July 30 Evening Verse of The Day

6:17 The offensive armor included only one weapon, a short sword used in close combat. The “sword” symbolized God’s word. Because of its design, content, and origin, Scripture (the word of God) “endures forever” (1Pt 1:24–25).^[1]

6:17 The “helmet of salvation” (perikephalaia, Gk.) is another extremely important piece of the Christian’s armor. The Greek word literally means “around the head”; a soldier who had lost his helmet was in danger of receiving severe head wounds which would (at the least) disorient him and render him ineffective. Similarly, a Christian who has no assurance of salvation cannot be bold in resisting Satan, in strengthening believers, or in sharing Christ with nonbelievers. The three witnesses to the believer concerning assurance are (1) the witness of the Word of God (1 John 5:13), (2) the witness of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16; 1 John 5:10;), and (3) the witness of good works as a result, not a cause, of salvation (Matt. 5:16; 1 John 2:3–5). The “sword of the Spirit” (machaira, Gk.) is the only offensive weapon Paul lists. The machaira was a short, two-edged sword carried by Roman legionaries, who wielded it with deadly accuracy. This word is also used in Heb. 4:12, where the word of God is said to be “sharper than any two-edged sword.” Jesus used the Word of God defensively and offensively against Satan in Luke 4:1–13 (see Rev. 2:12). It was extremely difficult to approach a soldier well trained in the use of the machaira; the sword was short and could be moved rapidly. The fact that it was two-edged made it possible to strike on either side without changing its position in the hand, and its razor-sharp point could pierce armor. Proper use of Scripture in spiritual warfare enables the Christian to stand fast “against the wiles of the devil” (6:11).^[2]

6:17 helmet of salvation. For Paul, salvation is a present experience (2:8 and note) as well as a future hope (1 Thess. 5:8). The believer’s final ground of confidence is the faithfulness of God to complete the salvation He has begun (Phil. 1:6).

sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The one offensive weapon in the believer’s arsenal is compared to the Roman sword, short and designed for hand-to-hand combat. See Jesus’ use of Scripture in Matt. 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13.^[3]

6:17 helmet of salvation The assurance of God’s salvation protects the believer just as a helmet protects a soldier in battle. See note on 1 Thess 5:8.

sword of the Spirit This weapon helps believers proclaim the gospel message, act on God’s behalf, and combat attacks from the devil (compare Eph 6:11–12).

word Paul’s use of the Greek word rhēma here primarily refers to the proclamation of the gospel and its ongoing work in the life of the believer (see 5:26 and note; compare Rom 10:17).^[4]

6:17 the helmet of salvation. The helmet protected the head, always a major target in battle. Paul is speaking to those who are already saved, and is therefore not speaking here about attaining salvation. Rather, Satan seeks to destroy a believer’s assurance of salvation with his weapons of doubt and discouragement. This is clear from Paul’s reference to the helmet as “the hope of salvation” (Is 59:17; see note on 1Th 5:8). But although a Christian’s feelings about his salvation may be seriously damaged by Satan-inspired doubt, his salvation itself is eternally protected and he need not fear its loss. Satan wants to curse the believer with doubts, but the Christian can be strong in God’s promises of eternal salvation in Scripture (see Jn 6:37–39; 10:28, 29; Ro 5:10; 8:31–39; Php 1:6; 1Pe 1:3–5). Security is a fact; assurance is a feeling that comes to the obedient Christian (1Pe 1:3–10). the sword of the Spirit. As the sword was the soldier’s only weapon, so God’s Word is the only needed weapon, infinitely more powerful than any of Satan’s. The Gr. term refers to a small weapon (6–18 in. long). It was used both defensively to fend off Satan’s attacks, and offensively to help destroy the enemy’s strategies. It is the truth of Scripture. See notes on 2Co 10:3–5; Heb 4:12.^[5]

6:17 the helmet of salvation: The intricately designed Roman helmet protected the soldier’s head and also made him look taller and more impressive. The sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the believer’s armor. This weapon is not necessarily the Bible as a whole, but the specific word that needs to be spoken in a specific situation. To have the precise word ready, a person must know the Bible intimately.^[6]

6:17. The head of each Roman soldier was protected by a helmet. Paul calls the believer’s helmet, the helmet of salvation. When believers focus on what they have in Christ as a result of their salvation, this protects them from thinking that can cause them to fall. Certainty of the eternality of one’s salvation is crucial to victory in the Christian life. The three aspects of this salvation are past, present, and future. Believers have been saved from the penalty of sin and have eternal life. If believers walk in the light, they are being saved daily from the power of sin in their lives. And when Christ returns, believers will be saved even from the presence of sin.

Paul then calls on the Ephesian believers to take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. While a sword could be an offensive weapon, it was also used in defense. Since Paul’s repeated refrain was to stand (vv 11, 13, 14), this should be seen as another defensive weapon. There are a number of Greek words for sword, but this word (machaira) referred to a short two-edged sword used by Roman soldiers. The author of Hebrews used this metaphor when he said the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword (Heb 4:12). If believers are to stand, they must know and apply God’s Word. They are in a battle; so they must put on the full armor that God has provided for them.^[7]

6:17 The helmet God provides is salvation (Isa. 59:17). No matter how hot the battle, the Christian is not daunted, since he knows that ultimate victory is sure. Assurance of eventual deliverance preserves him from retreat or surrender. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31).

Finally, the soldier takes the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. The classic illustration of this is our Lord’s use of this sword in His encounter with Satan. Three times He quoted the word of God—not just random verses but the appropriate verses which the Holy Spirit gave Him for that occasion (Luke 4:1–13). The word of God here does not mean the whole Bible, but the particular portion of the Bible which best suits the occasion.

David Watson says:

God gives us all the protection that we need. We must see that there is a “ring of truth” about our walk with the Lord, that our lives are right (“righteous”) with God and with one another, that we seek to make peace wherever we go, that we lift up that shield of faith together to quench the flaming darts of the evil one, that we protect our minds from fears and anxieties that easily assail, and that we use God’s word to good effect in the power of the Spirit. Remember it was by the repeated sword thrusts of God’s word that Jesus overcame his adversary in the wilderness.^[8]

6:17. The outline is divided here because the Greek word take is an imperative, rather than another participle. This parallels the imperative “stand” in verse 14. The helmet and sword are the last two pieces a soldier takes up. A helmet, being hot and uncomfortable, would be put on by a soldier only when he faced impending danger. Having one’s head guarded by a helmet gives a sense of safety, so the helmet of salvation refers either to present safety from the devil’s attacks or to a future deliverance, “the hope of salvation as a helmet” (1 Thes. 5:8).

Finally, a Roman soldier would take in hand his sword, his only offensive weapon. Of the Spirit refers to the source or origin of the sword; hence it is “the sword given by the Spirit.” “The sword of the Spirit” is specified as the Word of God. “Word” (rhēma; cf. Eph. 5:26; Rom. 10:8, 17; 1 Peter 1:25) refers to the preached Word or an utterance of God occasioned by the Holy Spirit in the heart. Believers need this “sword” to combat the enemy’s assault, much as Christ did three times when tempted by the devil (Matt. 4:1–11).^[9]

17 To put on the helmet of salvation (cf. Is. 59:17), in the context of this letter, is to assure our hearts of our union with Christ—that we are already seated with him and so secure in him (cf. 2:5–8). We hold the strong ground; we are only called to ‘stand’. The final piece of armour mentioned is the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. This too appears to be an allusion to Is. 11:4, where the powerful word of the Messiah effects judgment (and Wisdom of Solomon 5:20 [echoing Is. 16:4–5 and 59:17] talks of ‘stern wrath’ as the Lord’s ‘sword’). Here, then, the church is given a weapon not merely of defence, but one to strike back against the powers that attack. To strike back with truth when we are personally tempted to evil; to strike back with truth when the church is attacked by false teaching; to strike back with truth when the powers seek to pervade the world around us with alien philosophies and ethical teaching; and finally to strike vigorous blows for freedom with the fearless proclamation of Christian truth such as Paul encourages in vs 19–20. But one thing above all must be remembered about this ‘weapon of offence’: the word of wrath of Is. 11:4 has become the gospel of peace, and uniting love, in Christ. And we are fighting the spiritual powers not human enemies (12). Our use of the sword of the Spirit has to reflect this, else it will become a weapon of darkness, enmity and division instead.^[10]

6:17. The helmet of salvation pictures the Roman soldier’s metal protective headgear. It does not refer to our salvation in Christ. First Thessalonians speaks of the helmet of the “hope of salvation,” which is probably a parallel idea. That being the case, taking the helmet of salvation could be understood as resting our hope in the future and living in this world according to the value system of the next.

The sword of the Spirit pictures the soldier’s weapon sheathed to his belt and used both for offensive and defensive purposes. Taking the sword of the Spirit—defined for us as the Word of God—can be understood as using Scripture specifically in life’s situations to fend off attacks of the enemy and put him to flight. We see the example of Jesus using the Scripture this way in Matthew 4:1–11.^[11]

6:17 “take the helmet of salvation” This is an AORIST MIDDLE (deponent) IMPERATIVE. It is symbolic of believers’ knowledge of the gospel, and their hope in Christ (cf. 1 Thess. 5:8).

© “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” Paul specifically defines the believers’ offensive weapon. This was an allusion to an OT metaphor for God speaking to His people (cf. Isa. 49:2; Hosea 6:5). God’s revelation (both the living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written word, the Bible) is described in these terms in Heb. 4:12. Although a different Greek term for “word” (rhēma versus logos) is used in Hebrews, the term for “sword” is the same (the small tongue-shaped Roman weapon).

It is dangerous to draw too sharp a distinction between parallel terms in Koine Greek like “rhēma” and “logos.” This may refer to the use of the Scriptures during temptation, like Jesus’ in Matt. 4:1ff. Believers’ knowledge of the gospel will protect them in their daily spiritual struggles. This is why Scripture memorization and personal Bible study are so valuable (cf. Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). This is the only offensive weapon listed among the armor. It is not only for protection, but for attack!^[12]

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^[1] Dockery, D. S. (2017). Ephesians. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1879). Holman Bible Publishers.

^[2] Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J., eds. (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Eph 6:17). Thomas Nelson.

^[3] Sproul, R. C., ed. (2005). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (p. 1715). Ligonier Ministries.

^[4] 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 (Eph 6:17). Lexham Press.

^[5] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Eph 6:17). Thomas Nelson Publishers.

^[6] Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1541). T. Nelson Publishers.

^[7] Bond, J. B. (2010). The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians. In R. N. Wilkin (Ed.), The Grace New Testament Commentary (p. 890). Grace Evangelical Society.

^[8] MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.; pp. 1952–1953). Thomas Nelson.

^[9] Hoehner, H. W. (1985). Ephesians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 644). Victor Books.

^[10] Turner, M. (1994). Ephesians. In D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham (Eds.), New Bible commentary: 21st century edition (4th ed., p. 1244). Inter-Varsity Press.

^[11] Anders, M. (1999). Galatians-Colossians (Vol. 8, p. 191). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

^[12] Utley, R. J. (1997). Paul Bound, the Gospel Unbound: Letters from Prison (Colossians, Ephesians and Philemon, then later, Philippians): Vol. Volume 8 (p. 140). Bible Lessons International.

The Reach of Almighty Grace | VCY

The Reach of Almighty Grace

It shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people, there it shall be said unto them, Ye are the sons of the living God. (Hosea 1:10)

Sovereign grace can make strangers into sons, and the Lord here declares His purpose to deal thus with rebels and make them know what He has done. Beloved reader, the Lord has done this in my case; has He done the like for you? Then let us join hands and hearts in praising His adorable name.

Some of us were so decidedly ungodly that the Lord’s Word most truly said to our conscience and heart, “Ye are not my people.” In the house of God and in our own homes, when we read the Bible, this was the voice of God’s Spirit in our soul, “Ye are not my people.” Truly a sad, condemning voice it was. But now, in the same places, from the same ministry and Scripture, we hear a voice, which saith, “Ye are the sons of the living God.” Can we be grateful enough for this? Is it not wonderful? Does it not give us hope for others? Who is beyond the reach of almighty grace? How can we despair of any, since the Lord has wrought so marvelous a change in us?

He who has kept this one great promise will keep every other; wherefore, let us go forward with songs of adoration and confidence.

Defend the Bible? | Bible Apologetics – A DAILY DEVOTIONAL

While apologetics tries to defend the Christian faith and the Bible, I really believe that apologetics is first and foremost useful to solidify the faith of the believer. Yes, while it can also be a powerful tool in sharing why we believe in the veracity of the Bible with unbelievers and skeptics, I believe that the Scriptures don’t need us to defend its uniqueness, intellectual soundness, and its truthfulness. The great Protestant preacher, Charles H. Spurgeon, said it well: “Defend the Bible? I would just as soon defend a lion. Just turn the Bible loose. It will defend itself.”1

As I have shared in earlier devotions the Bible has been attacked and vilified for over 2,000 years by a great onslaught of enemies yet it remains the most circulated book in the world. Theologian and apologist Bernard Ramm shared a colorful description on how the Bible, despite its attacks, down through the centuries, is still with us today when he said: “A thousand times over, the death knell of the Bible has been sounded, the funeral procession formed, the inscription cut on the tombstone, and committal read. But somehow the corpse never stays put. No other book has been so chopped, knifed, sifted, scrutinized, and vilified. What book on philosophy or religion or psychology… of classical or modern times has been subject to such a mass attack as the Bible? With such venom and skepticism? With such thoroughness and erudition? Upon every chapter, line and tenet? The Bible is still loved by millions, read by millions, and studied by millions.”2

But just how does the Bible defend itself? I believe the Bible defends itself by proving, after 2,000 years, to be historically and scientifically accurate, the finest book on ethics ever written, and the only book that can answer life’s big questions. Richard T. Ritenbaugh, however, gives us the key answer in the transformative nature of the Bible when he shares: “The Bible needs no authentication from scholars, historians, archeologists, or anyone with a pointy head. The Bible proves itself true every time a sinner turns from his wicked ways to God’s way of life. The proof is in its impact on people who are in the process of changing from carnal to spiritual.”3

The transformative power of the Bible to change a sinner into a saint, and an individual from bondage to freedom demonstrates how the Holy Word of God can do the impossible and will last forever.

(Isaiah 40:8) boldly declares: “The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

But you may ask what about the other sacred books – are they not the same as the Bible? Professor Monier Williams spent over 40 years studying the religious literature of the Orient – His conclusion follows: “Pile them, if you will, on the left side of your study table; but place your own Holy Bible on the right side – all by itself, all alone and with a wide gap between them. For,…there is a gulf between it and the so-called sacred books of the East which severs the one from the other utterly, hopelessly, and forever…”4

One more quote will serve to drive home the point that you not only can’t destroy the Bible, but it doesn’t need you or me to defend its uniqueness. 19th century writer, H. L. Hastings, shows how the Bible has withstood the most severe attacks of skepticism when he stated:

“Infidels for eighteen hundred years have been refuting and overthrowing this book, and yet it stands today as solid as a rock. Its circulation increases, and it is more loved and cherished and read today than ever before. Infidels, with all their assaults, make about as much impression on this book as a man with a tack hammer would on the Pyramids of Egypt.

“When the French monarch proposed the persecution of the Christians in his dominion, an old statesman and warrior said to him, ‘Sire, the Church of GOD is an anvil that has worn out many hammers.’ So, the hammers of infidels have been pecking away at this book for ages, but the hammers are worn out, and the anvil still endures. If this book had not been the book of GOD, men would have destroyed it long ago. Emperors and popes, kings and priests, princes and rulers have all tried their hand at it; they die and the book still lives.”5

My friends the next time someone asks you to defend the Bible just share with them how the Bible and Jesus Christ have transformed your life and throw in a little apologetics for good measure.

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1 Defend the Bible? – Charles Spurgeon | Deeper Christian Quotes

2 QUOTES BY BERNARD RAMM | A-Z Quotes (azquotes.com)

3 Discounting the Bible (cgg.org)

4 Testimonies About the Bible (wayoflife.org)

5 The Anvil that has worn out many Hammers « The Righter Report

The post Defend the Bible? appeared first on Bible Apologetics – A DAILY DEVOTIONAL.

Source: Defend the Bible?

God’s Timing | Daily Devotionals by Thoughts about God.

God’s Timing

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“My times are in your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors.” – Psalm 31:15

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Watching the recent Olympics, I was impressed that in almost every event, timing was the most crucial element. Often fractions of a second separated a gold from a bronze medal, or even no metal at all.

It was not just the overall finishing time, but the timing going into a curve or over a mogul. May athletes after their event said: “My timing was just right,” or “I overcompensated in the first turn and my timing was off.”

I don’t know about you, but I am an impatient type of person and like things done in my own way and in my own time.

Are you waiting for God to answer your prayers right now?

This is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life for me. It is hard for me to put aside my timing and my life planning, for His.

Maybe you are waiting for God, but still things are not happening the way you hoped or expected them to. Does it seem like your hopes and dreams are never going to be fulfilled?

Sometimes it’s hard to understand why God doesn’t allow things to happen straightaway. An important lesson that I am continuing to learn each day is that God works things out in his own perfect timing.

God will work things out in your life if you trust in him. It is possible that you may have to go through certain trials and wait for his answers.

God has plans for your life. He knows everything about you. He made you. He has perfect timing for your life.

Thought: How willing are you to surrender your timetable for God’s? Do you trust Him with your life? Think about how you can better run your life on His timetable rather than yours.

Prayer: Oh, God, I surrender my life to you in every respect, not just my heart in soul, but every aspect, everyday as I live life to the fullest on your timetable and filled with the joy of knowing that you are in control.

By John Grant
Used by Permission

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Further Reading

•   His Timing – by Mary Pinckney

•  Speak Up – by Melissa Talbot

• Letting God Lead Us – by Ashlea Massie

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The post God’s Timing can be found online at Daily Devotionals by Thoughts about God.

30 Jul 2023 News Briefing

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Ukraine Firing North Korean Rockets At Russian Forces
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Rep. Nancy Mace: I Believe ‘We Are Headed’ to a Biden Impeachment Inquiry
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More Wagner Fighters Move Closer to Polish Border, Poland PM Says
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Trump: Democrats are willing to kill babies
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Senior Palestinian security official admits Hamas and Islamic Jihad recruit youth for West Bank violence
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Washington state declares drought emergencies in a dozen counties 
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Kamala Harris embraces new attack role, draws fresh Republican fire
BOSTON, July 29 (Reuters) – Vice President Kamala Harris has shown a punchy side during a tour of nearly a dozen U.S. states in recent weeks, attacking Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for backing “revisionist history” about slavery, telling Iowa healthcare workers to rebel against the state’s new restrictive abortion laws and rallying Latinos in Chicago to fight “extremist” Republicans.

30 Jul 2023

Headlines – 7/30/2023

Potential Saudi deal would require ‘significant concessions’ to Palestinians – report

Abbas in Egypt for Palestinian unity talks being boycotted by Islamic Jihad, PFLP

Abbas hoping to lure Hamas into Palestinian ‘unity’ gov’t in Cairo conference

Settlers from flashpoint West Bank settlement said to torch Palestinian field

Israeli Occupation Forces fill water springs and agricultural lands in Hebron with concrete amidst an ongoing heat wave

Op-Ed: The Illegal Palestinian Settlements You’ve Never Heard Of

30th week of protests after 1st overhaul law passes, amid uncertainty, relocation talk

‘Damage is enormous’: Over 200,000 at first weekend rallies since overhaul law passed

Lapid: We had deal with Netanyahu on overhaul last week; he caved to Levin, Ben Gvir

Likud denies any ‘rebellion’ in its ranks over judicial overhaul

Ex-Bank of Israel head warns investors lining up to pull funds amid overhaul turmoil

Seriously injured soldier on overhaul chaos: ‘Better to have died than to see this?’

‘The Agreement Is Broken’: Israeli Reservists Resign to Protest New Law

Court petition claims reasonableness law will expose IDF officers to int’l probes

Hezbollah chief: ‘Israel occupying Lebanese lands, we will respond to any stupid act’

Blinken says US assistance to Niger ‘in jeopardy’ amid military coup

Sweden leader says “clear risk” of retaliatory terror attacks as Iran issues threats over Quran desecration

Putin’s Dystopian Plan for Post-Mutiny Russia Revealed

Putin will be gone within a year and the West Must be ready for his terrifying replacement, warns ex-MI6 spy

Ukraine moves Christmas Day in snub to Russia – Zelensky signs bill highlighting deepening rift between churches in Kyiv and Moscow since Russian invasion

Saudi Arabia seeks to host multilateral Ukraine peace talks; Russia to steer clear

Saudi Arabia to Host Ukraine Peace Talks as Part of Western Effort to Woo Global South

Three Ukrainian drones downed over Moscow, shutting airport, damaging buildings

‘Need Every Rocket We Can Get’ – Ukraine Using North Korean-Made Missiles Against Russian Forces

Ukraine set to enter Crimea ‘soon’ after stealing North Korean rockets: reports

North Korea vows to ‘annihilate’ U.S., says country will be terminated this century

President Biden approves $345 million military aid package to Taiwan as China threats ramp up

U.S. Hunts Chinese Malware That Could Disrupt American Military Operations

FDIC Seizes Control of 4th Bank in 2023 While Biden Jokes About Being Impeached by GOP

GOP Rep. Burchett: Biden Requires Us to Report $600 Transactions While His Son Dodges Taxes

Joe and Hunter: Biden Ignores Political Perils and Embraces Scandal-Plagued Son – Some presidential allies worry that Hunter Biden’s prominent appearances are a liability

New charges linking Trump more closely to coverup effort could deepen his legal woes

Capehart: Hillary Is Different from Trump Because She Didn’t Possess Classified Material on Nukes or Allies

Judge dismisses Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ lawsuit against CNN – “Being ‘Hitler-like’ is not a verifiable statement of fact that would support a defamation claim,” a Trump-appointed judge wrote

Social media reacts after Trump takes stage in Iowa to song lyrics about ‘going to prison’

Democrats balk at Alito assertion that Congress has ‘no authority’ over Supreme Court

Leftist ‘Disinformation’ Police Pressure Meta To Run Election Interference On New Threads Platform

Twitter, now rebranded as X, restores Kanye West’s account after ban for antisemitism

Conservative student to be paid $80k from university in censorship lawsuit

Did Wimbledon’s Play-by-Play Commentary Sound Funny? That’s Because It Was AI-Generated

FBI paints grim picture of AI as a tool for criminals: ‘Force multiplier’ for bad actors – The FBI is worried AI will help more bad actors write ‘malicious code’

TikTok Pushes Chinese Propaganda Ads to Millions Across Europe

The Next Frontier for Warfighters Might Be Implants in Their Brains. Is the Pentagon Ready for the Consequences?

Rep. Nancy Mace on UFO ‘Non-Human’ Pilot Revelations: This Is About ‘Government Transparency Versus Government Secrecy’

Taylor Swift’s Seattle fans caused earthquake during Eras Tour stop

5.6 magnitude earthquake hits off the coast of Central America

5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Arboletes, Colombia

5.2 magnitude earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands region

5.1 magnitude earthquake hits the Falkland Islands region

5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Tobelo, Indonesia

Ubinas volcano in Peru erupts to 26,000ft

Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts to 20,000ft

Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 20,000ft

Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft

Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft

Karangetang volcano in Indonesia erupts to 10,000ft

Tropical depression ‘likely’ forming in Atlantic, heading north

Hurricane-force winds blow through DC as more than 65 million placed Severe Thunderstorm Watches

Power station fire, explosions cut off power in much of Iraq amid scorching heatwave

‘Man-Made’ Climate Change: Majority of Greek Wildfires Result of Arson, Minister Admits

Greece wildfires mostly under control after over 2 weeks, officials say

Nobel Prize-Winning Scientist Gets ‘Canceled’ for Rejecting Manmade Climate Change ‘Consensus’

Garbage In, Garbage Out: 96% of NOAA Temperature Stations Fail ‘Uncorrupted Placement’ Standards

California neighborhood under quarantine due to invasive fly species

Tree fall stops the Large Hadron Collider CERN

Oakland NAACP: People Are Afraid to Walk to Mailboxes Due to Crime Spawned by Defunding Police, Lax Prosecution

Illinois Governor Signs Bill Allowing Noncitizens to Become Police Officers

Obama Spotted at Golf Course with Bandaged Fingers, Days After Mysterious Paddle Boarding Accident Claims the Life of His Personal Chef and Friend

5-year-old Indiana boy was high on cocaine when he fatally shot baby brother – parents charged with neglect

Senate Republicans cite ‘Sound of Freedom’ to demand hearings on human trafficking, Biden’s border policies

Brian Lonergan: ‘Sound of Freedom’ Villains Are Enabled by Biden’s Border Policies

One in Three Human Trafficking Victims are Children in Italy, Charity Reports

Japanese Man Who Identifies as a Dog, Takes First Public Stroll After $16,000 Transformation, Forms Bonds with Other Canines

A Drag Queen Is Topping the iTunes Christian Chart Much to the Chagrin of a Religious Activist

‘You Are So Brave’: ESPN’s Sam Ponder Praises Ex-UPenn Swimmer Paula Scanlan for Testimony on Trans Athletes

Contrary to the Natural Order: Scientists Successfully Genetically Engineer Invasive Female Fruit Flies to Reproduce Without Males

Pro-life pregnancy centers sue Vermont for copying California censorship law SCOTUS rejected

China-linked Bio Lab Discovered in Fresno Co, California – Had Over 900 Mice “Genetically Engineered to Catch and Carry the Covid-19 Virus”

CDC detects coronavirus, HIV, hepatitis and herpes at unlicensed California lab – The CDC found at least 20 potentially infectious agents at the warehouse in Fresno County

http://trackingbibleprophecy.org/birthpangs.php

Watergate vs. Bidengate

Which is worse?

Source: Watergate vs. Bidengate

Biden Crime Family Crushed, Woke RadLeft Lunacy Demolished and Liberty Marches On

We have simple goals here at LionelNation. Truth, plain and simple. Bold and brave exploration of facts. The epistemology and ontology of the obvious. Nothing more. Nothing less. Welcome. Please subscribe. And thank you.

Source: Biden Crime Family Crushed, Woke RadLeft Lunacy Demolished and Liberty Marches On

Western-Trained Ukrainian Unit Loses 9 of 10 US-Made MaxxPro Vehicles

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – A Ukrainian battalion, trained in the West and equipped for the counteroffensive, has lost nine out of 10 available US-made MaxxPro armored vehicles and lost most of its troops, with only 10 servicepeople of the unit remaining at the forefront, a American daily reported on Sunday, citing a Ukrainian soldier.

Source: Western-Trained Ukrainian Unit Loses 9 of 10 US-Made MaxxPro Vehicles

Neither Safe Nor Effective :: By Bill Wilson

Documents used by Moderna for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emergency use approval of the COVID “vaccine” indicate both Moderna and the FDA knew of the dangers posed by the mRNA experimental drug.

Some 13,685 pages related to Moderna’s COVID-19 clinical trials were released by the FDA as part of the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit by Dallas-based nonprofit Defending The Republic (DTR). Some 16 deaths were documented in the aftermath of taking the experimental serum. Moderna, however, conducted autopsies on only two and listed the cause of death for the vast majority as “unknown.” DTR stated that Moderna purposely decided not to investigate the cause of deaths.

Notwithstanding, those running the studies concluded that the deaths were unrelated to the Moderna serum. DTR said, “There were numerous examples of participants with post-vaccination Bell’s Palsy and Shingles (Herpes Zoster). One 44-year-old female had “left side facial paralysis” just eight days after the second dose. Numerous vaccinated participants saw the onset of Shingles less than 10 days after vaccination.

Other key observations during the Moderna “studies” involved serious adverse events for those in the vaccinated groups. A number of participants experienced: myocardial infarction (heart attack); pulmonary embolism; spontaneous abortion/miscarriage; transient ischemic attack (TIA); and lymphoma.”

In January 2022, The Daily Jot obtained a similar confidential report by Pfizer to the FDA. The report, “5.3.6 CUMULATIVE ANALYSIS OF POST-AUTHORIZATION ADVERSE EVENT REPORTS OF PF-07302048 (BNT162B2) RECEIVED THROUGH 28-FEB-2021,” indicates as of February 28, 2021 there were 42,086 reports of 158,893 adverse events from the Pfizer COVID vaccine—all withheld from the public.

Some of the results: “Pregnancy outcomes for the 270 pregnancies were reported as spontaneous abortion (23), outcome pending (5), premature birth with neonatal death, spontaneous abortion with intrauterine death (2 each), spontaneous abortion with neonatal death, and normal outcome (1 each).”

Other results included: Anaphylaxis in 54% of the relevant cases retrieved, four causing death, and Pfizer concluded that the data “did not reveal any significant new safety information.” Lack of efficacy was found in 3.9% of the database; 3.3% of the total database developed cardiovascular adverse reactions,

Of the reported cases, “136 (9.69%) were fatal.” Again, Pfizer concluded: “This cumulative case review does not raise new safety issues.”

Facts are that the US government knew all along that this serum was neither safe nor effective, yet it conspired with big business and media to coerce Americans to take it while censoring those who warned against it. This is criminal. Let us plead Amos 5:24 to our Lord that “justice run down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream.”

NOTE: If you have been vaccinated and experience any of the aforementioned symptoms, all is not lost. You can detox and neutralize/minimalize the effects of the spike proteins caused by the shots. Truth for Health Foundation (www.truthforhealth.org/patientguide/ ) also has treatment guides and can assist you in locating a doctor that understands the side effects of the COVID shot and can recommend an effective protocol. It is important that you take control and develop a comprehensive health strategy.

Sources:

https://defendingtherepublic.org/moderna/

Posted in The Daily Jot

 

The post Neither Safe Nor Effective :: By Bill Wilson appeared first on Rapture Ready.

Source: Neither Safe Nor Effective :: By Bill Wilson

US Was Behind Both Crimean Bridge Attacks: Seymour Hersh

07-30-2023 • https://www.zerohedge.com, by Tyler Durden

What’s more is that Hersh’s sources described that the US assisted in the initial, larger Kerch Bridge explosion which had initially temporarily disabled it in October 2022. “The Biden administration’s role in both attacks was vital,” he wrote in a Thursday Substack investigative article.

“Of course it was our technology,” an unnamed US official told Hersh, referring to the sea drone which detonated under the vital bridge on July 17. “The drone was remotely guided and half submerged–like a torpedo.”

The source cited is said to be a US intelligence official who is speaking out anonymously “from the point of view of those in the American intelligence community who don’t feel they have the ear of President Joe Biden but should.”

“Our national strategy is that Zelensky can do whatever he wants to do. There’s no adult supervision,” the US official complained.

 

Read Full Story

Donald Trump is ‘most ethical American I know,’ ex-president’s lawyer Alina Habba says

Trump attorney Alina Habba praised her client Sunday for being the “most ethical American” amid several criminal charges for alleged campaign finance violations and mishandling classified documents after leaving office.

Source: Donald Trump is ‘most ethical American I know,’ ex-president’s lawyer Alina Habba says

The front page of today’s ’The Weekend Australian’ (“Covid cover-up: how science was silenced”)

The front page of today’s
’The Weekend Australian’

Well would you look at that

You can rest easy, all you "conspiracy theorists, whackjobs, nutters & tin-foil-hatters"

For 3+ years, the truths you've been telling have been shoved in the corner . . . You've been ridiculed,… pic.twitter.com/YGQkuO2vsi

— T (@pepedownunder) July 29, 2023

twitter.com/pepedownunder/status/1685115575603986432

Rand Paul announces ‘official criminal referral,’ claims email shows Fauci COVID testimony ‘absolutely a lie’ | FOX news

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announced an “official criminal referral” to the Department of Justice regarding Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Paul pointed to an email from February 2020 in which Fauci detailed a call with British medical researcher Jeremy Farrar, who was director of the Wellcome Trust at the time. According to Fauci, those on the task force call, including Francis Collins, former Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, and other “highly credible” scientists with expertise in evolutionary biology, expressed concern about the “fact upon viewing the sequences of several isolates of the nCoV, there were mutations in the virus that would be most unusual to have evolved naturally in the bats and that there was a suspicion that this mutation was intentionally inserted.”

“The suspicion was heightened by the fact that scientists in Wuhan University are known to have been working on gain-of-function experiments to determine the molecular mechanisms associated with bat viruses adapting to human infection, and the outbreak originated in Wuhan,” Fauci wrote, according to a screenshot of the newly unredacted email shared by RealClearPolitics White House reporter Philip Wegmann.

RAND PAUL TORCHES DOCTORS WARNING OF ‘S— SHOW’ IF CHINA ACCUSED OF COVID RELEASE: ‘THE BUSINESS OF SCIENCE’

“This directly contradicts everything he said in committee hearing to me, denying absolutely that they funded any gain of function, and it’s absolutely a lie. That’s why I sent an official criminal referral to the DOJ,” Paul wrote on “X,” formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday.

In July 2021, Paul reminded Fauci, the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and medical adviser to the president, that lying to Congress is a federal crime, suggesting the NIAID director had done so regarding COVID-19 gain-of-function research conducted at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.

During a heated exchange, Fauci insisted he had “never lied before Congress” during a prior testimony that May, telling Paul, “you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Fauci further denied the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded gain-of-function research, despite Paul citing a journal article titled, “Discovery of a rich gene pool of bat SARS-related coronaviruses.”

RAND PAUL BLASTS FAUCI AS JUDGE DEMANDS MISINFORMATION EMAILS

Paul noted how the paper’s author credits the NIH and lists the actual number of the grant given by the NIH. The author took two bat coronavirus spike genes and combined them with SARs related backbone to create new viruses that are not found in nature. The lab-created viruses were then shown to replicate in humans, Paul, who graduated from Duke University School of Medicine and was a practicing doctor before being elected to Congress, surmised of the article during the congressional hearing.

“Viruses that in nature only infect animals were manipulated in the Wuhan lab to gain the function of infecting humans,” Paul said.

Fauci said the paper Paul referred to “was judged by qualified staff up and down the chain as not being gain of function.”

CLICK TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Let’s read from the NIH definition of gain of function. This is your definition that you guys wrote. It says that ‘scientific research that increases the transmissibility among mammals is gain of function.’ They took animal viruses that only occur in animals, and they increased their transmissibility to humans,” Paul said. “How you can say that’s not gain of function – it’s a dance, and you’re dancing around this because you’re trying to obscure responsibility for 4 million people dying around the world from a pandemic.”

Source: Rand Paul announces ‘official criminal referral,’ claims email shows Fauci COVID testimony ‘absolutely a lie’

Amir Tsarfati: Last Days Essentials

In order to understand where we stand on the prophetic timeline, we need to acknowledge when the last days began. Moreover, it’s important to grasp when they will come to an end. As we navigate through these last days, what spiritual items are critical for believers to cling to? Furthermore, what should believers expect living in these last days? Join Amir on a journey through the prophetic timel

Source: Amir Tsarfati: Last Days Essentials

‘Quite Orwellian’: Trips to Europe will require visa and personal data from travelers starting in 2024

Want to jet off to Italy, Spain, or France? Starting in 2024, all travelers going to European Union countries will have to not only book their flight and hotel and bring their passport, but they also must fill out an online application before traveling on their trip.

The online application requires authorization and to pay a fee through the European Travel Information and Authorization System. The system is expected to be operational in 2024.

Travelers will be required to fill out personal information, including date and place of birth, home address, parents’ names, phone number, email, nationality, education, occupation, planned travel destinations, and criminal history.

Nile Gardiner, a former aide to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, called the new EU program “Orwellian.”

Source: ‘Quite Orwellian’: Trips to Europe will require visa and personal data from travelers starting in 2024

CIA has a well-documented history of planting fake UFO stories when they want to distract the public

07-30-2023 • https://www.revolver.news/2023/07/cia-well-documen

https://twitter.com/BigFish3000/status/1684520914476564481?s=20

Read Full Story

How Many Tanks Has Ukraine Lost?

With Kiev’s desperate counteroffensive attempts still stuck in the mud, Russian forces keep marching on, laying Ukrainian tanks to waste in the special military operation zone.

Source: How Many Tanks Has Ukraine Lost?

Wars and Rumors of War – Jan Markell And Dr. David Reagan | Harbingers Daily

Jan Markell talks to Dr. David Reagan for the hour. The Bible speaks much about peace and war. Not until the New Heavens and New Earth are we finished with war. Will believers witness any of the nine end-time wars and which one is next?

Source: Wars and Rumors of War – Jan Markell And Dr. David Reagan

DOJ’s Dirty Deeds

It has been a week of scandalous doings under Attorney General Merrick Garland’s watch.

Source: DOJ’s Dirty Deeds

In the Name of Climate Change: Travel Restrictions and the Great Reset

It is high time people became aware of the true objective of the climate agenda: curtailing and monitoring human activity and allowing the elite to ultimately control all resources

Source: In the Name of Climate Change: Travel Restrictions and the Great Reset