thanking you right now.
I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed;
I am thanking you right now.
I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day’s difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.
I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better.
I’m thanking you because FATHER, YOU haven’t given up on me.
Author unknown
• God Is…
Often when I feel that God is shutting the door on me “when it seems as though He’s depriving me of something desperately wanted” it’s only another step to a full-blown Pity Party:
But when God closed the ark’s door on Noah, it’s evident that God’s action was for protection and safety, not to withhold blessing and joy. Something terrible was about to happen and God was providing security for His faithful servant.
Small children whine and pout when parents say “no”, not recognizing that the candy bar will spoil their appetite, that the plastic toy will readily break, that lack of sleep will harm their health. God knows that instant gratification will spoil me for the best in life, that settling for second best will often cause heartache, that lack of self-discipline will make me soft instead of strong. And so He “shuts the door.”
Lord, help me to see the doors you shut as new openings to Your love. Amen.
by Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission
• Disappointments – by Doug Lim
• God’s Perspective on Hope in Disappointment – by Sylvia Gunter
Chilling advice for Putin: You can save Russia, crush West, with nukes
That frightening document, which published in late June, goes on for another 2,900 words to conclude using “God’s weapon of Armageddon” will prevent – not create – a worsening crisis in Europe. “The enemy must know,” he writes, “that we are ready to deliver a preemptive strike in retaliation for all of its current and past acts of aggression in order to prevent a slide into global thermonuclear war.” The word “nuclear” is used 27 times and “nuclear weapon” is used 10 times by Karaganov, a historian and political scientist.
El Niño is officially here and may cause temperature spikes and major weather events, scientists warn
For the first time in 7 years, El Niño conditions have developed in the Tropical Pacific, prompting expert to urge that preparation for extreme weather events will be necessary to protect lives and safeguard livelihoods.
State confirms plans to return Israelis to destroyed Homesh settlement
The state confirmed that it plans to return Israelis to the site of the northern West Bank settlement of Homesh — which it destroyed in 2005 — and in the initial flush will authorize a yeshiva there.
Robots say they won’t steal jobs, rebel against humans
Robots presented at an AI forum said on Friday they expected to increase in number and help solve global problems, and would not steal humans’ jobs or rebel against us. But, in the world’s first human-robot press conference, they gave mixed responses on whether they should submit to stricter regulation. The nine humanoid robots gathered at the ‘AI for Good’ conference in Geneva, Ai-Da, a robot artist that can paint portraits, echoed the words of author Yuval Noah Harari …
Archaeologists discover at least 50 ancient skeletons in Negev
Archaeologists discovered an ancient burial site containing numerous skeletons from 2,500 years ago, which may be the remains of trafficked women, in the Negev desert in southern Israel, according to a study published last month. The tombs contained artifacts from different cultures of the southern Levant, …
Israel: PA has allowed Iran to gain a West Bank foothold
The Palestinian Authority has allowed Iran to gain a foothold in the West Bank and has supported its terror activity there, Israel’s Ambassador to the UN in New York, Gilad Erdan, warned in advance of a closed-door UNSC meeting on Friday about the IDF’s Jenin campaign. “Not only does the Palestinian Authority take no action against terror, it also allows the emergence of Iranian terror strongholds in areas such as Jenin and Nablus,” Erdan said.
“Messianic Barbarism”: Leftist Israeli Journalist Won’t Mourn Fallen IDF Soldier
The rifts in Israeli society continue to deepen, threatening even the sacred pillars of support for the IDF and our young soldiers. … it involved an ultra-Orthodox progressive leftist.
Col. Douglas Macgregor warns the US ‘may not make it’ to the 2024 presidential election
Before moving on to his analysis, in which he argues that due to political and economic conditions that the next presidential election may not take place, the brief video opens with a recently released recording of President Donald Trump. In the segment, originally captured in a July 2021 CNN interview with the then president, we hear how the U.S. Army under General Mark Milley is alleged to have taken independent military action against Iran – and without the permission of the president.
Pope Francis picks notorious pro-LGBT clerics to participate in October Synod on Synodality
As such, a differentiation can be observed between the delegates chosen by their own local churches or bishops’ conferences to participate in the Synod, and those personally picked by Pope Francis. the notoriously pro-LGBT English Dominican Father Timothy Radcliffe is listed as one of two “spiritual assistants.” Fr. Radcliffe O.P. was personally invited by the Pope to lead a pre-Synodal retreat for the bishops; his long history of homosexual advocacy seems not to have been an inhibiting factor.
Raging flash floods hit Zaragoza, causing widespread damage to infrastructure and crops, Spain
Hailstorms and torrential rain caused widespread flooding and significant damage in Zaragoza, Spain, on July 6, 2023. The extreme weather trapped people in their cars and homes, damaged infrastructure, and severely impacted the region’s agricultural sector.
Wuhan Whistleblower: ‘COVID Was A CCP Bioweapon’.
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) deliberately engineered COVID-19 as a “bioweapon,” and conducted tests of coronavirus strains with human contagion in mind, claims Chao Shao, a former researcher at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV).
UK cashless society a step closer as more than 23m people abandon coins
More than 23 million people in the UK used virtually no cash last year, while notes and coins will account for just 6% of payments within a decade, a report predicts.
‘Retail apocalypse’ forces Walgreens to axe 150 stores by summer 2024
Walgreens is set to shutter 150 stores after slashing its earnings forecast due to lessening demand for Covid-19 tests and vaccine shots.
Target is spending $5 BILLION on making three BIG changes to prevent store closures
Target is in the process of spending $5billion on its stores across the country as part of a strategy to keep them open and profitable
CNN Host: We Should Yield to Government Censorship Demands
As a long-standing free speech advocate, the last few years have been alarming and, frankly, depressing. The censorship efforts of the government are, unfortunately, not new. However, what is new is the support of the media and the Democratic Party in such censorship.
Billion Dollars And Counting: Riots Hit Thousand Buildings in France
…Not yet calculated as compounding that cost, the business confederation boss said, was the fact the frightening footage of rioting has been broadcasted around the world which will damage France’s reputation as a tourist destination.
Riot update: French right-wing influencer tells followers “do nothing” – let the Republic fall as it’s intended to…
As riots continue throughout France following the police shooting of a North African teenager, with people losing their lives and sustaining serious injuries, there are unconfirmed rumors swirling around that French President Macron intends to shut down the internet to try to calm the chaos. Again, this is unverified, but if it is true, it’s probably less about quelling the “rioting” and more about stifling a certain very powerful voice who is speaking out right now in ways the Macron regime doesn’t like. The popular French right-wing influencer known as Papacito has come up with a rather intriguing strategy to topple the corrupt globalist regime: DO NOTHING while France burns.
Kiev Inadvertently Proved That China Is Militarily Neutral In The NATO-Russian Proxy War
Kiev’s foreign patrons would have certainly been aware of their proxy clandestinely procuring drones from China via its volunteers’ purchases, yet they turned a blind eye out of military convenience while simultaneously pushing false claims about that country arming Russian forces and thus not being qualified to mediate.
Dutch government collapses over deadlock on immigration
The Dutch government collapsed Friday because of irreconcilable differences within the four-party coalition about how to rein in migration, a divisive issue that has split nations across Europe.
CDC Has ‘Lost All Credibility,’ Lawmaker Says as Agency Pushes ‘Chestfeeding’
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance for transgender individuals seeking to “chestfeed” their infants has some lawmakers concerned that the agency is prioritizing politics before patients’ health.
The puzzling rise of defendants too sick to stand trial in WA
…Washington isn’t the only state seeing this increase, and faced with a complicated mosaic of the fentanyl crisis, homelessness and mental illness, state officials and national experts wonder: What’s driving this uptick? Are people truly getting sicker — and if so, why?
Muslim Immigrants in France View Migration as ‘Recolonization’ in Response to Historical French Colonialism: “We Will Colonize Them for Life, Until Death, Until the End of Time”
When questioned about the significant influx of Muslim immigrants to France, despite allegations of rampant racism, the response took a historical turn. The immigrant made a bold admission, hinting at an impending long-term ‘colonization’ of France as a retribution to historical French invasions.
Ben & Jerry’s Parent Company Gets Its Stock Rocked After Ice Cream Maker Posts Nasty Woke July 4 Tweet
The New York Post reported that Unilever, the company that owns Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, has suffered a decrease in stock price and market cap after Ben & Jerry’s posted a tweet on Independence Day condemning the U.S. for existing on “stolen Indigenous land.”
Doctors Are Starting To Talk About ‘Long Vax’ Symptoms Plaguing People Who Received COVID Vaccine And Boosters
Doctors are calling it ‘long vax’ and it refers to people who took the COVID vaccine during the pandemic and continue to suffer ‘baffling symptoms’ and side effects
‘America’s Darkest Secret’: Sex Trafficking, Child Abuse, & The Biden Administration
The criminal practice of trafficking and abusing hundreds of thousands of migrant children who cross the southern border is now, thanks to the open-border policy of the Biden Administration, apparently “normal” inside the US:
Wind and solar power overtakes coal for the first time ever in the US | Live Science
Wind and solar power has generated more electricity than coal for the first time ever in the U.S, according to new federal data.
Euthanasia group demands Catholic hospitals in British Columbia be forced to provide assisted suicide
The pro-euthanasia lobbying group “Dying With Dignity Canada” is pressuring the provincial government of British Columbia to mandate that Catholic hospitals in the province offer euthanasia as an option to their patients who ask for it.
French media says vigilante gang “zip-tying” rioters are ransacking the country, local officials say it’s a lie
The existence of a masked gang of young men tying up rioters in one town is discussed in French language publications, but the mayor insists no such thing exists and tells locals to call the police if they witness unrest.
AI Companies Negotiate Landmark Deals To Train Chatbots On MSM News
When the creators of AI chatbots such as ChatGPT or Google’s Bard want to ‘teach’ them about the world in order to accurately answer questions, they use various news and social media sources to ‘scrape’ content which then ‘trains’ said models. This is why Twitter owner Elon Musk just began throttling accounts which consume a massive amount of content on a daily basis – as it became a free and valuable resource for engineers.
Church of England Torn Between Liberals Who Embrace Gay Wedding and Conservatives Who Reject It – Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, Takes Responsibility for Steep Decline in Attendance
The Church of England (CoE) and the greater Anglican community is facing a dilemma: just how much should they embrace gay relationships? Should they ‘evolve’ with the times, or hold on to centuries of doctrine?
Unveiling the Perils of Dhimmitude and Eurabia: Bat Ye’or’s Urgent Call to Protect Judeo-Christian Culture in Europe
“Submission under Islam is not a mere act of surrender but a conditional submission. Those who refuse to adhere to Sharia regulations, which inherently seek Islam’s conquest and victory over non-Muslims, face severe consequences.”
Protests ramp up for 27th week as bill to curtail judicial oversight set for 1st vote
2 detained for assaulting anti-overhaul protesters near Likud MK’s home
IAF reservist seriously hurt in overhaul protest says he won’t serve ‘dictatorship’
Gov’t acknowledges allowing wildcat construction in order to legalize Homesh outpost
UK newspaper cartoon equating Jenin to Ukraine bitterly criticized by Jewish leaders
‘Shameful, far-fetched, completely detached from reality,’ Erdan says of UN head’s Jenin comments
UN chief dismisses Israeli demand he retract accusation of excessive force in Jenin
Cabinet reportedly set to discuss measures to boost teetering Palestinian Authority
Palestinian shot dead by Israeli troops during West Bank clashes
2 terrorists killed as IDF conducts arrest raid in Nablus
Israel: PA has allowed Iran to gain a West Bank foothold
IS-linked fighter in Syria killed in apparent US drone strike
Masses in Pakistan attend anti-Sweden protests after Quran burning in Stockholm
Turkey’s Erdogan says Ukraine deserves NATO membership
US envoy to Iran under FBI investigation over handling of classified info – report
US says Iran seized ship in Gulf waters, Navy refrains from interference
Not clear why Iran is attacking civilian ships – Pentagon official
US clashes with Russia over Iran, Ukraine at UN Security Council meeting
Inside the Secretive Russian Security Force That Targets Americans
Western intel officials hunt for signs of Wagner and nuclear warheads in Belarus ahead of NATO
US to send cluster bombs to Ukraine; Biden defends supplying controversial munition
White House sends cluster bombs to Ukraine, but previously called Russian use a possible ‘war crime’
Democrats Denounce Biden’s Decision to Send Cluster Munitions to Ukraine
US Destroys Last of Its Chemical Weapons, Closing Deadly Chapter Dating to WWI
China’s military is leading the world in brain ‘neurostrike’ weapons: Report
Xi Tells CCP Military to Deepen War, Combat Planning Amid Tensions With US, Taiwan
Central Banks Add Gold Amid Economic Uncertainty
White House scolds ‘irresponsible’ reporter for asking if cocaine belonged to Bidens
‘A Shameful Moment’: House Oversight Committee Launches Probe into Cocaine at the Biden White House
DOJ Considers Delaying Hunter Biden Plea Hearing
Jack Smith spent $5.5 million on his Trump investigation in just 4 months
Swalwell: Trump ‘Stole Military Secrets’ – He’s a ‘Chaos Agent’
D.C. Bar Association panel recommends Giuliani be disbarred over 2020 election challenges
MTG Target of Another Swatting Call After Freedom Caucus Ouster
Meta Threads doesn’t need the ‘negativity’ of hard news and politics, exec says
AI robots at UN reckon they could run the world better
Robots say they won’t steal jobs, rebel against humans
Protesters are disabling robotaxis with traffic cones
Harvard professor Avi Loeb believes he’s found fragments of alien technology
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits south of Tonga
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 24,000ft
Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 23,000ft
Popocateptl volcano in Mexico erupts to 22,000ft
Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 22,000ft
Ubinas volcano in Peru erupts to 22,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 17,000ft
Reventador volcano in Ecuador erupts to 14,000ft
Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,000ft
Spain – Dramatic Flash Floods in Zaragoza After 20mm of Rain in 10 Minutes
This week’s record-breaking global temperatures are likely highest in ‘at least 100,000 years’
Heat record headlines likely to continue ‘for the next three to four weeks’
Beijing orders outdoor work to be halted as scorching summer heat soars
Extreme heat wave bound for Phoenix and Southwest could be worst ever
Hundreds of sea lions, dolphins die from toxic Calif. algal bloom that may spread to Bay Area
Fukushima: Anxiety and anger over Japan’s nuclear waste water plan
Indian authorities arrest 3 railway officials over the train crash that killed more than 290 people
Crime fail: Customers at Atlanta nail salon ignore man trying to rob them
Christians worry growing protests against ‘missionaries’ will soon turn bloody
Lord’s Prayer opening may be ‘problematic’, says archbishop
White House: Racial Preferences Are an ‘Important Constitutional Right’
Indigenous Chief Wants ‘Stolen’ Ben & Jerry’s HQ Land
Dutch government collapses over bitter migration dispute
Sex Trafficking Drama ‘Sound Of Freedom’ Is A Heartbreaking And Hopeful Call To Action
Transgender Actor Hari Nef Says ‘Barbie’ Film Will Be a Source of Inspiration for Trans People
Vehicle carrying pride flags torched in Tel Aviv suburb, in suspected hate crime
7 GOP Attorneys General Warn Target that ‘Pride Items’ May Violate Child Protection Laws
Former MMA Fighter Blasts Breastfeeding Trans People – ‘How Did We Get to This Point?’
ACLU’s Ohio abortion and child ‘sex change’ surgery measure to make November ballot
New HIV case linked to “vampire facials” at New Mexico spa
Once hailed for decriminalizing drugs, Portugal is now having doubts
US wants coalition of nations to engage China in curbing synthetic drugs
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
| ANALYSIS GOOD NEWS: A MASSIVE VICTORY FOR FREEDOM OF SPEECH NATE JACKSON The speech-suppressing authoritarians suffered a defeat exquisitely timed for Independence Day. |
| Joe’s Blow? DOUGLAS ANDREWS When it comes to defiling the White House, the Biden Crime Family surpasses even the Clintons. |
| Good News: ‘Sound of Freedom’ EMMY GRIFFIN It speaks volumes that the Christ-centered film topped the 4th of July box office. |
| The South Rises Again BRIAN MARK WEBER The economic engine of the U.S. has moved from the Northeast to the South, as entrepreneurs chase their dreams in a new land of opportunity. |
| Profiles of Valor: MSGT Ray Duke MARK ALEXANDER Sergeant First Class Duke distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. |
| How Military Service Lost Its Appeal MICHAEL SWARTZ The landscape has shifted, our priorities are misplaced, and we’re turning off our next generation of warriors. |
| SCOTUS Rulings — Why Not 9-0? JACK DEVINE Regardless of their political preferences, Supreme Court justices ought to be able to agree on constitutional fundamentals. |
| Religious Liberty Wins Again and Again EMMY GRIFFIN The Supreme Court has two new decisions to add to its dossier of consistent victories for the First Amendment. |
| Dems Once Again Wail About Packing the Court DOUGLAS ANDREWS In the wake of a series of constitutionally sound rulings last week, the Angry Left is again demanding an expansion of the Supreme Court. |
| The Media’s Pretended Patriotism NATE JACKSON The Associated Press warns about the “wrong” sorts of people identifying with the word “patriot.” |
| Another Gender-Confused Mass Assailant Strikes MARK ALEXANDER In this case, as with other high-profile assaults this week, the assailant was black, as were his victims. |
| Down Goes Biden’s Student Loan Bribe DOUGLAS ANDREWS In a resounding 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court correctly checked the president’s attempt to do an end-run around Congress. |
| A Quarter of 40-Year-Olds Never Married EMMY GRIFFIN Finding a husband or a wife can truly be a difficult proposition. |
| Joe Biden, Deadbeat Granddad NATE JACKSON He even reportedly ordered White House staff to avoid acknowledging his seventh grandchild, Navy Joan. |
| Independence Day Bonus: The Fading ‘Royal Jackass’ Fan Club MARK ALEXANDER Harry and Meghan are losing their celebrity appeal, and what’s left of King Charles’s fanboys will follow. |
| Visit our archive for more analysis commentary. |
| Catch up on the latest news headlines with our executive summary. |
| QUOTES The BIG Lies “I’m not here to declare victory on the economy. I’m here to say we have a plan that’s turning things around quickly.” —Joe Biden “I cut the deficit $1.7 trillion in two years. Nobody’s ever done that.” —Joe Biden “The pay for low-wage workers has grown at the fastest pace in two decades.” —Joe Biden “The U.S. has the highest economic growth rate, leading the world economy since the pandemic.” —Joe Biden “Jobs are up. Incomes are up. Economic growth is up. Energy costs are down. Healthcare costs are down. And the inflation that has impacted every country around the world due to COVID and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is down.” —Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates “No!” —Joe Biden responding to the questions: “How involved were you in your son’s Chinese shakedown text message? Were you sitting there? Were you involved?” Dumb & Dumber “I know there are millions of Americans … who feel disappointed and discouraged, or even a little bit angry, about the Court’s decision today on student debt. … I didn’t give any false hope. … But the Republicans snatched away the hope … they were given.” —Joe Biden “I disagree with today’s decision from the Supreme Court. Today, the Court substituted itself for Congress. It’s outrageous to me that Republicans in Congress and state offices fought so hard against a program that would have helped millions of their own constituents.” —Education Secretary Miguel Cardona “I think it’s very revealing that there’s no evidence that this web designer [Lorie Smith] was ever even approached by anyone asking for a website for a same-sex wedding. Matter of fact, it appears this web designer only went into the wedding business for the purpose of provoking a case like this [303 Creative v. Elenis].” —Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg “We have justices saying that the Supreme Court is going themselves much too far. They are expanding their role into acting as though they are Congress itself. And that, I believe, is an expansion of power that we really must be focusing on. … There also must be impeachment on the table.” —Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) Non Sequitur “If SCOTUS was serious about their ludicrous ‘colorblindness’ claims, they would have abolished legacy admissions, aka affirmative action for the privileged. 70% of Harvard’s legacy applicants are white. SCOTUS didn’t touch that — which would have impacted them and their patrons.” —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Double Standards “An extremist Supreme Court has once again reversed decades of settled law, rolled back the march toward racial justice, and narrowed educational opportunity for all. I won’t stop fighting for young people with big dreams who deserve an equal chance to pursue their future.” —Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) (“Warren, a former Harvard professor sometimes referred to as ‘Pocahontas,’ repeatedly claimed to be of Native American ancestry throughout her career in academia. She is roughly 0.1 percent Native American, according to the results of a DNA test the senator released in 2018 ahead of her failed presidential run.” —The Washington Free Beacon) Village Idiots “He [Clarence Thomas] is such a mutilated version of a black justice.“—The Nation legal correspondent Elie Mystal “The GOP is trying to recruit Muslim Americans, a community that makes up less than 2% of the U.S. population, against another tiny marginalized group of Americans, transgender people.” —MSNBC’s Jen Psaki “Our country is trash in so many ways and instead of using our resources to make it better we continue to oppress Marginalized groups that we have targeted since the beginning of times.” —WNBA’s Natasha Cloud “Ah, the Fourth of July. Who doesn’t love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display? The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth: The US was founded on stolen Indigenous land.” —Ben & Jerry’s “The Declaration of Independence was written by enslavers and didn’t recognize Black people as human. Today is a great day to demand Reparations Now.” —Congresswoman Cori Bush (D-MO) “This July 4th, we must remember that we stand on stolen land toiled by enslaved Africans and recommit ourselves to the fight for freedom, equality, & justice so that these ideals are accessible to everyone, not just a privileged few. We are not free until everyone is truly free.” —Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) “I did not go out on July 4th and would not. The idea of going to a mass gathering, a parade, or a big fireworks thing outside seems insane to me, to be blunt, in America, because America is awash with guns.” —MSNBC’s Joy Reid “Seeing the erosion of our freedoms makes it hard to celebrate this Fourth of July.” —MSNBC op-ed by Jill Lawrence “Oh say, can you see, by the blood in the streets / That this place doesn’t smile on you, colored child / Whose blood built this land / With sweat and their hands / But you’ll die in this place, and your memory erased / Oh say does this truth hold any weight / This is not the land of the free / But the home of the slaves.” —R&B singer Jill Scott Theater of the Absurd “I am a Catholic — baptized, raised, and confirmed. The fundamental tenets of my faith compel me to defend a women’s right to access abortion. I am proudly part of the faithful large majority of US Catholics who support legal protections for abortion access.” —Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) Non Compos Mentis “For a company to hire a trans person and then not publicly stand by them is worse in my opinion than not hiring a trans person at all, because it gives customers permission to be as transphobic and hateful as they want.” —Dylan Mulvaney “Let’s always take a moment to also see what we have achieved thus far while we clearly see the moment that we are presently in. So we have achieved a lot.” —Kamala Harris Leftmedia Lobs “The complicated relationship between a presidential father and a struggling son” —Washington Post headline Village Academies “I knew that Joe would always be the education president, because he knows that … the success of our nation starts with you, the educators who shape our students’ lives.” —Jill Biden (“The Nation’s Report Card, released at the end of June, showed ‘historic’ declines in math and reading scores among U.S. teens. Math scores for 13-year-olds fell 9 points from the 2019-2020 and 2022-2023 school years, the National Assessment of Education Progress data showed, while reading scores dropped 4 points.” —Leah Barkoukis) For more insightful quotes, see our Short Cuts. |
MEME Don’t miss the latest memes. |
CARTOON Don’t miss the latest cartoons. |
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, the present 2024 presidential hopeful and nephew to assassinated former US President John F Kennedy, previously said at a town hall event that the Ukraine crisis had been turned by Washington into “a proxy war between Russia and the United States”.
Source: Biden Admin Lying to Americans ‘About Everything to Do With Ukraine’ – RJK Jr
A smoking gun has been uncovered and a key White House lie regarding the cocaine has been completely debunked.
Fox News dropped a bombshell report Friday evening revealing that the entire Biden Crime Family was in town ahead of the cocaine discovery. The White House has consistently asserted that Joe, Jill, Hunter and the entire Biden family were away from the White House starting Friday and did not return until Tuesday. The cocaine was discovered at the White House on Sunday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also snapped when a reporter’s question regarding whether the coke belonged to a member of the family. She reiterated the claim that the Bidens were gone Friday and did not return until Tuesday.
They were not here Friday. They were not here Saturday. They were not here Sunday. They were not even here Monday. They came back on Tuesday. So to ask that question is actually incredibly irresponsible. And I’ll just leave it there.
According to last Friday’s pool report from Fox News, however, Biden delivered remarks in the Roosevelt Room that afternoon. He and his family did not leave the White House for Camp David until 6:34 p.m.
There were all at the White House for almost all Friday, two days before the cocaine discovery.
The Biden regime has sought out several scapegoats ranging from construction workers to White House visitors in an attempt to deflect blame. All of these attempts have fallen flat for good reason.
As the Gateway Pundit previously reported, Dan Bongino explained that because of the extensive security checkpoints required to enter the White House, the only possibility is that a family member brought the cocaine into the West Wing.
There’s absolutely ZERO chance anyone other than a family member brought that cocaine inside the White House complex. No chance that would make it past the mag/security checkpoints. Family bypasses those.
How many more major lies will be uncovered in the coming days?
The post SMOKING GUN: Press Pool Report Destroys Major White House Lie by Jean Pierre – Reveals the ENTIRE Biden Crime Family WAS at White House Ahead of the Cocaine Discovery appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
Hoover Institution senior fellow Victor Davis Hanson discusses the White House’s refusal to answer questions about cocaine found within the complex on ‘Fox News Tonight.’
Source: Victor Davis Hanson: Democratic Party is starting to see the Bidens as a ‘liability’
House progressives are breaking with President Biden over his deal to ship cluster bombs to Ukraine to demolish Russian armored vehicles and kill Russian troops.
Source: House progressives trash Biden’s cluster bomb deal for Ukraine
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said on Friday that Washington is giving Ukraine a new $800 million military aid package, including cluster munitions.
The Biden Administration is on record (Jen Psaki) stating that the use of cluster bombs should be considered a war crime.
What the hell are we doing in Ukraine? I do not recognize my country. We should have negotiated for peace, it would have been easy. Instead we are marching to WWIII.
Biden Once Opposed Cluster Bombs when Israel Used Them; Now Ships to Ukraine
By: Breitbart News, July 8, 2023:
President Joe Biden will be sending cluster bombs to Ukraine to use in its war against Russia, the White House confirmed Friday. But he has opposed their use in the past, especially by Israel in the Lebanon War in 1982.
The Washington Post recalled Biden’s “complicated history” — i.e. flip-flopping — on the issue of cluster bombs, which are larger bombs that release many bomblets. Some remain unexploded and can threaten civilians.
The Post noted that Biden offered stern criticism of then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin, in an episode often cited by pro-Israel critics of Biden as evidence that he has never been as supportive of Israel as he claims.
At the time, Israel was fighting Palestinian guerillas in Lebanon, who had been shelling communities in northern Israel for years. Israel’s invasion drew sharp international criticism, as well as domestic protest.
The Post recalled:
Amid reports that Israel had used cluster bombs in its invasion of Lebanon, some Democrats went so far as to push for cutting off aid to Israel.
According to a contemporary UPI report, Biden said that if those reports were accurate, then Israel was clearly in violation. He said the United States should respond by “cutting off the ability to get access to that kind of weaponry in the future.” But he cautioned against making a “final judgment” and again called for hearings on the subject.
Democrats also expressed such concerns during what the New York Times labeled “a highly emotional confrontation” on Capitol Hill with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in June 1982. Sen. Paul Tsongas (D-Mass.) highlighted the cluster bomb reports while saying he had “never seen such an angry session with a foreign head of state.”
The latter argument reportedly concerned Israeli settlements, not cluster bombs. During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when Israel was again accused of using cluster bombs (this time against Hezbollah guerillas), then-Sen. Biden (D-DE) opposed a bill that would ban the use of cluster munitions in populated areas.
The former Russian president used Telegram to issue his latest threat that the war in Ukraine could turn nuclear.
Source: ‘Senile Biden’ Risks World War III Over Cluster Bombs: Russia’s Medvedev
In Stitches
Apparently a woman in Maine found a bear in her backyard that was threatening her dog, so she did what any sane human being would do; she punched the bear in the nose. She ended up in stitches, which I take to mean medical stitches instead of laughing hard at herself for being so stupid.
A Failure to Communicate
In our day of commonly misunderstood words, I offer today’s choice: “homophobic.” It originally meant “afraid of homosexuals” or more at “afraid I might be one.” Ron DeSantis shared a video of Trump promising support for LGBT+ people. It suggested that DeSantis would not give full and unbridled support to all things queer. Homophobic? Only if we’ve redefined it to mean “anything that disagrees with full-on unrelenting support of LGBT+ stuff.” But what will it mean next? If “racist” has come to mean “all you white people,” I can see “homophobic” becoming “all you heterosexuals.”
Better Living With(out) Science
Biden’s “green hydrogen plan” has hit a snag. It requires water, but they’re trying to do it where there is a water shortage. Now, hydrogen fuel is our next great climate saver, they tell us. Except that hydrogen fuel is produced by means of natural gas, oil, coal, or electrolysis — all bad for the environment. But don’t you worry. That’s just science. We’re still pressing on for a better world by contradicting science.
You Go First
Ben & Jerry’s told America on the 4th of July that “The United States was founded on stolen indigenous land. This Fourth of July, let’s commit to returning it.” They were advocating giving Mount Rushmore back to the Lakota Sioux, but anyone can tell you before white people came to North America all the land was occupied by a host of indigenous people, so when Ben & Jerry’s turn over their property to the original indigenous folk, I’ll consider taking them seriously. Because to actually carry out their plan as stated means that all non-indigenous people will have to leave. That’s 320 million new homeless.
The A-Bee-Cs This Week
You may have heard that they found some cocaine at the White House this week (true story). DC police are saying they may never discover who left the bag labeled “Property of H. Biden” there. On the upside, Biden’s promise to restore decency in the White House was fulfilled since that cocaine was of the highest quality. In other news, Ben and Jerry followed up their “We need to give up all land to indigenous people” tweet with the announcement that Native Americans can exchange a white man’s scalp for a free pint of Chunky Monkey. In Europe, French President Macron is warning rioters to calm down or he’ll call Kyle Rittenhouse.
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
http://birdsoftheair.blogspot.com/2023/07/news-weakly-7823.html
#truthsthattransform #foundingfathers #independenceday #DJKM #Freedom #WokeIdeology #AmericasDefense #PoliticalCorrectness #revolution #frenchrevolution #americanrevolution #atheism #christianvalues
Jason Chaffetz highlights how Democrats are turning on President Biden and the president joking about his age on ‘Hannity.’
Source: Are Democrats starting to turn on Biden?: Jason Chaffetz
The fix is in for 2024.
Democrats will use the same gameplan they used in 2020. Nominate an unpopular candidate, campaign from the basement, hold few rallies with 20-30 people, mail out millions of ballots, insert drop boxes, use voting machines, late night ballot deliveries after the deadline, keep adding votes to the totals for days after the election, block GOP workers from the counting rooms, and several states use systems that store data in China…
and Democrats can pull off tricks like this…switching ballots.
And then keep counting ballots in the swing states until Joe Biden takes the lead and then declare victory.
Joe Biden is the worst president in US history. The economy sucks, inflation is skyrocketing, the border is wide open, his family runs an international crime ring, the White House has cocaine, he sniffs kids and babies, he can’t finish a sentence, he’s shipping illegal cluster bombs to kill more people in Ukraine, he surrendered to the Taliban and lost US soldiers at the same time.
Politico reported:
Joe Biden is running his reelection bid on the cheap.
The president has hired fewer than 20 campaign aides. His team hasn’t yet announced a 2024 headquarters. His first political rally this year was paid for by other organizations.
In an interview with POLITICO, Biden campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg said the frugality is no accident. And it isn’t going to change anytime soon, either.
“Right now, we have a fine-tuned race car here. At some point, we will build out a big, substantial, competitive organization and enterprise,” he said. “We don’t need to do that today. It literally would be a waste of money.”
Biden’s approach, while designed to save money, carries the risk of keeping his approval ratings at the low level where they are today. It also could limit his ability to better define the contours of the campaign at a time when the Republican field is bludgeoning each other in their own primary. Twelve years ago, his former boss, Barack Obama, moved swiftly in anticipation of facing off against Mitt Romney during the summer before the election year.
The post THE FIX IS IN: Joe Biden Has No Campaign Headquarters, Has No Plans to Hold Campaign Events, Is Not Spending Campaign Money, and Democrats Aren’t Worried appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
The Republican chairmen of three key House committees are joining forces to probe the Justice Department’s handling of charges against Hunter Biden after making sweeping claims about misconduct at the agency.
Source: Top Republicans are gearing up to investigate the Hunter Biden case. Here’s what to know.
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