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
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”Read More
Blessed. More than a temporary or circumstantial feeling of happiness, this is a state of well-being in relationship to God that belongs to those who respond to Jesus’ ministry. The poor in spirit are those who recognize they are in need of God’s help. theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It belongs to those who confess their spiritual bankruptcy.
The Beatitudes all begin with “Blessed are …” They are called “beatitudes” from Latin beatus, “blessed, happy” These short statements summarize the essence of the Sermon on the Mount.
2. Psalm 1:1–2
Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.Read More
Blessed. The truly happy person is happy because God showers him with favor. Jesus uses the
Greek
equivalent in Matt. 5:3–11; cf. also James 1:12. The Latin translation, beatus, is the source of the word beatitude. the man. A specific, godly individual (Hb. ha’ish, “the man”) is held up as an example for others to imitate. Such teaching by use of a concrete example is common in OT wisdom literature. wicked … sinners … scoffers. These are people, even within Israel, who refuse to live by the covenant; the godly person refuses to follow the moral orientation of such people’s lifestyle. Some have seen an increasing level of sinfulness in the terms “wicked-sinners-scoffers,” together with an increasing loyalty in the metaphors “walk-stand-sit”; however, it is likely that the terms “wicked” and “sinner” here are equivalent, while a “scoffer” is certainly more committed to evil.
Contrasting Sources of Values. The truly happy person guides his life by God’s instruction rather than by the advice of those who reject that instruction.
3. Ecclesiastes 3:9–13
What gain has the worker from his toil? I have seen the business that God has given to the children of man to be busy with. He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. I perceived that there is nothing better for them than to be joyful and to do good as long as they live; also that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil—this is God’s gift to man.Read More
Despite the repetitiveness of the natural world (Eccl. 1:4–11), the Preacher can see that God has made everything beautiful in its time. The problem is that God has also placed eternity (that is, a sense that life continues beyond this present existence) into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. The word “find,” or “find out” (Hb. matsa’) has the sense of “figure out, comprehend by study” in this verse and other places in the book (Eccl.7:14, Eccl. 7:24, Eccl. 7:26, Eccl. 7:27, Eccl. 7:28, Eccl. 7:29; Eccl. 8:17). The Preacher thus realizes that both his desire to understand all of life, as well as the limitations on his ability to do so, have been ordained by God.
Rather than becoming embittered by what God has not granted human beings (namely, the ability to comprehend all of reality), one should enjoy the gifts that God has given.
4. Philippians 4:4
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.Read More
Rejoice. The joy that Paul calls for is not a happiness that depends on circumstances but a deep contentment that is in the Lord, based on trust in the sovereign, living God, and that therefore is available always, even in difficult times.
5. Proverbs 15:13–15
A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed. The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, but the mouths of fools feed on folly. All the days of the afflicted are evil, but the cheerful of heart has a continual feast.Read More
These proverbs focus on the heart. A cheerful face indicates a positive attitude toward life; this comes about when the inner self is healthy (Prov. 15:13a). Such a person has inner joy all the time (Prov. 15:15b). But circumstances, whether internal (Prov. 15:13b) or external (Prov. 15:15a), can rob a person of tranquility. The key to gaining a joyful heart is in Prov. 15:14: seek knowledge.
6. James 1:2–3
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.Read More
Joy in Trials. Trials are designed to produce spiritual maturity and should therefore be counted as joy.
Trials are “tests” that challenge faith (James 1:2–5). When trials occur, one should count it all joy—not meaning mere worldly, temporal happiness, but rather spiritual, enduring, “complete joy” in the Lord who is sovereign over all things, including trials.
Testing of your faith defines the meaning of a trial for the Christian: as Jesus was “tested” in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1–13), so believers are tested. The Greek dokimion (“testing”) denotes a positive test intended to make one’s faith “genuine” (cf. 1 Pet. 1:7). The result is steadfastness, a life of faithful endurance amid troubles and afflictions.
7. 1 Peter 4:12–13
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.Read More
Beloved marks the beginning of a new section of the letter (1 Pet. 2:11). Suffering is the norm for Christians, not a surprising exception. To suffer as a Christian is a call to rejoice as a disciple of Christ, and such joy is the prelude to the joy that is to come at the return of Christ (when his glory is revealed).
8. Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.Read More
the desires of your heart. Some take “the desires” as referring to the feeling of desire, i.e., “God will shape your heart so that it desires the right things”; but the sense is rather, “he will give you what your heart desires.” It is safe to say this to those who embrace the advice of this psalm, because as they delight themselves in the LORD, their hearts will desire the right things (Psalm 37:16, 31).
9. John 15:10–11
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.Read More
Obedience is not to be equated with drudgery; it is all about joy. The OT prophets envisioned a period of great end-time rejoicing (e.g., Isa. 25:9; Isa. 35:10; Isa. 51:3; Isa. 61:10; Isa. 66:10; Zeph. 3:14–17; Zech. 9:9). God threatened judgment if his people would not serve him “with joyfulness and gladness of heart” (Deut. 28:47–48). that my joy may be in you. Just as Jesus had great joy in obeying his Father even in the midst of opposition, so Christians will have joy in obedience.
10. Romans 5:1–2
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.Read More
Therefore, since we have been justified. Chapter 5 begins with a ringing affirmation of the objective legal standing of the Christian—that the Christian, through faith in Christ, has been justified and declared righteous by God, once for all. The result of this is that the Christian no longer lives under the fear of judgment and the wrath of God but has peace with God, which is not merely a subjective feeling but an objective reality.
The grace in which we stand refers to the secure position of the believer’s standing (as a blessing of justification), and the hope of the glory of God refers to the promise that Christians will be glorified and perfected at the last day—a hope that results in joy.
Defending the Christian faith is what apologetics is all about. And as Christians we are to use sound arguments to help strengthen the faith of believers as well as help non-believers have their blind eyes open to the truths of the Bible and the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ. And being a Christian means we all should be apologists since we are commanded by Scripture to defend the reasons we believe in our faith. (1 Peter 3:15) makes this clear for we read: “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”
If you have been following my website for any length of time you are probably aware that many of my posts try to show why I am so passionate to present sound arguments for the veracity of the Bible from a variety of sources. For example, I use arguments from history, science, prophecy, nature, archaeology, and a host of other disciplines to show why we can have solid reasons to trust our Bible.
I am also a strong advocate that, in addition to sharing arguments for the veracity of Scripture, it is just as important that we pray the Lord will open the hearts of the individuals we are sharing with. And while apologetics and prayer are a powerful combination, there is one more element, that is often overlooked by apologists, that quite frankly just might be the most important apologetic we can share. I think Pastor David Jeremiah is right when he shared the following insight: “The most powerful apologetic is the faithful lives of God’s people, demonstrating love, faith, and hope in the midst of a hostile world.”1
My friends, arguments for the Christian faith are great, and prayer is essential, but if our lives don’t line up with what we believe, then we defeat the very faith that we preach. When we, not only talk the talk, but when we walk the walk, we make Christianity attractive to nonbelievers. For when they see our transformed lives and our love in action, not only do we make our arguments for our faith intellectually compelling, but we also appeal to the hearts of those we are sharing with.
So, as Christians, we need to arm ourselves with powerful apologetic arguments for the reliability and truthfulness of the Scriptures, pray that the Holy Spirit would open the hearts of skeptics and nonbelievers, and demonstrate our faith in action by living a life of genuine love. This triple combination is the most powerful apologetic that we can share with a world that is desperately confused, hostile to our faith, and downright lost. So, let’s get busy not only sharing our faith but living it out in true Christian love!
3:2 written on our hearts. The Corinthians have a fixed place in his affections. Some manuscripts read “in your hearts.” On this reading, Paul is telling the Corinthians that as a church they are an effective letter of recommendation for him (2:17; 1 Cor. 9:2).[1]
3:2You are our letter The Corinthians should realize their existence as a church is the result of Paul’s apostolic ministry. In this sense, they serve as Paul’s letter of recommendation, testifying to the legitimacy of his apostleship (compare 1 Cor 9:1–2).[2]
3:2 written in our hearts. An affirmation of Paul’s affection for the believers in Corinth—he held them close to his heart (cf. 12:15). known and read by all men. The transformed lives of the Corinthians were Paul’s most eloquent testimonial, better than any secondhand letter. Their changed lives were like an open letter that could be seen and read by all men as a testimony to Paul’s faithfulness and the truth of his message.[3]
3:2You are … written in our hearts: The Corinthians were Paul’s letter of recommendation. These verses do not mean that letters of recommendation should not be used. Paul himself used such letters before his conversion (Acts 9:1, 2) and after (8:22; Rom. 16:1; 1 Cor. 16:10; Col. 4:10). In this case Paul did not need one because he already had one: the believing Corinthians and his ministry among them. Paul’s love for the Corinthians was known to all who were acquainted with his ministry. One of the qualifications for ministry is love for people, both God’s people and the lost.[4]
3:2. The Corinthians are his epistle written in our hearts known and read by all men. In other words the believers at Corinth are Paul’s letter of commendation. Paul sees his ministry among them and the fruit that they produce as all the recommendation among them that they need.[5]
3:2 The Judaizers who had come to Corinth raised questions as to Paul’s apostolic authority. They denied that he was a true servant of Christ. Perhaps they raised such doubts in the Corinthians’ minds in order that the latter might demand a letter of recommendation from the Apostle Paul the next time he visited them. He has already asked them if he needs such a letter. Had he not come to Corinth when they were heathen idolaters? Had he not led them to Christ? Had not the Lord set His seal upon the ministry of the apostle by giving him precious souls in Corinth? That is the answer. The Corinthians themselves were Paul’s epistle, written in his heart but known and read by all men. In his case there was no need of a letter written with pen and ink. They were the fruit of his ministry, and they were enshrined in his affections. Not only that, but they were known and read by all men in the sense that their conversion was a well-known fact in the whole area. People realized that a change had come over these people, that they had turned to God from idols, and that they were now living separated lives. They were the evidence of Paul’s divine ministry.[6]
3:2. In response to his own question, Paul asserted that he actually had letters of recommendation: the Corinthian Christians themselves. Their new lives in Christ proved the effectiveness and divine approval of Paul’s ministry. He described them as letters written on our hearts. This phrase has been the subject of controversy. Some ancient texts read “your hearts.” This alternate reading makes more sense with the context. If it is correct, then Paul was saying that the changes that had taken place in the hearts of the Corinthians were his letters of recommendation. These changes were on their hearts, but they were not hidden. Everybody was able to see these changes of the heart displayed in their lives.[7]
3:2 “You are our letter, written in our hearts,” Paul is asserting that he does not need a letter to recommend himself to this church (or from this church), because he is its spiritual founder as Christ is its savior and Lord. They were his flesh-and-blood letter (cf. v. 3).
The phrase “written in our hearts” is a PERFECT PASSIVE PARTICIPLE. Paul loved this church. They were permanently in his heart and mind. The PASSIVE voice implies that God/Christ/Spirit is the agent (cf. v. 3), who produces Paul’s love.
2. You yourselves are our epistle, written on our hearts, known and read by all men.
a. “You yourselves are our epistle.” The age-old proverb, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating,” is an apt description of Paul’s challenge to the intruders. Let them see what Paul has done in Corinth through the preaching of Christ’s gospel. The apostle emphatically directs attention to the Corinthians and says, “You yourselves.” They themselves are living proof that Paul is their spiritual father and leader. They are an open book for all to read.
The phrase our epistle is graphic and informative. The pronoun refers to the spiritual work Paul and his associates have performed. And the word epistle occurs figuratively only in this verse and the next. Paul obviously is playing on this word and indicates that a letter does not have to be a literal document. All his epistles present Christ, and the church itself is no exception. Through Paul, the fledgling church of Corinth had come into being and now proved to be a miracle of a new creation in Christ (5:17).
b. “Written on our hearts.” In the Greek text, the verb to write on (with the figurative meaning inscribe or engrave) occurs only here (Luke 10:20 conveys the meaning record). It was used widely in the ancient world to express the idea of inscribing something on the heart.7 Jeremiah voiced the same thought when he recorded the divine prophecy, “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts” (Jer. 31:33b; Heb. 8:10b; compare Isa. 51:7; Rom. 2:15).
Most translators and commentators have the reading written on our hearts. The pronoun our instead of your has excellent Greek manuscript support, which is not true for the variant. Yet, a few translations prefer the reading your hearts (NAB, RSV, TNT). Some commentators have adopted the pronoun your and argue that in the next verse Paul states: “you demonstrate that you are a letter from Christ” (v. 3). Therefore, the pronoun shows that the saints in Corinth are indeed Paul’s letter of recommendation. The stronger reading, however, makes just as much sense as the weaker variant. Paul dearly loved the members of the Corinthian congregation and gave them a prominent place in his heart (6:11–12; 7:3).
If Paul’s opponents implicitly demand that he reveal to them a letter of recommendation, he answers them by saying that this letter is written on his heart. The writer of this epistle is Christ, who recommends Paul as his faithful servant. And Paul is the courier of the epistle.
c. “Known and read by all men.” Wherever Paul was or went (Judea, Syria, Asia Minor, or Macedonia), he spoke about the virtues of the Corinthian congregation (7:14; 8:24; 9:2). Everyone willing to listen to Paul would learn that Christ through the gospel had effected the miracle of conversion among the Corinthians. As Christ’s ambassador, Paul could boast about the work that Christ had done in their midst. Not only the congregation of Corinth, however, but all the churches were always Paul’s concern (11:28). He prayed for them night and day, sent his associates to aid them, and at times corresponded with them (compare 9:2). His heart was in his work, so that anyone coming in contact with Paul would hear from him about the churches. Anyone would be able to read him like an open book, or, in this case, an eloquent letter.
In Greek, Paul writes a play on words, probably as an idiom, which in English we are unable to reproduce: ginōskōenē (knowing) and anaginōskōenē (knowing it again, by reading). Throughout the ancient world, reading aloud occurred both privately (see Acts 8:30) and in public worship services (Col. 4:16; 1 Thess. 5:27). Paul states that everyone who knows him will be talking about the church in Corinth.[9]
[2] 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 Co 3:2). Lexham Press.
“Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.”
Mordecai regularly walked up and down the streets outside the entrance to King Ahasuerus’s gate in order that he might pick up snippets of information and hear the latest news. What he heard on the day described in these verses, however, was irregularly distressing: the Persian Empire was about to drive the Jewish people to extinction.
His cousin, Queen Esther, wasn’t around the city gates. She was isolated in her palace and had no clue about what was going on. When the news reached her that the Jews, including Mordecai, were mourning, fasting, and weeping, she responded with compassion, but she was in the dark as to the nature of the problem (Esther 4:3-5).
Though one understood the gravity of the situation and the other was at this point unaware, both Mordecai and Esther were confronted with weighty questions. How was a man like Mordecai to hold the line as both a believer in God and a significant subject of the king? Was he helpless against the tyranny of the Persian Empire, or could he make a difference and change the course of events? How was Esther, who had been taken into the king’s bed, to navigate the fact that she had a Persian name and a Jewish name? Would she identify with God’s people? Or would she choose to live in the splendid isolation that was afforded her in the palace?
Ultimately, Mordecai did not just sit back. He attracted the attention of Esther’s companions and helped her to understand what was happening—and the role she could play. Esther chose to sacrifice her comfort, and possibly her life, to risk intervening on behalf of God’s people. Both understood that the providence and sovereignty of God do not relieve believers of their responsibility to do what is right and use whatever influence they have on behalf of His people.
As people believing in God’s providence, then, how should we live in a world that is opposed to the gospel? At times, we may feel that we are helpless to effect any change in a culture that seeks to undercut our faith. We may also simply prefer the comfort of naivety, isolating ourselves from society by talking only with other believers, reading only Christian books, and watching only “faith-based” movies or TV shows. But God’s providence doesn’t call for inactivity. It calls for activity. For God’s providence is often worked out through the bravery of His people, through their refusal to cease striving for what is right and good. Today, as you read your Bible, seek to understand how it relates to the current events of your world. And ask God’s Spirit to show you how He might be calling you to step out in faith, take risks, and speak up, for the sake of the gospel and the people of God.
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
Wait! Wait! Let your waiting be on the Lord! He is worth waiting for. He never disappoints the waiting soul.
While waiting keep up your spirits, Expect a great deliverance, and be ready to praise God for it.
The promise which should cheer you is in the middle of the verse—”He shall strengthen thine heart.” This goes at once to the place where you need help. If the heart be sound, all the rest of the system will work well. The heart wants calming and cheering, and both of these will come if it be strengthened. A forceful heart rests and rejoices and throbs force into the whole man.
No one else can get at that secret urn of life, the heart, so as to pour strength into it. He alone who made it can make it strong. God is full of strength, and, therefore, He can impart it to those who need it. Oh, be brave; for the Lord will impart His strength to you, and you shall be calm in tempest and glad in sorrow.
He who penned these lines can write as David did—”Wait, I say, on the Lord.” I do, indeed, say it. I know by long and deep experience that it is good for me to wait upon the Lord.
– the people God has brought into my life, the family that I was born into and the many blessings He has poured out on me. And I’m truly thankful for all God’s work in my life.
But over the last few years, I’ve become increasingly aware that there is a vast difference between being thankful for the things God has given me and living a life of gratitude. Let me explain. . .
When we give a gift to someone, the most rewarding and pleasing thing for us as the gift givers is to see them enjoying and using the gift we have given them. And on the other hand the hardest thing is to hear, “Thank you so much for this gift! I love it.” And then to see our present thrown in the trash unused and unappreciated. Why? Because we sacrificed part of ourselves in the giving of the gift and it was tossed away like a piece of garbage.
When we harbour bitterness in our heart, allow anger to control us, refuse to forgive, when we turn away from God, when our thoughts are focused on our self, we are not living in gratitude of the costly sacrifice Christ paid for us. It’s as if we’ve thrown His gift into the trash and now live as if it is an insignificant factor in our life. We diminish the price God paid for our sins.
Jesus paid the ultimate sacrifice to give us His most treasured gift. 1 John 4:9-10 (NLV) says,
“God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love — not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”
So how do I live a life of true gratitude when I’m not perfect?
For me it has begun with allowing God to show me the depths of my depravity. Seeing my sin the way God sees it and stepping into the sorrow and heartache this sin has wrought in my life and in the lives of others. By doing this it has brought about a hatred for the sin and a passion to live in obedience to God and His Word.
God has also showed me that I cannot do this in my own strength; I have to live in dependence upon Him – seeking His way, His desires and His kingdom. As I’ve come to see myself for who I really am, it has allowed me to see God for who He truly is and has brought a deeper meaning to His incredible sacrifice that He paid for me.
So let me ask you the same questions I ask myself on a continual basis:
Are you living a life of gratitude to your Savior, who died to set you free? Are you diminishing the price He paid for you by the choices you are making?
“God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name.” Philippians 2:9 (AMP)
“He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.” Ephesians 4:10 (NKJV)
“He also is the Head of [His] body, the church; seeing He is the Beginning, the Firstborn from among the dead, so that He alone in everything and in every respect might occupy the chief place [stand first and be preeminent].” Colossians 1:18 (AMP)
Jesus is above everything that is—His name is above all, His life is above all, His work is above all, His power is above all, His majesty is above all, His honor is above all, His reign is above all, His glory is above all.
No question can stump Him; No intellect can out-think Him; No challenge can intimidate Him; No strategy can confuse Him; No plot can overthrow Him; No power can dethrone Him; No scheme can trick Him; No weapon can defeat Him; No problem can frustrate Him; No need can deplete Him.
He has the wisest plan, the highest purpose, the truest riches, and the greatest good for everyone who puts all trust in Him.
Evidence of Second Temple’s destruction unearthed in Jerusalem Tangible evidence of the destruction of the Second Temple and the devastating events that unfolded in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago has come to light with the discovery of a rare coin in Jerusalem’s City of David National Park.
US Was Behind Both Crimean Bridge Attacks: Seymour Hersh Legendary national security journalist Seymour Hersh has published a report this week alleging US intelligence helped the Ukrainians blow up the Kerch Bridge (or also, Crimean Bridge), which happened earlier this month and corresponded to President Putin refusing to renew the Black Sea Grain Initiative deal. “The Biden administration’s role in both attacks was vital,”. “Our national strategy is that Zelensky can do whatever he wants to do. There’s no adult supervision,”
McConnell lapse, Biden stumble highlight advanced age of US leaders Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell’s unexplained freezeup while speaking in Congress this week is the latest reminder that America’s most powerful political leaders are much older than many in other democracies. Joe Biden, 80, is the oldest U.S. president to ever serve in the White House, and nearly two decades older than the median age of the world’s national leaders, 62, Pew Research found.
Israel’s Enemies Gloat Over Ongoing Judicial Reform Protests… But The God Of Israel Neither Slumbers Nor Sleeps Ongoing judicial reform protests are taking place in Israel. While not the mass protests we saw on previous days, people are still in the streets. Israeli nuclear scientists are stating that they will be boycotting work because they disagree with judicial reform, and thousands of Israeli reservists in the IDF are essentially refusing to report for duty for the same reason. There is no doubt that Israel is internally divided.
Odessa struck by extensive missile attack The city of Odessa last night experienced one of the worst attacks yet in the Ukraine War. According to reports from residents of the city, explosions were heard non-stop throughout the night. “We only hear booms, booms, booms,” described one of the residents.
Britain investigates after Mali gets defense emails meant for Pentagon UK authorities said on Friday they were investigating defense ministry emails that were mistakenly sent to the wrong recipient, after reports that messages intended for US military intelligence ended up with Russian ally Mali.
‘I Am the Demon’: School Shooter Recorded Evil Manifesto Night Before His Attack According to the Detroit Free Press, during the proceedings Thursday, the courtroom was subjected to a chilling audio of the teen’s manifesto, recorded the night before he carried out the heinous attack in November 2021. In the audio, he coldly proclaimed, “My name is Ethan Crumbley, age 15, and I am going to be the next school shooter.” Crumbley, now 17, even referred to himself as a demon, asserting, “There are no demons. I am the demon.”
‘Nonhuman’ remains recovered from UFO, whistleblower says WYFF News 4, David Grusch, who formerly served as a U.S. intelligence official, testified under oath concerning what he described as a “multi-decade” retrieval program for unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). Grusch’s testimony even included information about the retrieval of “biologics” from a UFO crash.
It’s not climate change that’s causing heat waves this summer but no one wants to explain why Every summer, heat waves inevitably hit the U.S. and other parts of the world, causing climate alarmists and left-leaning media outlets to demand dramatic, disastrous changes to the global energy system. Unfortunately, this summer is no different. there’s no reason to believe these weather events are evidence that the world is hurtling toward a climate change catastrophe. In fact, the best available evidence suggests that heat waves recorded a century ago were more problematic than anything we’re seeing today.
Israel tells UN Security Council it will never accept PA demand for Right of Return Israel will never accept a Palestinian Right of Return, the Jewish state’s envoy to the United Nations told the United Nations Security Council on Thursday, accusing the Council of perpetuating the Arab-Israeli conflict. Speaking at a UN Security Council meeting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Gilad Erdan took aim at the Palestinian Authority, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and the Security Council itself.
Biden Admin. Objects to Jewish MK Visiting Temple Mount A ruler who listens to lies, All his ministers will be wicked. Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount in Jerusalem on Thursday, observing the austere Jewish holy day of Tisha B’Av which commemorates the destruction of the Jewish Temples that stood at the site. The US Embassy criticized the visit.
Severe Thunderstorm Watches cover 25 million people from DC to Twin Cities What has already been a stormy week in the Midwest and Great Lakes takes another punch from Mother Nature on Friday. Severe thunderstorms threaten to blast the region from the Dakotas through Chicago and into the Great Lakes with strong winds, heavy rains and large hail.
Digital ID Systems Should Not Be Centralized As states continue to implement digital ID systems, it is essential that they build tools in ways that inherently protect civil liberties rather than asking citizens to just trust government officials.
Top 7 Ways the Democrats in D.C. plan on REDUCING the POPULATION Yes, the Vice President of the United States of America just said the “quiet part” out loud live on television for the whole world to hear, and try to digest…the Democrats in Washington DC to end all use of fossil fuels by investing in “clean energy and electric vehicles,” and also, wait for it… to reduce the population. You cannot make this stuff up,
Lawsuit: Cigna Healthcare Misused AI to Deny Legitimate Insurance Claims Cigna Healthcare, a major player in the health insurance industry, is now at the center of a federal class action lawsuit over claims that the company has been using AI algorithms to improperly deny customer claims. The lawsuit claims that Cigna’s system denied about 300,000 pre-approved claims, spending an average of 1.2 seconds to deny each claim
ZERO HUNGER (SDG 2) MEANS STARVATION FOR ALL?! …SDG 2 is known as ‘Zero Hunger’. Its wording is to suggest that everyone will be fed by the government, as well as by the United Nations out of caring for us. However, a closer look into SDG 2 needs to be taken. The ‘zero hunger’ is NOT about caring for us, it’s about controlling us.
Jesus References Excluded From 4-H Livestock Show …The restrictions could not be pettier or more ridiculous. They are obviously nothing more than political harassment. One child who was involved in a livestock show was told that he needed to turn his shirt inside out because it had a picture of a cross on it. The child is a member of “Faithful Farmers.” Still others were told that they couldn’t wear shirts that displayed the phrase “JOE’s Place” because it was an acronym for “Jesus Over Everything.”
SAMANTHA KOCH He encourages men to be psychologically and physically stronger, but his core beliefs and real-life practices call his words into question.
QUOTES Braying Jennies “It’s so upsetting when people say: ‘But I didn’t have anything to do with it. I didn’t own slaves.’ No, but you continue to reap the benefits of it! —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin “When you don’t have a real program as to how you’re gonna help the American people, you want everyone to look in a different direction except at you. And I think that’s what’s happening. … They’re weaponizing Joe Biden’s son against him.” —Sunny Hostin “What bribery scheme? It’s so different every day. I mean, you know, they’re either freakin’ out about ‘Barbie’ or they’re upset about, you know, [Bud Light]. … What is really happening here? I mean, how much punishment does Biden need ’cause he won and they lost?” —”The View” co-host Whoopi Goldberg “It seems they go after Biden’s kid, but Biden’s kid was not in the administration. Trump’s children were part of the administration. That’s a huge difference.” —”The View” co-host Joy Behar “They are gonna try to indict a father for loving his son, who has been addicted to drugs and/or alcohol and without evidence of the father doing anything other than loving that son.” —former Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) Hot Air “Hot enough for you? Thank a MAGA Republican. Or better yet, vote them out of office.” —Hillary Clinton “The bomb has gone off, but we do have the ability to restrain fossil fuels if we make the commitments we need to.” —Washington Governor Jay Inslee “From day one, President Biden has treated climate change with the urgency it requires.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre “The importance of climate is shown on a 90-degree day.” —Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) “The era of global warming has ended; the era of global boiling has arrived.” —UN Secretary-General António Guterres “How do we move forward as climate change … is taking over every part of our lives almost?” —Karine Jean-Pierre “Not a single Republican voted for the Inflation Reduction Act … which provides funding to combat climate change.” —Joe Biden Theater of the Absurd “I issued a memo very early on that we would not use the term ‘illegal alien.'” —Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas “Some have used the border as a cudgel and conflated migration and the trafficking of fentanyl.” —Alejandro Mayorkas “We have to place the level of migration we have experienced in its hemispheric and worldwide context.” —Alejandro Mayorkas The BIG Lies “Our approach to managing the border securely and humanely, even within our fundamentally broken immigration system, is working.” —Alejandro Mayorkas “The president — what he is working on, the policies that he’s moved forward on, is making sure that we limit … the unlawful entry into this country.” —Karine Jean-Pierre “As we have said multiple times, our border enforcement plan works.” —Karine Jean-Pierre “What this [IRS whistleblower testimony] showed, clearly, is that there was no special treatment with Hunter Biden; that this is someone who has a more zealous view of prosecution in cases that have nothing to do with Hunter Biden.” —Congressman Ro Khanna (D-CA) “They [BLM rioters] were taking care of the people in their town ’cause they didn’t like what they saw.” —Whoopi Goldberg “Did you ever think we’d be talking about banning books in America? Banning history? I’m serious.” —Joe Biden “In the state of Florida, they decided middle school students will be taught that enslaved people benefited from slavery. They insult us in an attempt to gaslight us and we will not stand for it!” —Kamala Harris “Extremists here in Florida pass[ed] a law, ‘Don’t say gay,’ trying to instill fear in our teachers that they should not live their full life and love who they love.” —Kamala Harris “Bidenomics is growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up, not the top down. Unemployment remains below 4%. Inflation has fallen by two-thirds. Wages are higher than before the pandemic. And businesses have invested more than half a trillion dollars in clean energy and manufacturing. In short, the president’s economic plan is indeed working.” —Karine Jean-Pierre “We’ve created more than 13 million jobs. We’re in a place where wages are up. Inflation is coming down; it’s easing. And we have talked about Bidenomics, the president’s plan, and how it’s moving this country forward.” —Karine Jean-Pierre “The American people are beginning to feel Bidenomics.” —Karine Jean-Pierre Dumb & Dumber “I believe that over the next year, Americans are really gonna learn what the Biden administration has done to support American families and drive down inflation and all the good works that they’re doing.” —Delegate Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) “[Republicans] want to talk about censorship; that anytime you point out untruths, you’re censoring. You’re stopping people from speaking. … People can speak, but we’re also going to give the American people the truth so that they can have science and facts and history against wild, outlandish claims that the Republicans are trying to get that’s not only going to keep them from going to the polls or suppressing vote[s] or telling untruths but is also really very detrimental to the American people.” —Stacey Plaskett Delusions of Grandeur “She [Kamala Harris] is an icon. She is an icon in the South Asian community, in the African American community, among millions of women in this country.” —New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy “This president did such a remarkable job. He is a person of such knowledge, such vision for the country, such knowledge of the issues, such strategic thinking, and such a legislator. And on top of it all, a person who connects with the American people.” —Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Grand Delusions “When my husband … took office two and a half years ago, he made a promise to the American people that he would rebuild the systems that were broken and fortify our institutions; that he would work to bring divided communities back together; and that he would put us on a path to a better, brighter future while restoring our leadership on the world stage. And he did.” —Jill Biden “The greatest threat facing our homeland is white nationalist ideology.” —Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) Lack of Self-Awareness “Republicans have not established any legitimate grounds to impeach Secretary Mayorkas. … Policy disagreements and personal grudges are not a basis for impeachment.” —Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) “The Republican desire to impeach someone, anyone, no matter if there’s any evidence, just shows how they have descended into chaos.” —Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) Non Compos Mentis “Man allegedly shot and killed his pregnant boyfriend and then himself in murder-suicide.” —Law & Crime headline “The facts do not justify the fears that Republicans and their political allies gin up over … trans girls participating in girls’ athletic teams.” —Jerry Nadler “Access to gender-affirming care is essential to the mental health and well-being of trans youth.” —Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA) “Gender-affirming care is safe and effective.” —Mary Gay Scanlon Belly Laugh of the Week “Let me applaud you, Adam Schiff, whose name is synonymous with courage, with patriotism, with restoring the faith of the American people in our government.” —Nancy Pelosi
Former assistant U.S. attorney Sol Wisenberg and Trump impeachment attorney David Schoen weigh in on the collapse of Hunter Biden’s plea deal on ‘The Ingraham Angle.’ #foxnews #fox #theingrahamangle
Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Thursday discussed Hunter Biden’s plea deal after it fell apart in a Delaware federal courthouse the previous day, saying that it appeared as though the Justice Department was in “cahoots” with Biden’s defense lawyers.
Her remarks came after Biden’s plea agreement on two misdemeanor tax charges was in jeopardy during his Wednesday court appearance due to issues with immunity.
Initially, U.S. District Judge Maryellen Noreika said she had “concerns” about the parties linking the tax plea agreement to a deal for a felony gun charge. Hunter Biden then pleaded “not guilty” to all his charges after the judge removed immunity from further prosecutions as part of his proposed plea deal.
“Prosecutors on Wednesday said Hunter Biden pleading guilty to the two misdemeanor tax offenses would not immunize him from future charges. The judge asked whether a potential violation of the Foreign Agents Registration Act was under consideration, but prosecutors were tight-lipped on the matter. The judge put the court in recess and asked that federal prosecutors and Biden’s legal team discuss the plea deal, telling the court that they did not appear to be in agreement on the terms,” Fox News reported.
Ingraham, an attorney by trade, smelled a rat.
“Now the details of the now defunct Hunter Biden plea show once again how far the legal system will bend to accommodate and ultimately protect the Bidens. So the rule of law is always an afterthought for these people. What’s important is keeping Joe Biden in power,” she said to begin a monologue.
She added:
So after combing through both the plea agreement itself, as well as the transcript of yesterday’s court proceedings, The Angle understands why there was such a concerted effort to keep it all from the public. Now, the most damning provision, and one we hit briefly last night would have granted absurdly broad immunity to Hunter Biden.
Very conveniently, it would have covered every crime he may have committed during the relevant time frame. Presumably stuff regarding his lucrative business dealings with foreign entities based in China, Romania, Ukraine and God knows where else.
Now the effort to shield Hunter from further investigations — this is an explosive development, and it begs the question, if all these relationships he had with foreign business interests were on the up and up, now, why would the first son and why would his legal team think he needed this expansive immunity deal? And why wasn’t this known until yesterday?
Well, I’ll tell you why, because it appears that the lawyers from Joe Biden’s DOJ and Hunter’s legal team were in cahoots. The secret get out of jail free arrangement was hidden in paragraph 15 of something called the Pretrial Diversion Agreement, not even the deal itself. So when Judge Noreika discovered the scope of the immunity and then the unconstitutional role it would have conferred upon her, she was not happy.
“So have you ever seen — I think I just asked you this, but have you ever seen a Diversion Agreement where the agreement not to prosecute is so broad that it encompasses crimes in a different case?” Noreika asked, according to a court transcript.
“No,” Wise replied. “And I would say Your Honor, I don’t think it is broad in the sense that —”
The judge interrupted at that point: “We’re going to talk about that. You can sit down.”
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri told CNN the back-and-forth in court shows the deal was flawed and that more charges could be coming down.
“It’s very telling that the judge intervened here and said basically, ‘No, I’m not going to approve some sweeping blanket deal,’” the Republican from Missouri said. “I mean, that tells you the court has serious concerns about other potential charges here and also the scope of the deal, which has seemed outrageous from the beginning. This, I think, signals that they’re still very much as potential for prosecution forward.”
‘These products … do not provide protection against infection, they do not prevent infection, they do not prevent disease, they do not prevent spread, they do not prevent hospitalization, they do not prevent death.’
Devon Archer, the former Biden family business associate set to provide closed-door testimony to congressional investigators on Monday, will likely be in no mood to shield the first family from incrimination in shady foreign deals.
Video claiming to show an abandoned Leopard II tank near Zaporozhye
Ukraine continues to throw men and material into its “Second Wave“ counteroffensive, allegedly advancing within 6-8 miles of the main Russian defensive lines. Russia claims to have destroyed 3 Leopard tanks, 2 French AMX-10 and killed 380 Ukrainians on Friday.
Western media continue hyping the Ukrainian banzai attack without sufficient artillery, drone or air support, with the NATO-aligned Institute for the Study of War reporting that “Ukrainian forces have advanced to within 10-12 kilometers of the main Russian defensive line in the Berdyansk direction.”
Russia Today reports that Ukraine has lost “hundreds of military personnel and multiple Western-supplied armor pieces”, including three German-made Leopard 2 tanks and two French-made AMX-10 wheeled fighting vehicles, according to the Russian Ministry of Defense.
The Ukrainian counteroffensive is not going great I see.
Western media is resorting to idiotic propaganda to keep their audience in the "Ukraine is winning" la la land.
Speaking to the summit of African leaders in St. Petersburg, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that “Russia is always ready for negotiations”.
“Have they forgotten that they destroyed the situation in Sudan? Have they forgotten what they did in Syria? They could not care less about the UN Charter, they only remember about international law when they believe that these instruments could be used against someone – Russia, in this case. They will not achieve anything, this is too primitive. If they want someone to comply with the UN Charter and other international law acts, they should make an effort to comply the same norms themselves. However, this does not mean that we do not want and do not seek a peaceful resolution of any conflict,” Putin said.
“We, on our side, have never rejected negotiations, we have always said that we are ready for further dialogue,” Putin said, noting that Russia “always stated its readiness for negotiations publicly.”
Putin noted that a peace agreement had already been reached with Kiev in April 2022 before it was torpedoed by Boris Johnson, presumably at the behest of the Biden Regime. “The draft [peace] treaty has been effectively negotiated,” Putin said. “But after the withdrawal of our forces from outskirts of Kiev – and we were asked to do so in order to create conditions for signing of the final agreement – Kiev authorities disavowed all previous agreements,” he said.
“Therefore I believe that the ball is totally in their court. I will not tell the details of what we negotiated right now, that would not be appropriate. However, not all know that, and we know it very well that Kiev obtained its independence during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, based on the declaration of independence, and this declaration states clearly that Ukraine is a neutral state. This is of principal importance to us; it is not quite clear for us, why the West started pulling Ukraine into NATO.”
Furious Judge Maryellen Noreika ordered the lawyers representing Hunter Biden, who had deceived and lied to a court clerk into removing a legal document by falsely claiming to represent GOP lawyer Ted Kittila, to cease all direct communications with court clerks.
The Gateway Pundit previously reported that Hunter Biden’s legal team is facing possible sanctions after they lied about their identity to have the testimony of IRS whistleblowers removed from the docket in Hunter’s tax fraud case.
Judge Maryellen Noreika had demanded an explanation from Biden’s lawyers by 9 pm ET Tuesday night. This controversy happened on the eve of Hunter Biden’s plea of guilty to misdemeanor tax charges on Wednesday, while he is expected to avoid jail time on a separate gun charge.
A member of Biden’s legal team misrepresented herself when asking for amicus materials to be removed. According to reports, she called the clerk and requested that the information be sealed due to its sensitive nature, including grand jury, taxpayer, and social security details.
An order from Judge Noreika read, “The Court has discussed the matter with the relevant individuals in the Clerk’s Office and has been informed that the caller, Ms. Jessica Bengels, represented that she worked with Mr. Kittila and requested the amicus materials be taken down.”
The order continued to express concern that the caller might have “misrepresented her identity and who she worked for in an attempt to improperly convince the clerk’s office to remove the amicus materials from the docket.”
Attorneys for Hunter Biden have responded to allegations of deceiving a court clerk to remove certain documents from a court docket, claiming it was a simple “misunderstanding.”
“The matter under consideration appears to stem from an unfortunate and unintentional miscommunication between a staff member at our firm and employees of the Court,” Hunter Biden legat team wrote.
Further, they stated, “We have no idea how the misunderstanding occurred, but our understanding is there was no misrepresentation.”
The lawyers also claimed that their Director of Litigation Services, the person who made the call, had properly identified her affiliation with Latham & Watkins LLP to the ECF Clerk.
“We hope this letter and the attached declaration dispels any suggestion that undersigned counsel or our staff would ever intentionally misrepresent or mislead the Court with respect to any matter.”
Judge Maryellen Noreika (Source: U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware)
On Friday, Judge Noreika issued an order stating that Hunter Biden’s lawyers are no longer allowed to contact the federal court clerk in Delaware.
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED that, going forward, any issues or inquiries in the above-captioned cases shall be brought to my attention and not to the Clerk’s Office. Any such issues and inquiries shall be submitted in writing and placed on the docket. To the extent that the rare instance arises in which a writing is not practicable, a phone call may be made to my Chambers by an attorney who represents one of the parties in these cases or an interested third party,” Judge Norieka wrote.
Hundreds of documents are littered among the tens of thousands of emails contained on the laptop, but the files were not downloaded onto the device, and investigators cannot open most of them.
Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz reacts to President Biden finally addressing his seventh grandchild in a statement first reported by People magazine. #foxnews
How can parents reach their teenage or adult children if they’ve walked away from the faith? In this video, our friend Greg Koukl shares practical advice that will help you engage with prodigals that have turned from Christianity.
📚 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek: INSTRUCTOR Study Guide👉📱 https://cutt.ly/eIyeiKG, STUDENT Study Guide👉📱https://cutt.ly/OIyegwW, and DVD👉📱https://cutt.ly/aIyelh6
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