“We have been targeted for the last 100 years by cultural, humanist Marxists who do not believe that there is a God…The church and people of faith are finally starting to wake up.” Christy Stutzman, author of “The Spiritual Price of Political Silence” believes it’s not too late to turn America around.
CBN News. Because Truth Matters™
— Read on www.youtube.com/watch
The parable of the ten virgins communicates a mysterious yet serious message regarding biblical wisdom. Do these virgins represent the need for Israel to prepare to meet the Lord, or is there a greater application for those within the Church concerning foolishness and wisdom? Join Amir as he discusses what it means to be prepared to meet the Bridegroom.
— Read on harbingers.tv/amir-tsarfati-the-parable-of-the-ten-virgins-2/
Movie Review – Wonka
Video – InspiringPhilosophy Ruins Pagan Christmas!
Satanic displays have no place in government buildings
Think You Know the Christmas Story? – Here Are Five Misconceptions by Michael J. Kruger
This message is from Dr. Sproul’s 12-part teaching series Themes from Genesis. Learn more: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/themes-from-genesis
Source: Jacob’s Ladder: Themes from Genesis with R.C. Sproul
Christ is always with His people, acting as a shield and deliverer. Our understanding of this truth depends on our ability to recognize the extent and strength of our adversaries, as well as the value of the treasure divinely safeguarded.
We face various assaults that only Christ can shield us from. These adversaries, both countless and unseen, are perpetually active and powerful, constantly scheming to harm us. They are the spiritual enemies of our soul and the sworn foes of our faith. The world, its alluring attractions, Satan and his cunning strategies, our own sinful tendencies, and the deceitful masks of falsehood join forces against those who follow God, hindering their pursuit of holiness.
However, Christ is always by our side, ready to protect us in times of attack and skillfully deflecting and disarming threats. Just as the words “Fear not, Abram, I am your shield!” were spoken to Abraham, they apply to all who share his precious faith.
Indeed, the Lord surrounds us. Despite the dangers that encircle us, we are also enveloped by Jesus’ constant protection. As Isaiah 41:10 reminds us, He assures us, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”
With unwavering watchfulness, divine power, and unfailing love, the Lord Jesus safeguards the work of grace within the souls of His people. He keeps the flame of faith alive, prevents love from growing cold, and preserves hope from fading. He strengthens the work of grace when it weakens, raises it when it falters, restores it when it stumbles, and sustains it through the harshest seasons. Just as Jesus surrounds us with His protective shield, He guards the work of grace that His sacrifice achieved and His Spirit continues to nurture.
Believer, even in times of doubt, the work of grace in your heart will never perish. The kingdom of righteousness, peace, and joy within your soul is indestructible. “They shall never perish!” declares the Shepherd who redeemed you with His blood. You are under the watchful care of Christ and the preserving power of God.
-Octavius Winslow (Updated for Today’s Reader)
We are all familiar with the story and traditions of Christmas, but let’s dig a little deeper into the meaning of this wonderful season pointing to Jesus, the perfect Savior, who entered the world at the perfect time to save imperfect humanity.
C.S. Lewis once said, “The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God.”
Jesus stepped down into our atmosphere from His throne and set aside His crown of gold to briefly wear a crown of thorns and offer his life as a ransom for many. He did this so that we might believe, be saved, and one day wear the crown of life.
We did nothing to deserve this free gift and we can do nothing to earn it or get God to love us more. Ephesians 2:8-9 states,
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Christmas is not about festivities and buying presents, it is about God’s presence, receiving the free gift and sharing the good news of the gospel. There are many reminders if we would just slow down and consider Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).
Did you know the Christmas wreath is said to represent Jesus’ crown of thorns? A Christmas tree represents the cross of Christ, the tree Jesus died on. And those Christmas lights we put up began with candles representing Jesus as the light of the world. John 1:5 states, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”
That was 2,000 years ago. What about today – do we understand the light of the world and remember the reason for the season? It’s easy to get distracted by the business and demands of the Christmas season.
Matthew 1:23 states:
“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
What an amazing and hard to grasp truth! The eternal God is with us through the Holy Spirit within every believer in Christ. At Christmastime, we focus primarily on the miracle of the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus. What is even more astounding is His deity, the fact God entered our world as a vulnerable human baby and little known to anyone at that time, the Christ child was and is the Creator of all things!
The gospel of Luke states that Jesus would be called “the Son of the Most High,” and also that “His kingdom will have no end (Luke 1:32-33).” I’m looking forward to that!
John begins His gospel by declaring Jesus was with God “in the beginning John 1:2),” and Colossians chapter 1 adds that,
For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. Colossians 1:16
God, speaking in Hebrews 1:8 refers to Jesus this way:
But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.”
Jesus instructed people to pray that His kingdom come and, “…your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Gods ways are above our ways.
The Apostle Paul prayed for Christians that they would be, “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding Col. 1:9).”
God spoke to believers through His Word, and the Apostle Paul opened the letter to Christians in Rome saying,
”…concerning His Son, who was born of a descendant of David according to the flesh, who was declared the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord…(Rom. 1:3-4)”
If it were not true history, it would be unfathomable to think God became flesh and lived among mankind, but the Bible confirms this (John 1:1,14) and fully explains why.
We needed a Savior from sin and death. Satan knew all about this and did everything in his power to stop the birth of Christ. King Herod was demonically inspired when he ordered a murderous killing spree across that land. Matthew 2:16 states:
“Then when Herod saw that he had been tricked by the magi, he became very enraged, and sent and slew all the male children who were in Bethlehem and all its vicinity, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the magi.”
God sent Jesus to Egypt for a short time and saved him from the Satanic plot. Jesus is the beginning and the end, and in one of the last verses in the entire Bible, John wrote:
“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you of these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Revelation 22:16
I love this verse! Satan tried cutting of the line of David, but God’s Word declares Jesus the source (root) of David’s life which establishes His deity. But Jesus is also a “descendant” of David which establishes His humanity. The Scriptures give powerful testimony to Christ as the God-Man. Another way of saying this is Jesus is the root and the fruit of the family tree of David.
The Lord of the universe conducted His masterful plan ordained long ago. Jesus entered the scene at the right cultural, political, and religious atmosphere as the book of Galatians states:
“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
God’s timing is perfect, and His ways are far above and beyond our ways! Before the birth of Jesus Christ, mankind was desperate, without help and without hope in this present world system. But God intervened and sent His Son to rescue us from sin and death.
Finally, let’s look closer at some very familiar prophetic verses we hear this time of year about the birth of Jesus. Some 700 years B.C. the prophet Isaiah stated:
For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
7 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace
On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
From then on and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of armies will accomplish this. Isaiah 9:6-7
Is the government resting on His shoulders today? No, that is still to come. Are we living in a time of unending world peace yet? Nope. But we are promised that His government and His peace will increase and last forever.
The reign of the Messiah will also be characterized by true justice and righteousness, and it will not last merely 1,000 years. There will be no end to the reign of the Prince of Peace, and He will rule for all eternity. That’s why it is so important we exalt Jesus this season, the only true, living God, and trust in Him alone for salvation. By the way, even Mary needed a Savior.
Handel’s Messiah is spot on: “And He shall reign forever and ever.” Where? The Bible tells us “upon the throne of David.” Jesus will rule on David’s throne and over his kingdom (that is, David’s kingdom – Israel). This is a fulfillment of God’s great covenant with David.
Moreover, the gospel of Luke states,
And Mary said: “My soul magnifies the Lord, And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46-47) Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life, and absolutely no one comes to the Father in heaven except through Him (John 14:6). Jesus is also the only Mediator between God and mankind (1 Timothy 2:5).
There is so much more we could add, but this gives us plenty to consider regarding the spiritual meaning and supernatural power behind who and what we celebrate at Christmastime.
As believers, may the peace of Christ rules in our hearts, and may the love of God shine through us at this very dark time in world history. Let them see something different about us. Let us get out of the way so they can see Jesus and maybe they, too can have a relationship with the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father.
Romans 10:9-10 states,
…that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Merry Christmas, God bless you, and keep speaking the truth about things that matter.
1:5 The prophet was told that God chose him before he formed him in the womb. The word for chose is the Hebrew verb yadaʿ, which also carries the connotation “knew.” Similar concepts are used in the call of the Servant of the Lord (Is 49:5) and the apostle Paul (Gl 1:15). God had more than an intellectual knowledge of Jeremiah; he had a personal relationship with him. He was set … apart or separated (as in the root “to be holy,” or “set apart” to the Lord) and appointed to be a prophet to the nations. If God is the Lord of the entire world, it is natural that his message would extend to all nations.[1]
1:5 Jeremiah’s prophetic call came as a result of a dialogue with God (cf. Is. 6). Jeremiah would encounter many false prophets, and it was important that he have the assurance that his call came directly from God. God’s call is based upon His knowledge (yada˓, Heb.) and encompasses His sovereignty and personal selection (cf. Rom. 8:29, note). Furthermore He “sanctified,” (qadash, Heb., “set apart”) and “ordained” (natan, Heb., “appointed”) Jeremiah to the prophetic office. This passage also serves as a strong biblical example against the practice of abortion (cf. Ex. 21:22, note). God’s special purpose for Jeremiah was already in progress even before his birth.[2]
1:5 I formed you … knew you. God’s creation and election of Jeremiah belong together (for the verb “know” in the sense of “choose,” see Gen. 18:19; Amos 3:2). This setting apart before birth is the ground of Jeremiah’s prophetic standing. Compare also Moses, whose birth narrative (Ex. 2) has the same meaning, and Paul (Gal. 1:15).
to the nations. Jeremiah’s message is chiefly for Judah, but he has words of judgment for other nations as well (25:8–37; 46–51).[3]
1:5 formed This term is typically used to describe the process of shaping pottery. It appears in Gen 2:7 as part of God’s act of creating the first human from the dust of the earth.
I knew The Hebrew verb for “to know” is used to describe the most intimate of relationships.
in the womb The idea that God created Jeremiah for a specific purpose forms a play on words with Jeremiah’s name, which could mean “may Yahweh loosen the womb” (see note on Jer 1:1). If this is the case, then Jeremiah’s prophetic call begins at birth.
I consecrated you Jeremiah has been set apart or consecrated for a special purpose or task. This phrase completes a triad, “I formed you … I knew you … I consecrated you,” which defines what it means for Jeremiah to be a prophet to the nations. Unlike other prophets from Israel’s past, Jeremiah has been designated to communicate the voice of God to foreign powers and kings as well to Israel and Judah.
as a prophet to the nations Jeremiah’s ministry to the nations surrounding Judah is an important theme in Jer 46–51.[4]
1:5 God is completely sovereign. He knows all things even before they happen, so he knew Jeremiah even before he was formed in his mother’s womb. God’s plan for Jeremiah was that he be consecrated, or “set apart,” for preaching God’s word. Jeremiah’s ministry is to be a prophet to the nations, not just to Israel (25:1–14; 46:1–51:64).
1:5 God’s care from the womb prefigures the Father’s relation to the Son in the incarnation (Luke 1:35) and also the calling of the apostle Paul (Gal. 1:15).[5]
1:5 Before I formed you. This is not reincarnation; it is God’s all-knowing cognizance of Jeremiah and sovereign plan for him before he was conceived (cf. Paul’s similar realization, Gal 1:15).[6]
1:5 — “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you .… ”
God has a plan for our lives. We are not accidents, nor do we exist by chance. Before we take our first breath, God knows how long we’ll live (Ps. 139:16). Long before we’re born, He even knows our name (Is. 44:28).[7]
1:5 Jeremiah was keenly aware that the call of God in his life had been determined by the Lord from before the prophet’s conception. As God’s word became a reality in Jeremiah’s life, he understood that God knew him and had called him to proclaim a critical message at a crucial point in the history of the nation. The Hebrew verb rendered knew refers to an intimate knowledge that comes from relationship and personal commitment. That intimate relationship was made apparent in God’s sanctifying work, whereby Jeremiah was “set apart” (made holy) for special service. Jeremiah’s role was to be a prophet to the nation of Judah as well as a messenger of God for all nations.[8]
5 The clear consciousness of a call came to Jeremiah in the form of a dialog. That was not an unusual occurrence in Israel. Isaiah’s call involved a dialog (Isa. 6) as did the call of Ezekiel (Ezek. 13). It was important for Jeremiah to be able to claim that his call had come direct from Yahweh since he was to encounter other prophets during the long years of his ministry. Of particular importance to Jeremiah was the awareness that he had been predestined to occupy the prophetic office since his birth, indeed before his birth. Yahweh’s word was,
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you intimately;
Before you were born I set you apart,
And appointed you a prophet to the nations.
This opening word of the dialog is deeply significant. If ever Jeremiah in later days were overtaken by despair he could know that the divine purpose for him reached back before his birth. The three verbs used here are also significant. The verb yāḏaʾ, “know,” often carried considerable depth of meaning in the OT, for it reached beyond mere intellectual knowledge to personal commitment. For this reason it is used of the intimate relations between a man and his wife (Gen. 4:1). It was used of Yahweh’s commitment to Israel: “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2). It was Yahweh’s deep sorrow that there was no knowledge of God among his people (Hos. 4:1), for the knowledge of Yahweh was far more important than burnt offerings (Hos. 6:6). Yahweh’s deep commitment to his servant, then, reached back before his birth.
The second verb, “set apart” (hiqdîš), gathers about it another aspect of commitment. Basically the root qdš is concerned with setting something apart from all other uses to a specific use. It is therefore of significance in the religious sphere where persons, places, things, days, seasons can be set apart (consecrated) for Yahweh. Once set apart, these items were for the sole use of Yahweh, and it was an act of blasphemy to remove them from Yahweh’s sovereign right to them. Jeremiah made use of the noun qōḏeš “holiness,” in reference to Israel’s early acceptance of Yahweh’s covenant (see comments on 2:2). Israel by that act had been set apart for Yahweh alone. She was his very own portion. Jeremiah understood himself in a similar light. Yahweh had set him apart for a particular task. That awareness was to sustain him in many dark hours, and when he cursed the day of his birth he was really casting doubts upon his call (cf. 20:14–15).
The third verb, “appoint” (ntn), refers to the specific assignment of Jeremiah to a particular task, that of being a prophet to the nations. A more normal verb would have been pqd, but the verb ntn is used in a number of important passages in the OT to describe this sort of special appointment (cf. Gen. 1:17; 17:5; Exod. 7:1; Isa. 49:6). Jeremiah’s special appointment was to the nations (plur.), not simply to Judah alone. There were no limits to Yahweh’s sovereignty and therefore there were no limits to the scope of Jeremiah’s ministry. In the book of Jeremiah a large section is devoted to his oracles to the nations (chs. 46–51). Other prophets took the nations within the ambit of their concern, for example Amos (chs. 1–2), Isaiah (chs. 13–23), Ezekiel (chs. 25–32), Obadiah, Jonah, Nahum, Habakkuk. These last four had only a single nation in focus. But it would be generally true that all the prophets had some reason to refer to the nations. Clearly, if Yahweh was the God of the whole earth one would expect some of Yahweh’s servants to express Yahweh’s mind about the nations. It was an essential aspect of a monotheistic theology. It was a formidable task for a young man like Jeremiah, and it is little wonder that he hesitated.
But before taking up Jeremiah’s response to Yahweh’s call, reference must be made to the question of the date of the call. Two aspects of the call are clear. Yahweh had chosen and set apart Jeremiah from his birth. In a sense, then, his call could be dated from the time of his birth. But since a call can be recognized only once a person has reached a degree of maturity, Jeremiah did not respond to the divine purpose for him till he was a youth, although he was probably aware that Yahweh had a task for him to do even before he responded in a specific way. From which time, then, should his call be dated? The statement of v. 2 is that the word of Yahweh came to him in the thirteenth year of Josiah, which was 627 b.c. This could mean either that 627 b.c. was the year of his birth, since he was set apart at birth, or that he was already a youth (naʿar, v. 6) at that date. Both dates seem possible and commentators are sharply divided on the issue. If the call is to be dated at his birth, he would have known little about some of the great events of Josiah’s day. Thus he would have been a small boy in the year when the “book of the law” was found in the temple and during the period of Josiah’s reform (2 K. 22:3–23:27). It has been argued, indeed, that the reference in 15:16, “Thy words were found and I ate them,” deals with two events—the first, the finding of the scroll in the temple in 621 b.c., and the second, Jeremiah’s own acceptance of the call many years after that event, perhaps at the end of Josiah’s reign or even after his death. Alternatively, Jeremiah’s call came in 627 b.c., and he was already a young man when the book of the law was found and the reforms took place. The answer we give to a number of questions in the book depends on the answer we give to this question.[9]
5. In the first part of the verse God reveals to the prophet that his call was no sudden divine decision, but a matter that had long been planned. Indeed God was already active in his life, though he had not been aware of it. This was Jeremiah’s destiny, and there could be no escaping it. Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. The divine speech presents the reality of the divine origin of Jeremiah’s call in three statements which substantially overlap in meaning. The Lord’s speech focuses on three divine actions, the first two of which relate to action which took place before Jeremiah’s birth. ‘Formed’ (<√yāṣar, 18:2, 6) describes the work of a craftsman, particularly a potter. It was used for the Lord’s creative work in Gen. 2:7. Not only do we have here the assertion that the Lord is the sovereign controller and originator of all life, even life before birth, but that he has also determined what destiny should be for each (Ps. 139:13–16). That is true in measure of everyone, but it was especially true of Jeremiah (44:2, 24; 49:5; cf. Gal. 1:15). Such knowledge was given beforehand of Samson (Judg. 13:3) and also of John the Baptist (Luke 1:13–17), though there is nothing to suggest that was so as regards Jeremiah. Though other prophets such as Moses and Samuel were divinely designated from birth, their call is not traced so far back. However, in Isaiah the Servant is ‘formed in the womb’ (Isa. 44:2, 24; 49:5) and ‘called from the womb’ (Isa. 49:1). In Jeremiah’s case there had been the same divine superintendence of his life, preparing him for the task that would be assigned him, but Jeremiah (and others) were unaware of God’s special purpose in his life until his call in 627 bc.
‘Know’ (<√yādaʿ) here is used in its fuller Hebrew sense, which covers not merely factual information about someone, but approval, choice and personal commitment. Hence the translation ‘choose’ in the NIV margin (see also the REB and Amos 3:2). From the very start of Jeremiah’s life God had sovereignly recognised him as his subject and his servant who would play an important part in the outworking of the divine purpose. Being made aware of his status in God’s sight provided Jeremiah with an encouraging and secure basis for compliance with what God would require him to do.
Before you were born/‘came out of the womb’ I set you apart indicates that God had selected him for his own. ‘Set apart’ (<√qādaš, 6:4; 17:22) is also used for the setting apart of the priests and everything connected with the worship of Israel, hence ‘consecrated you’ (NASB, NRSV). While the term indicated that people and items were for use in the worship of the sanctuary, the emphasis was not on personal holiness as such, but on being designated to perform a specific function in divine service. It was therefore sacrilege and rebellion for one set apart to turn to other pursuits. The combination of set apart/holy and divine choice is also found in Deut. 7:6 as regards Israel and in 1 Sam. 16:5, 8–13 in respect of kingship. Note also the use of ‘holy one’ in Luke 1:35. Ahead of Jeremiah were times of depression, of doubt and of despair. Right from the start, God was teaching him how he should look at his life. Rather than being overwhelmed by the pressures of the moment, his self-perception was to be that he was one shaped and appointed for his master’s use.
Jeremiah’s commission is then expressed in words which refer to it as already an accomplished fact, or more probably as then sovereignly bestowed. I appointed you gives more specific details as to how God had set him apart in his own service. nātan, ‘to give’, followed by two accusatives has the meaning ‘to set’ or ‘to appoint’ (Gen. 17:5; Exod. 17:1). The perfect here may be used in a performative sense, ‘I hereby appoint you’, in which an action carried out by one with appropriate authority coincides with, and is effected by, the word that is spoken (IBHS, §30.5.1c; cf. 1:10). It may not be inappropriate to see a parallel between the three steps in this divine statement regarding Jeremiah and Paul’s use of ‘foreknew’, ‘predestined’ and ‘called’ in Rom. 8:29–30.
But Jeremiah’s calling was not just as a member of the people of God. It was specifically as a prophet. The original significance of nābîʾ, ‘prophet’, is still a matter of scholarly dispute (TWOT 2:544–5; TDOT 9:129–135), but the scriptural use of the term is decisively set by Exod. 7:1, ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron will be your prophet (nābîʾ)”,’ especially in the light of Exod. 4:15–16. The prophet was God’s spokesman, his messenger, divinely selected for the task of conveying to the Lord’s people the message which had been communicated to him by God (see further Introduction §5).
It is here, however, that there is a surprising aspect to Jeremiah’s call: he is denominated not just a prophet to Judah, but to the nations. ‘Nations’ (gōyīm) ordinarily refers to the heathen nations as distinct from Israel or Judah, though in the singular the word is occasionally employed of the chosen people also (e.g. in Gen. 12:2; Exod. 19:6). But the main theme of Jeremiah’s ministry was the fate of his fellow countrymen in Judah. However, v. 10 sheds further light on the sense in which this expression is to be taken. It refers to more than the fact that in Jeremiah’s day the affairs of Judah were inextricably linked with those of surrounding nations, so that saying something about Judah’s future also meant saying something about the nations around her. Judah was not just flotsam swept along by the current of prevailing international affairs. As the prophecies against the nations show (chaps. 46–51), what the Lord was permitting to happen in the world scene arose out of, and was determined by, what he was doing for his own people. His control over events ensured that his messenger had something to say of relevance to their destiny also. That this international dimension to his ministry was not unique to Jeremiah is clearly shown in 28:8 where Jeremiah talks about earlier prophets who ‘prophesied war, disaster and plague against many countries and great kingdoms’.
The approach advocated by Skinner that Jeremiah’s call was the outcome of a process of personal spiritual maturation has to face the problem of how such a conception of his mission could have come naturally to such a diffident personality as that of Jeremiah. Resorting to expedients such as emending the text or suggesting that this is written from the perspective of his later life merely evades the claims of the text that this was a mission divinely assigned to Jeremiah.[10]
1:5 Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart. In this construction and context the verb “knew” (yada‘) implies an intimate, personal knowledge. “Set apart” (qadash) implies the concept of “consecration” or “setting apart for a special use by God.” It is the same Hebrew term often translated as “holy.”
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Most of Jeremiah’s prophetic ministry focuses on Judah. A significant portion of his prophecies, however, are directed at foreign nations (chaps. 46–51), and in 27:1–7 he proclaims the word of God directly to the foreign emissaries who have gathered in Jerusalem. God is sovereign over all the nations, and the word of God that Jeremiah proclaims will impact all the nations throughout the entire region.[11]
[1] Kaiser, W., Jr. (2017). Jeremiah. In E. A. Blum & T. Wax (Eds.), CSB Study Bible: Notes (p. 1140). 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., Je 1:5). Thomas Nelson.
[3] Sproul, R. C., ed. (2005). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (p. 1050). 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 (Je 1:5). Lexham Press.
[5] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1369). Crossway Bibles.
[6] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Je 1:5). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
[7] Stanley, C. F. (2005). The Charles F. Stanley life principles Bible: New King James Version (Je 1:5). Nelson Bibles.
[8] Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 878). T. Nelson Publishers.
[9] Thompson, J. A. (1980). The Book of Jeremiah (pp. 145–147). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
[10] Mackay, J. L. (2004). Jeremiah: An Introduction and Commentary: Chapters 1–20 (Vol. 1, pp. 95–98). Mentor.
[11] Hays, J. D. (2016). Jeremiah and Lamentations (M. L. Strauss & J. H. Walton, Eds.; p. 9). Baker Books: A Division of Baker Publishing Group.
For what possible reason would the eternal Son of God submit Himself to a lowly birth and an excruciating death? In this classic Christmas message, R.C. Sproul reminds us of the great cost of our redemption and the reason why Christ came to pay it.
Get R.C. Sproul’s ‘The Advent of Glory: 24 Devotions for Christmas’ for Your Gift of Any Amount: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/3050/advent-of-glory
Don’t forget to make RenewingYourMind.org your home for daily in-depth Bible study and Christian resources.
A donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts
Source: Out of the Ivory Palaces
Observe and hear all these words, which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the Lord thy God.Deuteronomy 12:28
Though salvation is not by the works of the law, yet the blessings which are promised to obedience are not denied to the faithful servants of God. The curses our Lord took away when He was made a curse for us, but no clause of blessing has been abrogated.
We are to note and listen to the revealed will of the Lord, giving our attention not to portions of it but to “all these words.” There must be no picking and choosing but an impartial respect to all that God has commanded. This is the road of blessedness for the Father and for His children. The Lord’s blessing is upon His chosen to the third and fourth generation. If they walk uprightly before Him, He will make all men know that they are a seed which the Lord has blessed. No blessing can come to us or ours through dishonesty or double dealing. The ways of worldly conformity and unholiness cannot bring good to us or ours. It will go well with us when we go well before God. If integrity does not make us prosper, knavery will not. That which gives pleasure to God will bring pleasure to us.
We only hear about him at Christmas, but Zechariah should be a yearlong model for us. He was a man who loved God, a man who prayed, a man who struggled with doubt.
When we are discouraged, when we live with the confusion of unanswered prayer, when we feel God is distant, it is easy to remove ourselves from the fellowship of other Christians, to neglect the rituals of the church and put the Bible to one side. And yet Zechariah, whose deepest heart longing was unsatisfied, continued his spiritual duties. How he must have wondered if the God he prayed to in the temple was really a trustworthy God. We know that he doubted God’s promise even when delivered by the angel Gabriel.
During the months of his wife’s pregnancy, Zechariah’s prayers were silent ones. He could only commune with his Heavenly Father in the stillness of his heart, but I believe his long years of faithful service—even when he couldn’t hear God speaking or see God working—provided strength during those silent months.
Be careful to “keep on keeping on” during the days when God’s presence seems to have disappeared, when the Bible seems to contain promises only for others. Gathering with fellow Christians—many who are experiencing their own doubts—can be encouraging. Participating with your friends at the table of communion will provide spiritual sustenance. God will, in his good time, speak again.
God, give me courage to keep on when I don’t hear your voice or when I seem to be making no “progress” in my faith. Teach me again that you are near.
How has practicing the essentials of the Christian faith helped you during dark times?
By Marilyn Ehle
Used by Permission
Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughts-about-god.com/four-laws/
The post Keep On Keeping On can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
Read: Romans 8:1-4
Either they think they’ll never live up to God’s expectations for them or they’re nearly drowning in guilt over past sins. These men and women cannot seem to shake the sense that God is displeased with their puny efforts at being Christlike.
The book of Romans confronts this lie head-on: “There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). When the Savior went to the cross on our behalf, He lifted the blame from our shoulders and made us righteous before God. Those feelings of condemnation do not belong to us; they are from Satan. He amplifies our guilt and feelings of inadequacy and then suggests that’s how the Lord feels about His “wayward child.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Our sins are wiped clean, and we are chosen and loved by God.
Condemnation is reserved for those who reject the Lord (John 3:36). Sin is a death sentence (Romans 6:23). Anyone who chooses to cling to sin instead of seeking divine forgiveness must pay the penalty, which is an eternity separated from God. Two synonyms of condemn are ‘denounce‘ and ‘revile.’ Those words certainly describe Jesus’ statement to unbelievers in Matthew 25:41 “Depart from me, accursed ones.”
There is no condemnation for those who receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. The believer’s penalty for sin is paid, and he can stand blameless before God. Trust in the Lord’s love and let go of Satan’s lie. God’s beloved children are covered by His grace and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission
http://www.intouch.org/
Do you have that personal relationship with God? Is Jesus your Savior and Lord? You can begin this relationship today! http://www.thoughts-about-god.com/4laws/law0.html
“But to all who believed him and accepted him, (Jesus Christ) he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God” John 1:12 (LAB)
Prayer is talking to God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. The following is a suggested Sample Prayer:
“Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of the throne of my life. Make me the kind of person You want me to be.”
If this prayer expresses the desire of your heart, then you can pray this prayer right now and Christ will come into your life, as He promised.
If yes, pray now and according to his promise, Jesus Christ will come into your life.
Fill out our form and we will send you helpful links and/or connect you with an email mentor. We want to help you grow in your faith in God.
The post No Condemnation can be found online at Daily Thoughts about God.
Judges Given the OK to Use ChatGPT in Legal Rulings
Robots may help determine your legal fate if you end up in a British court. The UK Judicial Office issued guidance Tuesday permitting judges to use ChatGPT and other AI tools to write legal rulings and perform several other tasks. “The use of Artificial Intelligence (‘AI’) throughout society continues to increase, and so does its relevance to the court and tribunal system,” the Judicial Office, which oversees judges, magistrates, and members of tribunal panels in England and Wales, said in a statement.
New York Post Says Harvard Made Legal Threats Over Its Plagiarism Probe Into Claudine Gay
Daily tabloid newspaper The New York Post has accused Harvard of using an “expensive law firm” to threaten them over an investigative journalism report into the university president’s alleged plagiarism.
“He Will Unravel The Institutions Of Our Democracy!”: Supercut Of Dramatic Dems Freaking Out Over ‘Dictator’ Trump
In a hilarious repeat from 2016, ivory tower leftists are absolutely freaking out about the prospect of Donald Trump getting back into the White House, now that multiple polls show that Trump isn’t just on track to sweep the GOP primary field – but he’d smoke Biden if a malarkey-free 2024 election were held today.
Death To Pedos: DeSantis Supports Execution For ‘Sexual Battery’ Against Children Under 12
While California lawmakers are trying to protect pedophiles, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) on Thursday threw support behind his state’s decision to seek the death penalty for a man indicted for the sexual battery of a child.
Ex-FBI Intel Chief Who ‘Investigated’ Trump-Russia Collusion Gets 4 Years In Prison For Colluding With Russia
Prosecutors said Mr. McGonigal concealed his ties to the Russian oligarch by telling friends he was working for a “rich Russian guy” and stressed that his work was legal. In conversations about Mr. Deripaska, he would try to keep his employer’s identity a secret by referring to him as “the big guy” and “you know whom.” -While heading up the NY counterintelligence division, McGonigal was responsible for supervising and participating in investigations of Russian oligarchs, including Deripaska.
Israel aid supplemental critical for long-term defense, possible second front, experts say
while the Biden administration can provide emergency supply shipments to Israel for now, the $14.3 billion, which includes a major investment in Israel’s air-defense systems, is essential for supporting Israel’s long-term defense needs. “The biggest amount is the $4 billion for Iron Dome and David’s Sling.
Haaretz Journalist Gideon Levy in Turkey: ‘The world should stop Israel’
Gideon Levy, an Israeli journalist for Haaretz, called on “international powers” to enter the Gaza Strip Thursday, while he participated in the TRT World 2023 forum in Istanbul, Turkey. His calls reportedly were for international powers to enter the strip to put a ceasefire in place.
this forum is one of the examples of Turkey becoming an international player,” he added.
Flooding of Gaza terror tunnels a success, IDF says
A test run of Israel’s plan to flood terror tunnels in the Gaza Strip with seawater has proven to be a success, an IDF spokesperson said Thursday. Osama Hamdan, a member of the terror group, said Hamas’ tunnels could withstand flooding.
Hanukkah in Gaza and a prophecy about the course of the war
On Simchat Torah we were attacked, on Hanukkah we destroyed our enemies, on Purim it was the Persians’ turn. We have to wait until March 23rd for Purim this yea,r but the day when we celebrate our victory over Amalek and the Persians will come.
Hamas used toxic gas to kill female IDF soldiers
Hamas used a flammable, suffocating gas that causes a loss of consciousness within minutes of exposure to flush out and kill female IDF observers (“tazpaniot“) from the Israeli army’s Nahal Oz command center on Oct. 7. Fifteen female observers and three operations room sergeants were killed that morning. Only six officers and one female observer managed to survive.
PA: “On Saturday, we murder the Jews; On Sunday, we murder the Christians”
“This was waived by the Palestinian Authority in the early 90s when the agreements were signed in Bethlehem,” Matar explained. The flag was a Palestinian flag with Arabic writing. Matar read the Arabic writing: “yawm alsabt niqtal alyahudu. fi ‘ayaam al’ahada. sawf niqtal almasihiiyn” Matar then translated: “On Saturdays, we will murder the Jews,” she said. “On Sundays, we will murder the Christians.”
Netanyahu rejects International Red Cross chief’s claim that Hamas can’t be pressured to allow hostage visits
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the international community is not able to pressure the Hamas terror group to permit visits to the remaining 135 Israeli and international hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip. The ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric appeared to reject criticism from Israel that her organization’s efforts to secure visits to the hostages are insufficient. “You have every avenue, every right and every expectation to place public pressure on Hamas,” Netanyahu told the visiting ICRC chief on Thursday in Jerusalem.
HAMAS FIRES ROCKET SALVO AT JERUSALEM FOR FIRST TIME SINCE OCT 30, WHILE HEZBOLLAH ESCALATES IN THE NORTH
Emergency sirens sounded in Jerusalem on Saturday as Hamas terrorists fired a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip at Israel’s capital city. It was the first salvo of rockets aimed at Jerusalem since October 30 and caught residents completely off guard.
Enzymes can’t tell artificial DNA from the real thing
researchers at Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences … have come one step closer to unlocking the potential of artificial DNA. The researchers found that RNA polymerase, one of the most important enzymes involved in protein synthesis, was able to recognize and transcribe an artificial base pair in exactly the same manner as it does with natural base pairs. “Considering how diverse life on Earth is with just four nucleotides, the possibilities of what could happen if we can add more are enticing,”
Severe storms to impact Eastern United States
A significant weather event is set to impact the Eastern United States this weekend, as a strong storm originating from the Gulf of Mexico moves across Florida and then up the East Coast. The storm is predicted to bring heavy to excessive rain, gusty winds, and moderate coastal flooding to much of the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Additionally, snow is expected over the Great Lakes and central Appalachians following this system on Monday.
Is The Deep State Planning a Massive False Flag Cyber Attack to Disrupt the 2024 U.S. Election?
…We are increasingly seeing news of potential cyber attacks, perhaps coincidentally, or maybe not, since the Netflix release of the apocalyptic movie, “Leave the world behind, which was the topic of an article published just a few days ago on the Expose.
Explosion at NYC Con Edison substation results in blackout, individuals stuck on elevators
An explosion at a Brooklyn substation caused a short power outage in New York City that affected residents across all five boroughs, including those it trapped in elevators.
War Crimes: IDF Uncovers Hamas IED Death Trap with Baby Dolls and Loudspeakers; Hamas Killed Female IDF Soldiers with Poison Gas Oct. 7
In a hideous attempt to parlay their hostages into an IED death trap, Hamas rigged a school, a pharmacy, and a mosque with dolls and loudspeakers to try and draw Israeli soldiers into the Hamas terror tunnel network. Fortunately, the IDF uncovered the trap.
Canadian Journalist Who Pushed Vaccine Mandates and “Concentration Camps” for Un-vax’d, DIES at Age 33
A Journalist who advocated that those who were unvaccinated against COVID-19 be put in concentration camps, has died suddenly at the young age of 33.
Even Leftist Governments Around the World Are Moving to Slash Migration.
Leftist governments in Denmark and Australia are adopting a more hardline stance on immigration than many notionally conservative governments. Australia’s governing Labor Party has pledged to cut net immigration in half. Denmark’s Social Democrats have pledged zero net immigration, a.k.a. balanced immigration.
McLayoffs Incoming: McDonalds Embracing Google’s AI For Online Ordering
The American worker’s plan to phase themselves out of the job market once and for all is almost complete. At least, that’s what the case looks to be like at McDonald’s. The fast food restaurant, which has already adopted self-serve kiosks in store, is now tapping Google’s AI for its online ordering experience.
‘Chilling’: Some Smart Toys Can Collect Kids’ Iris Scans, Fingerprints, Vital Signs and More
The annual “Trouble in Toyland” report, produced by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) and released before the holiday season, historically has focused on safety hazards found in traditional children’s toys.
Muslim family is arrested after slashing teenage son for converting to Christianity: Cops found the boy ‘trembling and wide eyed’ after mom, dad and brother punched him and spat in his face
A Muslim family was arrested in Nashville after a juvenile victim told law enforcement authorities that his parents and brother physically attacked him for converting to Christianity.
Marked for Death: Geert Wilders’ Unyielding Stance in the Face of Islam’s Fatal Fatwas
“I can’t do the most basic things that every human being does every day without thinking about it. Quickly get some air. Empty the mailbox. Driving. Walk around the block. Quickly run a message in the store. Spontaneously go somewhere. Go somewhere alone.”
Bill Gates Calls for Cows to Be Modified to Fight ‘Climate Change’
Bill Gates is yet again attempting to play god, this time he has yet again spoke of his plans to modify cows as part of a claimed effort to “fight climate change” by reducing the “methane emissions” from beef cattle. Gates made the call while speaking at the third edition of the French finance ministry’s “Rendez-vous de Bercy” event in Paris which is held every two years to address different issues related to the French, European, and world economies.
German public broadcaster airs report on vaccines “contaminated” with DNA on prime-time TV
On Tuesday in its programme ‘Umschau’ (English: Review) German public broadcaster Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (“MDR”) aired a report ‘Corona vaccine under criticism – What’s the truth?’. It cast a spotlight on the serious issue of DNA that has been found in covid injections and it was aired during prime-time viewing.
Self-amplifying mRNA “vaccines” are the next-generation bioweapon
Two weeks ago, Japan became the first country in the world to approve a new self-amplifying mRNA (“sa-mRNA”) vaccine. With approval for the vaccine secured in Japan, its developers are now seeking authorisation in Europe; a regulatory decision is expected next year. Self-amplifying RNA (“saRNA”) is engineered to make more copies of itself once delivered into cells. It encodes both the antigen of interest – for example, the covid spike protein – and proteins which enable vaccine RNA replication.
Covid-19 and Vaccination Horrors
Health services around the world are now devoted to vaccination programmes. Neither doctors nor nurses seem to give a damn about evidence or their ethical responsibilities to their patients.
WH Hopeful for ‘Elusive’ Two-State Solution in Mideast
Israel urging US not to talk publicly about two-state solution – officials
‘My nation is in trauma’: Herzog says now not the time to discuss 2-state solution
Amir Tsarfati: Peace talks in Oslo are the root of all our problems now
Far-right minister calls for Israel to ‘fully occupy’ Gaza, reestablish settlements
Sullivan says Palestinian Authority must be ‘revamped’ before it can govern Gaza
Gantz swipes at Netanyahu, criticizes those creating ‘manufactured disputes’ with US
White House ups pressure on Israel to end ‘high-intensity’ fighting in Gaza soon
Jake Sullivan Tells Israel to End ‘Intense’ War in Time for Presidential Election
James Gilmore: US ‘Can’t Dictate Safety and Security to Israel’
Israel’s UN envoy: Hamas attacked al-Aqsa Mosque, Iron Dome came to defense
IDF: Hamas Will Be Dismantled, Tunnels Will Be Hamas Graves
IDF trial of flooding Hamas tunnels with seawater proves successful, ToI told
Hamas turns Gaza streets into deadly maze for Israeli troops
Intensive strikes in Gaza Strip as IDF troops raid schools used by Hamas as bases
Hamas rigs children’s backpacks, dolls, in ambush on IDF forces in Gaza
Hamas Ambush Plot Using Sounds of Babies Crying Foiled by IDF
Al Jazeera says journalist killed in Israeli strike on Khan Younis
IDF says it mistakenly killed 3 hostages: ‘Unbearable tragedy,’ Netanyahu says
Hundreds march in Tel Aviv demanding hostage deal after IDF killed 3 in tragic error
Families of hostages meet with UN chief, accuse him of not doing enough to free them
Mossad chief reportedly dispatched to Europe for talks on hostage deal with Qatari PM
Chris Cuomo Shaken by Footage of Hamas Atrocities-Calls for Footage to Be Released to the Public
In first since war, cabinet approves reopening of Israeli crossing to Gaza for aid
GOP senators move to cut US funding from UN agency with alleged ties to Hamas, antisemitism
US Department of Education to scrutinize antisemitism on at least 5 more campuses
US House calls on MIT, Harvard presidents to resign over campus antisemitism
Jewish Alumni Group: Harvard Aims to Reduce Jews to 1-2% of Student Population
LA Drivers Attack Pro-Hamas Protestors Blocking Highway
Denmark widens terror probe as alleged Hamas members arrested in Germany
‘Not the life I wish for us’: In Berlin, ‘afraid to be visibly Jewish or talk Hebrew’
Polish leaders mark Hanukkah in parliament after far-right MP targeted earlier effort
Menorahs across the US vandalized as Jews celebrate Hanukkah amid antisemitism spike
EU, 14 countries urge Israel to halt ‘unprecedented violence’ by West Bank settlers
Gantz: If world doesn’t push Hezbollah from the northern border, we will
Pentagon has ordered a US aircraft carrier to remain in the Mediterranean near Israel
Houthis Continue To Attack Ships Near Vital Oil Chokepoints
2 attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi rebels strike container ships in vital Red Sea corridor
Top shipping company Maersk suspends Red Sea route after two more Houthi strikes
Iran warns against proposed U.S.-backed Red Sea force
Iran says it executed individual accused of spying for Israel
11 Iranian police killed in jihadist attack, state TV says
Pirates strike: Indian Navy takes swift action in Arabian Sea hijacking crisis
US’s Blinken condemns Hong Kong authorities over bounties for activists
US ambassador to China doesn’t ‘feel optimistic’ about future relations between countries
Horrifying video shows Ukrainian politician drop live grenades inside heated village council meeting
Ukraine Gets EU Membership Boost, but No New European Aid
EU vows Ukraine will get its money – with or without Orban’s support
A ‘Historical and Hysterical’ House Flees After a Tumultuous Year
Mullin: Five Dem Senators Willing to Honestly Look At Biden Impeachment
Raskin: GOP Impeachment Inquiry into Biden ‘Making a Mockery Out of the Constitution’
Biden Impeachment Inquiry Approval Sets Stage for Likely Court Challenge, Contempt Charges
Impeachment inquiry zeroes in on origin of Hunter Biden’s China deals while Joe Biden was VP
Comer describes President Joe Biden’s Delaware home as a ‘crime scene’
Cornel West predicts Biden will drop out: ‘He’s going to have an LBJ moment’
Report: Hunter Biden Threatens to ‘Flee’ America if Donald Trump Reelected
Miles Taylor Tells MSNBC That if Trump is Reelected He Could ‘Turn Off the Internet’
Miles Taylor: Like Pre-Hitler Germany, U.S. ‘Zombie-Walking’ Towards Trump Tyranny
Jen Psaki: Donald Trump Is ‘Echoing Hitler’
Classified binder on Russian meddling went missing as Trump left office: Reports
Michigan appeals court rules Trump can remain on 2024 primary ballot
DeSantis insists a defeated Trump would call primary ‘stolen no matter what’
‘Election Interference’ Ethics Complaint Against Judge Beryl Howell Filed by Elise Stefanik
Rudy Giuliani hit with $148M verdict for defaming two Georgia election workers
Signatories Of Hunter Biden Laptop Letter Now Demand Greater Domestic Surveillance
AI gives birth to AI: Scientists say machine intelligence now capable of replicating without humans
Elon Musk’s Mom Says Biden Wants to Stop Her Son Making the World Better
Chairman Jordan Subpoenas BlackRock and State Street in ESG Investigation
US Congress passes stripped-down measure to release UFO records
Biggest solar flare in years temporarily disrupts radio signals on Earth
5.7 magnitude earthquake hits the Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands
5.4 magnitude earthquake hits south of the Fiji Islands
5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Saint Helena
5.3 magnitude earthquake hits near Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, Saint Helena
5.1 magnitude earthquake hits the Banda Sea
5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Pariaman, Indonesia
Sabancaya volcano in Peru erupts ot 30,000ft
Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 25,000ft
Sangay volcano in Ecuador erupts to 22,000ft
Merapi volcano in Indonesia erupts to 17,000ft
Fuego volcano in Guatemala erupts to 15,000ft
Santa Maria volcano in Guatemala erupts to 14,000ft
Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 14,000ft
Baby found alive in tree after Tennessee tornado
Flood alerts issued from Carolinas to Northeast as pre-holiday storm set to pound 20 states
Florida to face tropical storm-like rain, wind this weekend
From snowfall in Beijing to cyclone in Australia, global weather extremes unfold
Moscow faces strongest snowfall in 150 years
Cold wave freezes most of China, shutting highways, roads
Christmas trees prices up 10% from last year, with inflation, drought, Canada wildfires factors
Hawaii governor wants 3,000 vacation rentals converted to housing for Maui wildfire survivors
Almost 200 Countries Swear Off Fossil Fuels
Woke Lancet: Climate Change ‘the Biggest Global Health Threat of the 21st Century’
Mark Zuckerberg building $100M Hawaii compound with massive underground bunker: report
Argentina Moves to Protect Itself from Leftist Violence as Javier Milei Reforms Economy
Fitch downgrades Ethiopia further into junk territory as default looms
CNN Host: Biden Needs to Stop Saying Economy Is Strong
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs sends National Guard to border, says Biden ‘refused to deliver’ aid
Arizona Democrat Ruben Gallego calls on Biden to declare emergency at southern border
10 IEDs Found at US-Mexico Border-U.S. Customs and Border Protection Issues Warning
Rise in Mexican cartel violence drives record migration to the US
Former Mississippi House candidate charged after Satanic Temple display is destroyed at Iowa Capitol
Christian veteran who beheaded Satan statue at Iowa capitol to face additional charges
DeSantis to Help Man Charged in Ruining Satanic Display
Elon Musk Says DEI ‘Must Die’ And Criticizes Diversity Schemes As ‘Discrimination’
Report: Dem Staffer Filmed Sex Tape in Senate Building
Bishop asks clergy not to use Church of England’s new same-sex prayers
‘Give birth to more soldiers’: hardline Russia turns on abortions
Russian Women Issue Warning to Putin: ‘No Abortions – No Sex!”
Ohio Supreme Court dismisses lawsuit involving 6-week abortion ban due to change in law
Pro-Life Experts Warn Leftists Are Using Texas Woman’s Abortion Battle as ‘Highly Public Flashpoint’
Commentary: As Planned Parenthood’s Abortion Market Share Goes Up, So Does Its Taxpayer Funding
Trade policy loophole opens door for ‘US complicity’ in China’s genocide of Uyghurs, advocate warns
Canada Reports 300% Increase in ‘Unspecified Causes’ of Death, Sparking Calls for Investigation
Brazilian gospel singer Pedro Henrique dies of heart attack after collapsing on stage
FDA official shames FL surgeon general for raising ‘DNA contamination’ concerns in COVID vaccines
US homelessness up 12% to highest reported level as rents soar and coronavirus pandemic aid lapses
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
| ANALYSIS VOTERS ADMIT TO MAIL BALLOT FRAUD IN 2020 ELECTION NATE JACKSON The way to secure our elections is simple: Voting should be in person with photo ID on Election Day. |
| The Politics of Impeachment DOUGLAS ANDREWS It’s a political act, and the Republicans have, so far, gotten the politics right. |
| COVID Vaccines Create Disruptive Proteins in Quarter of Recipients EMMY GRIFFIN The truth comes out, yet politicians and scientists continue to whistle past the graveyard. |
| Taylor Swift’s Democrat Values SAMANTHA KOCH Leftists canonize another wealthy entertainer. |
| Fighting the Good Fight on Abortion BRIAN MARK WEBER The pro-life movement has been beset by electoral losses since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. |
| Big Oil and COP28 Climate Cultists THOMAS GALLATIN OPEC nations join together to reject signing onto any deal that calls for the eventual phaseout of fossil fuels. |
| The Border Has Americans in a Really Bad Mood MICHAEL SWARTZ A record 15% of the U.S. population is now foreign-born, and we have Joe Biden’s open borders to thank for it. |
| The Continued Epstein Cover-Up EMMY GRIFFIN Senate Democrats block a subpoena to release flight logs for the pedophile’s “Lolita Express.” |
| Another Election-Denying Attack on the Electoral College NATE JACKSON Leftists are worried that Republicans might win the White House again via our constitutional election system. |
| We Need You to Continue the Fight! The deadline to meet our funding needs into the new year is around the corner. Please help keep us front and center in the battle for Liberty as we charge into a critical election year. Your gift to The Patriot Fund is put directly toward our 2024 daily operations budget. Thank you for helping us meet this critical goal! —The Patriot Post Editorial Team |
| A Reckoning for Campus Jew Hatred DOUGLAS ANDREWS Last week’s congressional testimony by three elite university presidents was a watershed moment. |
| Harvard Circles the Wagons NATE JACKSON The university’s board defends Dr. “My Truth” amidst anti-Semitism and plagiarism allegations. So much for “Veritas.” |
| Higher Ed, Endowments, and Price Gouging EMMY GRIFFIN Universities should do more to decrease their price tags, particularly when many are sitting on billions of dollars. |
| Hunter Invites an Impeachment Inquiry DOUGLAS ANDREWS The first son exposed himself yesterday morning on Capitol Hill as he defied a congressional subpoena and railed against mean-spirited “MAGA Republicans.” |
| Biden Pours Taxpayer Money Into Rail Boondoggle THOMAS GALLATIN The White House announced a plan to spend another $3 billion on California’s long-overdue and massively over-budget high-speed rail. |
| About That Great American Catcher/Slugger Sage MARK ALEXANDER “Yogi did not look like a baseball player. Yogi looked like he was put together with spare parts: short legs, long torso, big bulging shoulders that made him look like he didn’t have a neck.” |
| Visit our archive for more analysis commentary. |
| Catch up on the latest news headlines with our executive summary. |
| QUOTES Pot Calling the Kettle Black “The one thing about Elon Musk that I’m certain of is there’s another very damaged human being. … He is the dumbest smart person I think that the world has ever known. … Elon Musk doesn’t care about the godd*mn First Amendment. He doesn’t care about anybody but himself.” —Hunter Biden Theater of the Absurd “I turn on ABC, ‘Face the Nation’ this morning … and they’re talking about, ‘Well, Hunter Biden’s plea deal and this, that, and the other thing and who knows what happens with James Comer, and they may find’ — are you kidding me? I mean, I really just, like, okay, we’re gonna talk about Ukraine again? Really?” —Hunter Biden “For six years, MAGA Republicans … have impugned my character, invaded my privacy, attack[ed] my wife, my children, my family, and my friends. They have ridiculed my struggle with addiction, they’ve belittled my recovery, and they have tried to dehumanize me, all to embarrass and damage my father who has devoted his entire public life to service.” —Hunter Biden “For six years, I’ve been the target of the unrelenting Trump attack machine.” —Hunter Biden “There is no fairness or decency in what these Republicans are doing.” —Hunter Biden “This may not, in every aspect, be a Russian disinformation campaign, but it has literally every earmark of what the Russians did.” —Hunter Biden “They’re trying to kill me, knowing that it will be a pain greater than my father could be able to handle. And so, therefore, destroying a presidency in that way.” —Hunter Biden The BIG Lie “Let me state as clearly as I can: My father was not financially involved in my business.” —Hunter Biden A Trip Down Memory Lane “Subpoenaed witnesses have got to show up.” —Senator Joe Biden, December 2007 “I hope that the [J6] Committee goes after [subpoena defiers] and holds them accountable criminally.” —President Joe Biden, October 2021 Lack of Self-Awareness “It was a very unfortunate abuse of the solemn and serious impeachment authority that we have in the House of Representatives.” —House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) “[Republicans] are not serious people. This is not a serious impeachment inquiry. It is a tragedy and a farce.” —Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) “These House Republicans don’t seem to be serious people. They’re launching an impeachment inquiry based on lies with no evidence.” —White House Counsel’s Office spokesman Ian Sams “They’re just making up lies to attack the president in a relentless smear campaign that frankly has been going on for four straight years now.” —Ian Sams “[Republicans] have no evidence of course to support this [impeachment] inquiry, but since this majority never lets facts get in the way of a good set of Fox News talking points, here we are.” —Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-NY) Circling the Wagons “There is zero evidence that President Biden has engaged in an impeachable offense. There is zero evidence that President Biden has engaged in any wrongdoing whatsoever. There is zero evidence that President Biden has broken the law. … They can’t find a scintilla of evidence to justify this impeachment inquiry.” —Hakeem Jeffries “[Republicans] do not have a single witness to any of their … allegations.” —Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) “Republicans are weaponizing [Hunter’s] addiction and using it to attack President Biden, a man of decency and integrity.” —Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) “The president has said this before … he loves his son and supports him as he continues to rebuild his life. … He’s proud of his son.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre “It is a complete farce and a sham for [Republicans] to go forward with an impeachment investigation because of Hunter Biden’s wrongdoing that has no connection to Joe Biden.” —Congressman Dan Goldman (D-NY) “The only reason I think Hunter Biden was prosecuted and charged with these crimes … is because of Chairman [James] Comer and House Republicans’ undue and improper interference in an ongoing criminal investigation. … There is nothing remotely close to a FARA [Foreign Agents Registration Act] violation or to money laundering.” —Dan Goldman “The only thing that they have revealed in these hearings is that we have a president that loves his son even through his imperfections.” —Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) Dezinformatsiya “Every single Republican in the House of Representatives … 221 people, without evidence, voted to launch an impeachment inquiry.” —CNN’s Erin Burnett “I think that [Joe Biden] loves his son and lost another son in a war.” —political pundit Juan Williams “Anyone who’s worked as a journalist at the [New York Times] knows that journalists there are absolutely allowed to loudly espouse political opinions, you just have to espouse the right political opinions. Right wing opinions are fine, left wing opinions are not.” —The Washington Post’s Taylor Lorenz Demagogues “The longer [Republicans] take for Ukraine [aid], more people will die, more women will be raped, more children will be kidnapped — and it’ll be all on them” —Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) “Holding Ukraine funding hostage in an attempt to force through an extreme Republican partisan agenda on the border is not how it works. We need real solutions.” —Joe Biden “The pro-Putin caucus of the House Republican conference is extreme, it’s loud, and it’s growing.” —Hakeem Jeffries Projection “I think this is one of the most dangerous moments that I’ve ever faced in American politics, and I wish Republicans weren’t holding Israel aid and aid to Ukraine hostage to the resolution of immigration reform.” —Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) “If Republicans don’t get reasonable in the next 24 to 48 hours, Russia is going to march into Ukraine [and] China is going to be given a green light to invade Taiwan. … The Republicans are playing games with the security of the world.” —Chris Murphy “It is wrong to suspend the Constitution and abuse federal power to persecute critics and trample the First Amendment.” —White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates Useful Idiots “The people of Gaza only decided to break the siege — the walls of the concentration camp — on October 7. And yes, I was happy to see people breaking the siege and throwing down the shackles of their own land and walk free into their land that they were not free to walk in. And yes, the people of Gaza have the right to self-defense — have the right to defend themselves. And yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense.” —Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) executive director Nihad Awad “AIPAC [the American Israel Public Affairs Committee] and its affiliates have been controlling the United States government and the United States Congress. … Unless we free Congress, we will not be able to free Palestine.” —Nihad Awad “[Israel’s] starting to lose … support by indiscriminate bombing that takes place.” —Joe Biden “I think [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] has to change … this government in Israel is making it very difficult for him to move.” —Joe Biden “We can’t deal with anti-Semitism in and of itself without also addressing the issue of Islamophobia.” —Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) The BIG Lies, Continued “$400,000 a year … is way above what I ever made till I became president.” —Joe Biden “We’ve created 14 million jobs … more than any president’s created in all four years of a term. Wages are up more than inflation.” —Joe Biden “They started off making fun of it, calling it ‘Bidenomics.’ Well, guess what? It is Bidenomics. … Our plan is already paying off.” —Joe Biden “All these mass murders … have been because … kids have grabbed stuff off of counters. … We need to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.” —Joe Biden “The Second Amendment didn’t say you can own any gun, you can own any weapon. You couldn’t own a cannon when the Second Amendment was passed.” —Joe Biden “I had a cranial aneurysm. … President Reagan was nice enough to send … Helicopter One to take me down [to Walter Reed], but it couldn’t fly.” —Joe Biden “[Republicans] are asking for very severe, very draconian immigration policy changes.” —Chris Murphy “What [Republicans have] asked to do actually hurts the issue, hurts the problem that we’re seeing at the border. They said ‘no’ to border agents. They’ve said ‘no’ to new technology to fight fentanyl. They said ‘no’ to additional troops. And they voted on eliminating 2,000 Customs and Border Patrol agents.” —Karine Jean-Pierre “I feel like the underlying trend lines in inflation are good. We’ve seen grocery prices come down. We’ve seen prices at the pump come down. We’ve seen some of the core areas moving back down to pre-pandemic levels.” —National Economic Council Director Lael Brainard Spin Doctor “When people go to the grocery store … their grocery prices go up because they’re paying for executive bonuses and stock buybacks. And that’s pretty clear and voters understand that when you talk about it that way.” —Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) Hot Air “We are again witnessing another moment in which the persuasive force of evidence, and with it Earth’s future, hangs in the balance — all because some extremist political voices, holdout nations, and vastly vested interests have declared war on facts and science; all because they distort, for political and personal gain, what science and common sense dictate we humans must do in order to put our house in order.” —climate czar John Kerry “There’s a mental health crisis around the world … that we hear people talking about. I think that one of the main reasons for that is that young people look at the fact that we are not yet solving the climate crisis.” —Al Gore Non Compos Mentis “Four years of infrastructure week, but it failed. He failed. On my watch, instead of infrastructure week, America is having infrastructure decade. Over a billion, 300 million trillion, 300 million dollars!” —Joe Biden “It’s been 65 years [days] since the deadliest day of the Jewish people since the Holocaust. 65 years [days].” —Joe Biden “We also need Ukraine to make changes to fix the broken immigration system here — we also need Congress to make the changes to fix the broken immigration system here at home.” —Joe Biden “[Republicans] are continually trying to tear us down from within. When we swore our oath, we swore our oath to protect against enemies foreign and domestic, and let me tell you something … I feel like we are constantly fighting domestic enemies.” —Jasmine Crockett “The pro-Putin caucus within the House Republican conference …. actually wants Putin and Russia to prevail.” —Hakeem Jeffries World’s Smallest Violin “I was completely heartbroken. I did not know that [20 Democrats] were going to, you know, stand with the fascist side of the aisle.” —Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) regarding censure “I always say it’s the worst job in the world because if you do your job, then you were supposed to, and if you do one hair less, then you are gonna get lambasted for it.” —Megan Rapinoe on playing for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Dumb & Dumber “President Biden has an incredible track record of success. He’s produced over and over again on issue after issue.” —Hakeem Jeffries “I’m very happy with the outcomes we’ve seen in the economy over the last year or so.” —Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen “With lax Republican gun laws across the country, we’ve gotta take very seriously anybody who’s making any kind of violent threats, especially genocidal threats. Having said that, where does Elise Stefanik get off lecturing anybody about anti-Semitism when she’s the hugest supporter of Donald Trump, who traffics in anti-Semitism all the time?” —Congressman Jamie Raskin (D-MD) “I think what you’re seeing … is absolutely the result of capitalism and what happens in capitalism to the people at the bottom rungs. The biggest driver of why folks are on the street is because they lost their jobs, income or were evicted from their homes, usually for not being able to pay the rent. So you have major landlords literally causing folks to lose their homes, and real estate speculation making it impossible for folks to find an affordable place to live.” —San Francisco Supervisor Dean Preston “I’m a Michigander. This is football season. I don’t usually compliment Ohio, but hats off to the people of Ohio who rejected all the [abortion] misinformation and codified this right for women in that state just south of us.” —Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D) “My own personal ethics on life are, I think, enough to keep me going on the right path.” —Anthony Fauci on no longer being a practicing Catholic Belly Laughs of the Week “First of all, if there is anti-Semitism in Congress, it is coming from the Republican Party, not the Democrat Party.” —Jamaal Bowman “If you want fascism, you vote for Trump. If you want democracy, you will vote for Biden. It’s that simple, and it’s that real.” —actor Rob Reiner “Biden has been working to protect American democracy and to unite people of all political views against these unprecedented threats we’ve seen to our democracy in recent years.” —Andrew Bates “I’ll take Joe Biden at 100 over any of these guys at whatever age they’re at because he’s delivering.” —Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) “We for sure gonna lose if we don’t have Joe [Biden].” —Jasmine Crockett For more insightful quotes, see our Short Cuts. |
MEME Don’t miss the latest memes. |
CARTOON Don’t miss the latest cartoons. |
“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.
President Donald J. Trump gestures with a fist pump as he walks across the tarmac upon his arrival Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020, to Pitt-Greenville Airport in Greenville, South Carolina. (Official White House photo by Shealah Craighead)
Leaked amateur pornography shows a congressional staffer having anal sex with an unknown man in the Senate hearing room, video obtained by the Daily Caller shows.
Source: DAYS OF LOT: Senate staffer caught filming gay sex tape in Senate Hearing Room
Not All Speech is Protected
Last week the president of the University of Pennsylvania resigned after criticism and pressure from her admission to Congress that the call for genocide could be perfectly acceptable on their campus1. Some are crying, “Free Speech!” and “Cancel Culture!” I ask, “How is a rally to foment genocide of Jews different than calling ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater?” That is, was she canceled because she said the unpopular? Was she canceled because she violated the current acceptable position? Or is she out because her position defending the call for genocide cross the line against free speech? I’d suggest the latter.
When Race Matters
A Catholic priest was stabbed to death in his small Nebraska church rectory this week. Motive was not listed. Oddly, neither was race. The priest was white and the guy they arrested was black. Had it been reversed, the headline would have read “White burglar stabs black priest.” That is, after all, the only way it works, right?
The Hate is Great with This One
A Norwegian tanker was hit by a Houti missile launched from Yemen. Why? They were carrying palm oil for biofuel to Italy, but Yemen attacked them thinking they were carrying fuel oil to Israel. And the Houtis have promised to attack any ship dealing with Israel. As any good, law-abiding, Jew-hating terror organization will do. That’s what hate’s about.
Word of the Year
Merriam-Webster has given its “word of the year” for 2023. The word is “authentic.” That, they say, is because “We see in 2023 a kind of crisis of authenticity.” How true! They cite AI and deepfake photos and videos. Beyond those, the lack of authentic love and authentic marriage, the failure to grasp even authentic gender, and, of course, the complete disavowal of the authentic Word of God even among many who call themselves “Christian” are all glaring examples of our “crisis of authenticity.” Good choice, Merriam-Webster. I bet you didn’t know how good.
Religious War
The UN has passed a resolution calling on Israel and Hamas to cease shooting at each other. Israel’s “I will if you will” is not good enough and Hamas is unwilling to violate their religion to comply. Hamas is openly aiming for genocide, but it’s Israel who is the real bad guy. Dastardly “self-defense” types2.
Strange Twists
In a clever move to garner support for their cause, a group of Jewish protesters sat down on the southbound lanes of the 110 freeway in the middle of rush hour demanding that Israel stop defending itself against those whose declared intentions are to wipe Israel from the map. Yeah … Jewish protesters. Strange, right? Now, I don’t know about you, but when I find a sudden obstacle to my commute like this, my first reaction is, “I wonder who they are … so I can make sure I oppose them like they have opposed me.” But, hey, that’s just me. Most people love to support causes that make their lives more miserable.
All You Have To Do Is Look
The teachers who are supposed to teach kids how to read and write are suing the state of Florida over the right to use pronouns that disagree with birth sex (read “biology”). “We will teach your kids, but we will teach them what we think they should know and not science and not logic and not biology, and you will embrace it.” Let’s get names and fire the incompetent teachers who literally can’t recognize truth that would be staring them in the face if it was legal to do so.
You May Do What We Approve
Toledo, Iowa, just removed their longtime, traditional Nativity scene from the local fire department after an atheist group argued that it was “divisive” to allow a Christmas scene on public property. Mind you, the atheist group will not be removing Christmas from their calendars and will indeed still be expecting Christmas off. Those aren’t “divisive,” you see. The problem is only the public recognition of Christmas … which happens everywhere in the U.S. every year. Illogic and double standards abound.
Too Funny to Bee Ignored
The Bee is reporting that Pope Francis has excommunicated St. Paul for having outdated views on women and marriage. Is that really satire? Seems more likely than humorous. Elsewhere, you heard that the president of Harvard, Claudine Gay, was under fire for agreeing that “genocide” is a suitable topic on the campus. In the review, it turns out she has a habit of plagiarizing other peoples work (actual story). (Harvard has cleared her by redefining “plagiarism” to “improperly citing”.) In response to her critics, Gay has given an inspiring “I Have a Dream” speech. Good move. Iowa’s state capitol has a display honoring Satan next to the nativity scene (actual story). People are complaining about the Democratic statue because “Sick, disturbing, Democrat displays have no place in the house where state laws are passed.”
Must be true; I read it on the Internet.
FOOTNOTES
Source: News Weakly – 12/16/23
The Boston Tea Party, 250 years later, stands both as a symbol of American liberty and a warning against the corrupt alliance between government and business.
https://www.brighteon.com/4c0d70f2-f406-4e1b-898a-5bb5ce4f9631
Truth2Freedom's Blog 