There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
“We cannot stand with Roman Catholics, Modalists, Prosperity Gospel preachers, many Charismatics, and adherents to doctrines that pervert the grace of God and reject the doctrine of the penal substitutionary atonement. Jude 1:4 says these people who deny our Master are condemned. Scripture is very clear that we should not associate with these people.”
(The Dissenter)When there is no enemy within, the enemies outside cannot hurt you. —Winston Churchill
In the Christian world, there is a massive assault on denominations and doctrinal divide. After all, we’re all believers and followers of Jesus Christ, right? If so, what’s the purpose of division? Why can’t we just all suck it up and get along? Doesn’t Jesus want us to be united (Philippians 2:2)? 1 Peter 3:8 says,
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
Let’s break this passage down, and see what we are really being commanded to do here. Clearly, Peter is saying in 1 Peter 3:8 that we, as Christians, are to be unified. But this begs the question: what exactly is “unity of mind?” Romans 16:17 says,
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.View article →
CRN has compiled alist of false teachersand several other professing Christians we’ve warned you about over the years. The list also contains those we must keep an eye on plus movements, organizations and “frauds, phonies and money-grubbing religious quacks” tomark and avoidas per Romans 16:17-18
I like how Winkie Pratney referred to the Bible when he said: “No other work of man in any language even faintly resembles the intricate structure and design of the Bible. The fact remains – only an infinite mind could have devised this Book of books.”1
Did you ever realize that it would take an infinite mind to write a supernatural book. Let me explain. Just how could the Bible know so much about the history of the ancient world unless the biblical authors were moved by the invisible hand of God telling them things that no person back in ancient times could know unless it was divinely and supernaturally revealed to them. Or how could so many of the biblical writers share prophecies of future events unless, again, it was supernaturally shared with them. And how could many of the biblical writers make scientific statements that scientists only discovered to be factual hundreds and even thousands of years after these writers penned these scientific facts. In all three of these cases, history, prophecy, and science, God’s infinite mind was on display imparting knowledge that can only be described as supernatural.
Let me give you a few examples to show you what I mean. Let’s start with history. Up until 200 years ago people used to laugh at the Bible because it mentioned many biblical cities that their story existed only in the pages of Scripture. Since there were no other documents validating the existence of these cities critics called into question the accuracy of the Bible. A classic example concerned the city of Nineveh. Up until 1847 the Bible was the only book that mentioned her existence. But in that year, archaeologist Henry Layard discovered 25,000 clay tablets on the city of Nineveh. And the amazing thing here is that if it weren’t for the Bible mentioning Nineveh’s existence we would never have looked for her because we would have no idea she even existed!
What about biblical prophecy. There is no religion extant in the world with one viable, believable, or verifiable prophecy except Christianity. The Quran, the Book of Mormon, the Hindu Vedas, and all the other sacred religious writings boast no fulfilled prophecies in them. One of the greatest proofs of the truthfulness of the Bible is fulfilled prophecy. It is staggering in its amount. It is extra-Biblical in its verification.
Fulfilled prophecy sets the Bible apart from every other religious book. From political pundits to astrologers mankind has an abysmal success rate in making predictions. According to apologist, Charlie Campbell: “Over and over, the authors of the Bible rightly foretold future events (often times, hundreds of years in advance). The Bible is literally filled with hundreds of specific, detailed prophecies about persons, places, and events—many of which have already come to pass.”2
My friends only a supernatural God can know the future as we read in (Isaiah 46:9-10): “…I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done…”
One final example concerns the field of science. Now what about the scientific accuracy of the Bible. I contend that whenever the Bible speaks about science it is always accurate. Not only that but one of the greatest proofs that the Bible is a supernatural book is that there are many things written in the word of God that were not discovered to be scientifically accurate until sometimes hundreds and even thousands of years later.
Apologist, Charlie Campbell, shared this thought well: “The men who penned the Scriptures revealed several amazing facts about the Earth and the universe thousands of years before scientists discovered these declarations to be true. This is astounding!…These men lived two, three, four thousand years before the invention of the telescope, microscopes, satellites, deep-diving submarines, and other technologies were around…So how did they know these things? They had ‘inside information’ from the One who created the universe.”3
While it is true that men wrote the Scriptures, it is also true that the supernatural move of the Holy Spirit inspired these men to pen only the words that God wanted conveyed. I long ago stopped trying to figure out how the Bible could be written by both man and God. For you see God’s infinite mind is at work here and simply put this knowledge is way above my pay grade!
Just as man’s part in salvation is to come humbly, it is also to come in faith. Although finite minds cannot fully comprehend the truth, divine grace and human faith are inseparable in salvation. God sovereignly provides salvation, which includes the fact that man must give himself to the Lord Jesus Christ in commitment before it becomes effective. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me,” and then immediately added, “and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John 6:37).
Salvation is not through a creed, a church, a ritual, a pastor, a priest, or any other such human means—but through Jesus Christ, who said, Come to Me. To come is to believe to the point of submitting to His lordship. “I am the bread of life,” Jesus declared; “he who comes to Me shall not hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). Comes and believes are parallel just as are hunger and thirst. Coming to Christ is believing in Him, which results in no longer hungering and thirsting. Other biblical synonyms for believing in Christ include confessing Him, receiving Him, eating and drinking Him, and hearing Him.
Peter declared, “Of Him [Jesus Christ] all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43). And the Lord Himself said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; that whoever believes may in Him have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:14–16).
Repentance and Rest
all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. (11:28b)
All who are indicates a condition that already exists. Those whom Jesus invites to Himself are those who already are weary and heavy-laden. Although this aspect of Jesus’ invitation is mentioned after faith (“Come to Me”), chronologically it precedes faith, referring to the repentance that drives the humble, seeking person to Christ for salvation.
Kopiaō (to grow weary, or “to labor”) carries the idea of working to the point of utter exhaustion. John uses the term to describe Jesus’ fatigue when He and the disciples reached Sychar after a long, hot journey from Jerusalem (John 4:6).
Weary translates a present active participle and refers figuratively to arduous toil in seeking to please God and know the way of salvation. Jesus calls to Himself everyone who is exhausted from trying to find and please God in his own resources. Jesus invites the person who is wearied from his vain search for truth through human wisdom, who is exhausted from trying to earn salvation, and who has despaired of achieving God’s standard of righteousness by his own efforts.
Heavy-laden translates a perfect passive participle, indicating that at some time in the past a great load was dumped on the wearied person. Whereas weary refers to the internal exhaustion caused by seeking divine truth through human wisdom, heavy-laden suggests the external burdens caused by the futile efforts of works righteousness.
In Jesus’ day, the rabbinical teachings had become so massive, demanding, and all-encompassing that they prescribed standards and formulas for virtually every human activity. It was all but impossible even to learn all the traditions, and was completely impossible to keep them all. Jesus spoke of the heavy loads of religious tradition that the scribes and Pharisees laid on the people’s shoulders (Matt. 23:4); and at the Jerusalem Council, Peter noted that the Judaizers were trying to saddle Christianity with the same man-made “yoke which neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear” (Acts 15:10).
Although the term itself is not used in the text, Jesus gives a call to repent, to turn away from the self-centered and works-centered life and come to Him. The person who is weary and heavy-laden despairs of his own ability to please God. He comes to the end of his own resources and turns to Christ. Desperation is a part of true salvation, because a person does not come to Christ as long as he has confidence in himself. To repent is to make a 180-degree turn from the burden of the old life to the restfulness of the new
Repentance was the theme of John the Baptist’s preaching (Matt. 3:2) and the starting point of the preaching of Jesus (4:17), Peter (Acts 2:38; 3:19; cf. 5:31), and Paul (17:30; 20:21; cf. 2 Tim. 2:25). The person who humbly receives God’s revelation of Himself and His way of salvation, who turns from the unbearable burden of his sin and self-effort, and who comes to Christ empty-handed is the only person God will save.
Anapauō (to give … rest) means to refresh or revive, as from labor or a long journey. Jesus promises spiritual rest to everyone who comes to Him in repentance and humble faith.
God’s rest is a common Old Testament theme. The Lord warned Israel, “Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness; when your fathers tested Me, they tried Me, though they had seen My work.… Therefore I swore in My anger, truly they shall not enter into My rest” (Ps. 95:7–9, 11). After quoting that passage, the writer of Hebrews warns those who make a pretense of faith in Christ but have not really trusted Him: “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God” (Heb. 3:12). To intellectually acknowledge Christ’s deity and lordship is a dangerous thing if it does not lead to true faith, because it gives a person the false confidence of belonging to Christ.
In the time of the early church many Jews were attracted to the gospel and outwardly identified themselves with the church. But for fear of being unsynagogued, ostracized from the worship and ceremonies of Judaism, some of them did not truly receive Christ as saving Lord. They went part way to Him but stopped before full commitment. “As a result” of such superficial allegiance, John says, “many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him anymore” (John 6:66). Consequently they would not enter God’s rest, that is, His salvation, because they still possessed “an evil, unbelieving heart” (Heb. 3:11–12).
Just as those Israelites who rebelled against Moses in the wilderness were denied entrance into the Promised Land because of unbelief, so those who refuse to fully trust in Christ are denied entrance into God’s kingdom rest of salvation for the same reason (v. 19). “Therefore, let us fear lest, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you should seem to have come short of it. For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, ‘As I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest’ ” (4:1–3).
The dictionary gives several definitions of rest that remarkably parallel the spiritual rest God offers those who trust in His Son. First, the dictionary describes rest as cessation from action, motion, labor, or exertion. In a similar way, to enter God’s rest is to cease from all efforts at self-help in trying to earn salvation. Second, rest is described as freedom from that which wearies or disturbs. Again we see the spiritual parallel of God’s giving His children freedom from the cares and burdens that rob them of peace and joy.
Third, the dictionary defines rest as something that is fixed and settled. Similarly, to be in God’s rest is to have the wonderful assurance that our eternal destiny is secure in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is to be freed from the uncertainties of running from philosophy to philosophy, from religion to religion, from guru to guru, hoping somehow and somewhere to discover truth, peace, happiness, and eternal life.
Fourth, rest is defined as being confident and trustful. When we enter God’s rest we are given the assurance that “He who began a good work in [us] will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:6). Finally, the dictionary describes rest as leaning, reposing, or depending on. As children of God, we can depend with utter certainty that our heavenly Father will “supply all [our] needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).[1]
28 Jesus has spoken to God about the revelation of truth in vv. 25–26, and in v. 27 he has spoken in general terms about how the Father can be known only through the Son. Now this special revelatory role of the Son is expressed in a direct invitation to find the solution to life’s problems by coming to Jesus. The terms he uses reflect the Jewish understanding of the divine Wisdom as the intermediary between God and his people. I mentioned above (p. 441) that already in vv. 25–27 it is possible to trace conceptual links with aspects of the Jewish Wisdom tradition, and so to see Jesus as, in Matthew’s view, himself taking the place of the personified divine Wisdom, hidden from human cleverness, but able to communicate to those who seek her the truth about God which she alone truly understands. As the focus moves in vv. 28–30 from knowing the truth to finding rest, the echoes of Wisdom literature become even clearer. The most obvious source for Jesus’ language here is Sir 51:23–27 (cf. Sir 6:23–30), in which the sage invites the unlearned to come near to him to find Wisdom, to put their necks under Wisdom’s yoke so that their souls receive instruction, and informs them that in this way he himself, having toiled only a little, has found much rest. The echoes of the Greek text are clear: the words for “to me,” “toil,” “yoke,” “find,” “rest” and “soul” are all the same. But the way these themes are combined is significantly different. Whereas the sage is himself the recipient of Wisdom’s blessings, and invites others to share what he has received from her, Jesus is no intermediary but issues “Wisdom’s” invitation in his own person. Wisdom’s yoke is now his yoke, and it is he who offers rest to those who toil.
The invitation to “come here to me” is an important counterbalance to the statement in v. 27 that the knowledge of God is open only to those to whom the Son “is willing” to reveal him. That willingness is here shown to be not restrictive but open-ended, the invitation being issued to “all.” The only requirement is that those who come to him must recognize their need for help and be willing to accept his yoke and learn from him. This is an invitation which the “wise and intelligent” may well choose to ignore, while the “little children” come willingly. The invitation is there for all, but (as in vv. 20–24) not all will respond to it; many are invited but few are chosen (see on 22:14).
The “toiling” and “loading” which form the background to this invitation are not explained. They may be metaphors for the difficulties and pressures of life in general,28 but in 23:4 “heavy, cumbersome burdens on people’s shoulders” is a metaphor for the legal and ethical demands made by the scribes and Pharisees. The metaphor of a yoke, which in the OT commonly denoted social or political oppression (Gen 27:40; Exod 6:6–7; 1 Kgs 12:4–14; Isa 58:6, 9; Jer 28:2–14, etc.) and had a strongly pejorative sense, came to be used in later Jewish literature for the demands of the law upon people’s obedience, usually understood in a positive sense, an obligation freely accepted by “putting on the yoke of the Torah.” It is possible, then, that here we should understand the heavy burdens in the light of 23:4 as the unreasonable demands of the scribes with their excessive concern to regulate people’s behavior; cf. Acts 15:10, where the “yoke” is an unreasonable legal demand. But the wording in this passage does not make that application explicit, and a wider reference to life’s difficulties cannot be ruled out.[2]
28. The last three verses of the chapter contain many echoes of the invitation of Jesus Ben Sira in the appendix to his wisdom book (Ecclus. 51:23–27; cf. also Ecclus. 6:24–31) to men to come and learn from him and take up wisdom’s yoke, so that they may find rest. No doubt Jesus and his hearers knew and valued this book, but Jesus’ invitation reveals a higher authority: it is his own yoke that he offers, and he himself gives the rest which Ben Sira had to win by his ‘little labours’.
Jesus issues his invitation to all who labour and are heavy laden. The last word is unusual, and reminds us of 23:4, where the scribes and Pharisees are accused of making the people carry ‘heavy burdens’ by their legalistic demands. Scribal religion was meant to honour God, but its effect was to condemn the ordinary Jew to hard labour. The rest Jesus offers instead is not a release from all obligations; 5:20 shows that his demands are greater. But because of who he is (v. 29), his demands are such that to respond to them is rest (‘relief’ would be an equally good translation). As with the beatitudes of 5:3–10, while there is an eschatological aspect to this promise (cf. the ‘rest’ of Heb. 4:1–10), to interpret it as wholly eschatological would deprive it of its practical value to those who are burdened by legalism. Even here and now discipleship to Jesus, for all its stern demands, is rest as compared with all human religion.[3]
Ver. 28. Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden.—
The burdened directed to Christ:—
I. The persons whom our Lord here addresses. 1. As burdened with convictions of sin and the keen remorse of a wounded conscience. 2. That sinners under these circumstances labour to be released from their burden. (1) They resolve in their own strength to forsake their sins. (2) There are others who are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and go about to establish their own righteousness. (3) In looking to the mercy of God irrespective of Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice.
II. Our Lord’s tender solicitude for the happiness of such. 1. The invitation is condescending. 2. It is extensive and unconditional.
III. The promise annexed. 1. Rest in your conscience from the dread of Divine wrath. 2. Rest in the will from its former corrupt propensities. 3. Heavenly rest for the people of God. (R May.)
Rest in Christ for the heavy-laden:—
I. What it is. “Rest,” not rest in sin, not rest from trouble. It is rest from sin—its guilt, misery, power. It is rest in trouble.
II. Of whom is this blessing to be obtained. The conscious greatness these few simple words indicate. Have you ever tried to comfort a troubled heart? Beyond your power. It is the prerogative of Him who made the soul to give it rest. There is more power in Him to comfort than in the world to disquiet.
III. Who may obtain this rest from Him—“All that labour.” These words express the inward condition of man. We do indeed toil. Some weary themselves to work iniquity. The world has worn some of you out. The burden of affliction; guilt—our corruptions.
IV. How they who desire may obtain it—“Come.” 1. Literally, when lie was on earth. 2. Faith in operation. Hagar went to the well and drank, and was saved. Those who have found rest in Christ, remember where you found it. See on what easy terms we may find rest. Some know they are sinners, but are not weary of sin. (C. Bradley.)
Rest for the weary:—1. The promise is faithful. 2. It is a precious promise. 3. It is an appropriate promise. 4. It is one of present accomplishment. (D. Rees.)
The way of coming to Christ:—1. The most obvious is Christ historically taught. 2. Men seek to come to Him speculatively. Who can find out a being by a pure process of thought? 3. There are those who seek Christ by a sentimental and humanitarian method. This will not fire zeal. How then are men to come to Christ? Through a series of moral, practical endeavours to live the life which He has prescribed for us. (H. W. Beecher.)
Christ’s word to the weary:—There are three sorts of trouble. 1. There is head-trouble—to do what is right. 2. There is heart-trouble. The interior grief. 3. There is soul-trouble. Christ gives rest from these. (W. G. Barrett.)
A special invitation:—1. It is personal—“Come unto me.” God directs to Christ, not to His members. 2. It is present—“Come” now, do not wait. 3. So sweet an invitation demands a spontaneous acceptance. 4. He puts the matter very exclusively. Do nothing else but come to Him. Arguments which the Saviour used:—1. Because He is the appointed mediator—“All things are delivered unto me of My Father.” 2. Moreover the Father has given all things into His hands in the sense of government. 3. Christ is a well-furnished mediator—“All things are delivered unto Me.” He has all the sinner wants. 4. Come to Christ because He is an inconceivably great mediator. No man knows His fulness but the Father. 5. Because He is an infinitely wise Saviour. He understands both persons on whose behalf He mediates. 6. He is an indispensable mediator—“Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son.” (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Invitation based on saving power:—In a previous verse our Lord had said, “All things are delivered unto me by My Father: meaning that all power is given unto Him for the instructing, ruling, and saving of mankind; from whence He infers those comfortable words in the text. I. A gracious invitation made by our Saviour. II. The persons invited. III. A promise of ease and benefit. IV. The way and manner of coming to Christ. V. A farther encouragement hereunto, from an inward sense and feeling of the promised rest. VI. A good reason to back and enforce it—“My yoke is easy.” (Matthew Hole.)
Ways of coming to Christ:—Coming to Christ and believing, are in Scripture used to signify one and the same thing. I. The first step in coming to Christ is by baptism. II. The next step is by prayer. III. A farther step is by repentance and confession of sin. IV. We are said to come to God by hearing His Word, and receiving instruction from Him. V. Also by receiving His Holy Supper: and—VI. By putting our whole trust and affiance in Him, relying upon Him for salvation, and placing all our hopes and confidence in His merits and satisfaction. (Ibid.)
Coming to Christ:—This implies three things.
I. Absence: for what need is there of oar coming to Christ unless we are previously at a distance from Him? Such is the condition of every man. Naturally, all are without Christ as to saving influence; as to a proper knowledge of Him, love to Him, confidence in Him, and union and communion with Him.
II. Accessibleness. We come to Him; we can find and approach Him. Not to His bodily presence. As man He is absent; as God He is still present. He said to His apostles, “Lo, I am with you always; even unto the end of the, world.”
III. Application. For this coming to Him is to deal with Him concerning the affairs of the soul of eternity. (W. Jay.)
Christ’s rest:—
I. A negative description. (1) Rest, not lethargy. A condition in which the powers of the soul are quickened, rendered alive to its capacities, duties, and privileges. (2) Rest, not inactivity. Release from weariness rather than from labour. (3) Rest, not confinement. Not isolation or routine. (4) Rest, not leisure. Not a brief season of relaxation, but a lasting state of peace and strength.
II. A positive description. (1) Rest, that is, peace. Conscience is at ease. The mind is satisfied. The heart is filled with love. (2) Rest, that is, fearlessness. Not only is there present satisfaction, but assured confidence in the future. (3) Rest, that is, fortitude. The burden may not be removed, but Christ gives us such a temper that we are as happy with our burden as though we were without it. (4) Rest, that is, security. He shields us from every adverse power. He gives us ground for our confidence. (Stems and Twigs.)
Christ relieving us of natural burdens:—1. Spiritual burdens. 2. Mental burdens. 3. Providential burdens. 4. Physical burdens. (Bishop Simpson.)
Christianity lightens physical burdens:—Go to-day into heathen countries, into Mohammedan lands, and what do you find? The village on the hill top, the old walls, the spring down near the foot of the hill, the water carried by hand, the pitcher, the goat skin—just as it was in ancient times. The burden is borne by men upon their backs. Go to China, and travel from place to place. It is difficult, and oftentimes the traveller must be carried by men, and, if not by men, by a rude cart. When I was in Palestine, a year ago, there was only one wheeled vehicle in the whole territory, and that had been brought there by the Russian Embassy. Burdens were borne on the back, and in the simplest way. Turn to Christian lands, and what are they? See what you call civilization—that is, Christianity affecting the minds and occupations of men—how it works! How is this city of a million and a quarter supplied with water? A great engine pumps it up from the river; iron pipes carry it to every house. You turn the tap and have it in almost every room. There is no broken back or burdened frame carrying from some spring this water. Go into countries partly civilized, and you find a few public pumps or wells, and the multitudes go there. It is a mere physical thing, you say. Yes; but it is God working in the subjugation of nature to man’s comfort. Moreover, you turn these taps in your room without thinking of it; and yet you have here a proof that God is taking care of the labour-burdened, and ought to remember how Christ has said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Go out into the fields. What was the old way? Men, bowed down in the heat of an August sun, took the sickle in hand, and tried to reap the harvest. Now the reaping-machine, drawn by horses, moves into the field, throws out its bound-up sheaves without human toil: and the harvest is gathered without man being bowed down to the earth. What is it? “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Go into the house: long ago, needlewomen, from early morn until night, and late into the night, stitched carefully, slowly, regularly, on their endless task. Now look at the sewing-machine, and see the amount of work that can be done without, comparatively speaking, human toil. Turn your eyes over to this light, and whence comes it, and how? Look at the little lamp of old, with its lard and wick, then the tallow candle; and now, wandering through all these pipes, comes this air or gas to be lighted, and what a change in human labour! From the darkness, from the atmosphere around us, men are gathering this electric fluid, and throwing light over the darkest of streets and alleys of your city, and thus enabling thousands of men to work as by daylight in your manufactories. What a change in human labour! There must still be labour, but it is not to be of that toilsome character that it once was. (Bishop Simpson.) It is not a local coming to Christ, which is now impossible, but a movement of heart and mind to Him.
I. The class of persons that our Saviour wan supposed to have in view. 1. Such as were laden with the burden of ceremonial obedience. The observances of Christianity were few and simple, neither occupying much time, nor incurring much expense. They recommended themselves by their significance and force. 2. Such as are oppressed and burdened with a sense of guilt. 3. Such as are endeavouring to erect an edifice of righteousness out of their own performances. 4. Those who are overwhelmed with worldly calamities—the victims of worldly sorrow. 5. Those who are engaged in a restless, uncertain pursuit after felicity in the present state. 6. Those who are heavy laden by speculative pursuits in matters of religion. (Robert Hall, M.A.)
A word in season to the weary:—Causes of weariness. 1. Wounded affections. 2. The disappointment of our desires. 3. Vacancy of mind and the sense of monotony. 4. The load of a guilty conscience is fatiguing. 5. The burden of earnest thought and noble endeavour. (E. Johnson, M.A.)
Desire outruns faculty and causes weariness:—The result would be something monstrous if their energies and abilities grew as fast as their aspirations or their ambitions. As the eye carries the mind in the flash of a moment over a space of country which it would require hours to traverse in the body, so the hot speed of human Desire outruns our slow and pausing faculties. And this a great cause of fatigue; we cannot keep up with ourselves; one part of our nature lags behind another. Or, no sooner is the goal which we had thought a fixed one reached, than another starts up in the new distance, and Desire is still goading us on, refusing us rest. (Ibid.)
Rest not found in mere ceremonial observances:—Both the Wesleys, and Whitefield also, fell for a time into the same mistake. In their endeavours to obtain peace of conscience, in addition to attending every ordinary service of the church, they received the sacrament every Sunday, fasted every Wednesday and Friday, retired regularly every morning and evening for meditation and prayer; they wore the coarsest garments, partook of the coarsest fare, visited the sick, taught the ignorant, ministered to the wants of the needy; and, that he might have more to give away, John Wesley even for a time went barefoot. And yet, with all this, they did not obtain the peace for which their souls craved. (R. A. Bertram.)
The reality of rest:—“Come,” saith Christ, “and I will give you rest.” I will not show you rest, nor barely tell you of rest, but I will give you rest. I am faithfulness itself, and cannot lie, I will give you rest. I that have the greatest power to give it, the greatest will to give it, the greatest right to give it, come, laden sinners, and I will give you rest. Rest is the most desirable good, the most suitable good, and to you the greatest good. Come, saith Christ—that is, believe in Me, and I will give you rest; I will give you peace with God, and peace with conscience: I will turn your storm into an everlasting calm; I will give you such rest, that the world can neither give to you nor take from you. (Thomas Brooks.)
Rest only in God:—Lord, Thou madest us for Thyself, and we can find no rest till we find rest in Thee! (Augustine.)
The weary welcome to rest:—A poor English girl, in Miss Leigh’s home in Paris, ill in body and hopeless in spirit, was greatly affected by hearing some children singing, “I heard the voice of Jesus say.” When they came to the words, “weary, and worn, and sad,” she moaned, “That’s me! That’s me! What did He do? Fill it up, fill it up!” She never rested until she had heard the whole of the hymn which tells how Jesus gives rest to such. By-and-by she asked, “Is that true?” On being answered, “Yes,” she asked, “Have you come to Jesus? Has He given you rest?” “He has.” Raising herself, she asked, “Do you mind my coming very close to you? May be it would be easier to go to Jesus with one who has been before than to go to Him alone.” So saying, she nestled her head on the shoulder of her who watched, and clutching her as one in the agony of death, she murmured, “Now, try and take me with you to Jesus.” (The Sunday at Home.)
Rest for all:—There are many heads resting on Christ’s bosom, but there’s room for yours there. (Samuel Rutherford.)
Rest not inaction:—It is not the lake locked in ice that suggests repose, but the river moving on calmly and rapidly, in silent majesty and strength. It is not the cattle lying in the sun, but the eagle cleaving the air with fixed pinions, that gives you the idea of repose with strength and motion. In creation, the rest of God is exhibited as a sense of power which nothing wearies. When chaos burst into harmony, so to speak, God had rest. (F. W. Robertson.)
Rest in trouble:—I say that men want rest from their troubles, and that the only worthy rest is rest in our trouble. We have our first real impression of what toil is, when we begin, as an apprentice, to learn some trade. Our first real impression of toil brings the first real desire for rest. But all the rest the young man thinks of is the rest of laying down his tools, and leaving the workshop or the warehouse to spend the evening in manly sports. He has no thought yet of that higher rest, which will come, by-and-by, out of skill and facility in the use of tools. (R. Tuck, B.A.)
Resting on the Bible:—In Newport church, in the Isle of Wight, lies buried the Princess Elizabeth (daughter of Charles the First). A marble monument, erected by our Queen Victoria, records in a touching way the manner of her death. She languished in Carisbrook Castle during the wars of the Commonwealth—a prisoner, alone, and separated from all the companions of her youth, tilt death set her free. She was found dead one day, with her head leaning on her Bible, and the Bible open at the words, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” The monument in Newport church records this fact. It consists of a female figure reclining her head on a marble book, with our text engraven on the book. Think, my brethren, what a sermon in stone that monument preaches. Think what a standing memorial it affords of the utter inability of rank and high birth to confer certain happiness. Think what a testimony it bears to the lesson before you this day—the mighty lesson that there is no true rest for any one excepting in Christ. Happy will it be for your soul if that lesson is never forgotten.[4]
[1] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew (Vol. 2, pp. 274–276). Moody Press.
2 Kings 18:13 — This is one of the most documented miracles in the Bible. Come with me as we explore this passage, or if you want to wait for 2 Chronicles 32 or Isaiah 33, we can do that as well. To introduce you to Sennacherib, I will leave Milwaukee and head down I-94 to Chicago, past the Sears (now Willis) Tower, and into the University of Chicago campus. John D. Rockefeller spent millions building this educational institution, and one of his projects was the Oriental Institute. Speaking of Rockefeller, there is the Rockefeller Museum in Jerusalem, and it has many artifacts too – but it’s cheaper (and faster) for me to go to the Oriental Institute. As you enter the museum, and turn left, you’ll see at the end of the hall a giant “lamassu” or winged bull staring at you from the far end. If you approach the lamassu and turn your head slightly to the right, you will see one of the attendants of the palace of Sargon in Khorsabad and his son Sennacherib (he’s the one with the fancy beard).
2 Kings 18:14 — As we continue our journey through the Oriental Institute, we will follow the door near Sennacherib, and walk through the passageway until we see a “prism” that contains some wedged shaped cuneiform writing on it. I’ve taken the trouble to provide you with a translation of what was written (my Assyrian is a bit rusty). On the second column I point out that he talks about Hezekiah the Judahite near the bottom.
2 Kings 18:15 — Where did Hezekiah get the silver from? The house of the LORD! What if instead of stripping the house of the LORD, he would have prayed?
2 Kings 18:17 — Sennacherib defeated the forces at Lachish. If we go to the British Museum, we can see what Sennacherib did: he built a siege ramp to capture the city and then declared victory. He commemorated his victory with a massive monument.
2 Kings 18:22 — Rabshekah misunderstands what Hezekiah did. He didn’t get rid of altars to the LORD; he removed the forbidden altars.
2 Kings 18:35 — Rabshekah challenges the LORD.
2 Kings 19:35 — Yes, the LORD judges as well as exercises mercy.
Acts 21:13 — Paul was willing to suffer and die for the name of Jesus. Are we willing to live for the name of Jesus?
Psalm 149:4 — The blessings of the immanence of the LORD.
Proverbs 18:8 — May we not wound others with our talebearing.
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So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. (Psalm 58:11)
God’s judgments in this life are not always clearly to be seen, for in many cases one event happeneth alike to all. This is the state of probation, not of punishment or reward. Yet at times God works terrible things in righteousness, and even the careless are compelled to own His hand.
Even in this life righteousness has that kind of reward which it prefers above all others, namely, the smile of God, which creates a quiet conscience. Sometimes other recompenses follow, for God will be in no man’s debt. But, at the same time, the chief reward of the righteous lies in the hereafter.
Meanwhile, on a large scale, we mark the presence of the great Ruler among the nations. He breaks in pieces oppressive thrones and punishes guilty peoples. No one can study the history of the rise and fall of empires without perceiving that there is a power which makes for righteousness and, in the end, brings iniquity before its bar and condemns it with unsparing justice. Sin shall not go unpunished, and goodness shall not remain unrewarded. The Judge of all the earth must do right. Therefore, let us fear before Him and no more dread the power of the wicked.
Compromise, compromise, compromise. When someone thinks they don’t really need to apply the Word of God to their life, there is something sick and wrong. They are not walking in the truth and then the next generation will not learn the truth.
Tobiah the Ammonite should not have been allowed in the temple courts. J.I. Packer writes, “Tobiah was a worldly-wise formalist and pragmatist; he would not let his faith affect his personal or professional life.” We see these types in the world. They bring Satan’s lies, telling us not to trust God’s Word, but to follow what we feel in the moment. Perhaps you have friends, co-workers, teachers, or family members that don’t care about following God and instead pressure you to compromise? Don’t give them a place of influence, lest they lead you to be like them.
More compromise. Israel neglected the house of God and was failing to honour the Sabbath. Thankfully, Nehemiah had zero tolerance for this sort of compromise. If our faith is healthy, we will seek first the Kingdom of God and seek to obey God’s Word above all. We are prone to forget and misplace our priorities, and the work of turning from sin and living for God is never done. Thank the Lord that He sent servants like Nehemiah to show us our wrong. Thank the Lord that He sent Christ, Who shows us we are sick, and offers the cure we need through His blood which atones for our sin and His Spirit which makes us new.
Suggestions for prayer
Give thanks to God for those who have the love and courage to correct you when needed. Ask God to help you love holiness more than your own pleasures.
Rev. Simon Lievaart currently serves Bethel United Reformed Church of Smithers BC. Prior to this, he served the United Reformed Church in Doon, IA. Rev. Lievaart grew up in southern Alberta, attended Redeemer University College and Mid-America Reformed Seminary. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each dayvia our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, atNTGDevotional.com.
As academics, judges, and politicians work to drive Christ out of public life, our modern world has become very secular. But make no mistake—Christians in each age have had their challenges, and the same grace that God offered in the first century is still offered today. It’s just that the fallen world resists the good news of Jesus Christ by nature. I invite you to hear more.
Iranian candidate: May we have good relations with all countries except Israel One of the candidates in Iran’s presidential election is hoping for Iran to have good relations with all countries – except for Israel. Masoud Pezeshkian, who is the sole reformist running in Friday’s election, made the comments to journalists after voting, according to The Associated Press. Responding to a question from a journalist about how Iran would manage international relations if he were president, Pezeshkian replied, “God willing, we will try to have friendly relations with all countries except Israel.”
40-rocket Hezbollah barrage rains on Safed after Israel kills senior drone operative in Lebanon Hezbollah forces in Lebanon launched a volley of approximately 40 rockets toward the Israeli town of Safed in the Upper Galilee on Thursday evening, following a relative lull over the past few days. The terror group claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was a response to earlier Israeli strikes, one of which killed a senior operative of Hezbollah’s drone unit.
ICC postpones decision on arrest warrants for PM Netanyahu and DM Gallant The International Criminal Court (ICC) Pre-Trial Chamber I decided on Thursday to delay its decision on whether to allow ICC prosecutor Karim Khan to issue arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant over alleged war crimes.
Pro-Israel Estonian PM Kallas nominated next EU foreign minister Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, who is known to be sympathetic toward Israel, has been nominated to replace Joseph Borrell as the next European Union foreign minister. Kallas, who has yet to be formally appointed, belongs to the liberal European political camp. She supports the two-state solution but, at the same time, has expressed strong support for Israel.
Netanyahu warns of Iranian threat, says ‘Iran on the march to conquer the Middle East’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with delegation of generals and admirals from the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA) on Thursday, during which he briefed them on the challenges facing Israel on all fronts and emphasized the determination of IDF fighters and Israel’s commitment to return all of the hostages. Netanyahu also stressed that Israel’s war against the Iranian regime is a war being fought on behalf of the entire free world.
Former Trump adviser: ‘We broke the social contract’ by harming children during COVID A former adviser and dissident on the White House Coronavirus Task Force condemned the U.S. COVID policy response for having ignored scientific data and “brok(en) the social contract” by “harming our children as a society.” “There was never a single meeting — and this is sort of shocking to even keep reliving — not a single time where Deborah Birx or Anthony Fauci or Robert Redfield brought scientific papers into the meeting,”
“Feels Like September”: Atlantic Disturbance Could Be Upgraded to Tropical Storm Beryl This Weekend The National Hurricane Center is tracking three tropical waves, one of which could develop into Tropical Storm Beryl this weekend. As of 0800 ET, NHC said the tropical wave about 1500 miles east-southeast of Windward Island is “gradually becoming better defined,” indicating a 90% chance of strengthening into a tropical depression or storm over the next 48 hours.
Biden Seeks to Delay COVID Vaccine Safety Data Release Until 2026. The Biden government is seeking an 18-month delay in releasing COVID-19 vaccine safety data, pushing potential disclosure until at least 2026. This regime claims an influx of pandemic-related information requests is overwhelming the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and that releasing vaccine records requires extensive staff training and onboarding, which could take up to two years.
Hezbollah shells north with 40 rockets after operative killed in IDF drone strike Hezbollah launched a barrage of some 40 rockets at northern Israel on Thursday afternoon, in what the terror group said was a response to recent Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, including the killing of one of its operatives earlier in the day.
It’s All About The Money: There Are Tens Of Trillions Of Reasons Why Both Sides Are So Determined To Win In Ukraine …It turns out that Ukraine is sitting on natural resources that are worth tens of trillions of dollars. Most of those natural resources are located in eastern Ukraine, and of course that is where all of the fighting is happening. Whoever is victorious in this conflict is going to get their hands on all of that wealth. I think that this helps to explain why the Russians and the western elite are so obsessed with winning this war.
An outbreak of E. coli in the UK is due to salad leaves; or is it? We are being told that a recent outbreak of E. coli in the UK is due to salad leaves. Considering the falsities we’ve been told over the last four years about covid, it is reasonable to at least consider whether there could be other causes – such as genetic engineering research or vaccines.
“He’s Not Dropping Out”: Biden Digs In After Disastrous Debate President Joe Biden is “not dropping out” of the 2024 race despite his party’s collective freakout over last night’s debate performance, which put his severe cognitive decline on display, raising questions about who’s actually running the country.
THOMAS GALLATIN The justices avoided ruling against the Biden administration and its blatant actions to censor speech on social media platforms.
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DOUGLAS ANDREWS Illegal immigration is a terrible issue for Dems, so the mainstream media continues to downplay the rapes and murders of American girls and women.
BRIAN MARK WEBER By pardoning thousands of LGBT military personnel for prohibited sexual activities, Biden has further eroded the morale and discipline of our Armed Forces.
DOUGLAS ANDREWS Ronny Jackson, who served as White House physician to both Obama and Trump, thinks Biden may take performance-enhancing drugs Thursday night.
MICHAEL SWARTZ A full fourth of all voters have unfavorable feelings toward both Joe Biden and Donald Trump, which is the highest number since at least 1988.
“The safety and security of the American people are our highest priority.” —DHS Secretary Alejandro “Open Borders” Mayorkas
The BIG Lies
“The border security steps we have taken over the past 18 months are bringing order.” —Alejandro Mayorkas
“The fact of the matter is our policy is working.” —Alejandro Mayorkas
“In this administration, the different agencies and departments across the federal enterprise are … doing more robust screening and vetting than ever before.” —Alejandro Mayorkas
“With respect to the people from Central Asia, we have no evidence that they are individuals plotting to harm the United States. That is inaccurate.” —Alejandro Mayorkas
“When it comes to immigration, the president has always had a twofold program: secure the border, and make sure we have a welcoming path of legal immigration.” —Council of Economic Advisers Chairman Jared Bernstein
“[Biden] can’t deal with [the border] if Congress and Republicans continue to block him. … The president is doing what he can with the resources available to him. … The president is out there doing everything he can, not just at the border, but overall for families.” —Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
More BIG Lies
“Biden, every day, is fighting to save people money.” —Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu
“Joe Biden … [is] leading the world in reducing inflation.” —Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
“[The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act] resulted in an enormous increase in the deficit. … I think it’s responsible for many of the problems that we face now with our fiscal trajectory.” —Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
“Better to let all the Trump tax cuts expire than be accomplices to another slash-and-burn tax bonanza for America’s billionaires.” —Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Baghdad Bobs
“There were grocery things that were up — it has gone down.” —White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
“President Biden has done a lot to lower prices.” —Biden campaign spokeswoman Adrienne Elrod
“I think you’ve got to, first of all, take a step back and look at what President Biden has done for the economy. He’s created over 15 million jobs. GDP has been at a record high.” —Adrienne Elrod
“[Trump] also made it very clear … that if he doesn’t win this election, there will be a bloodbath. … He said that in his own words. … It’s also a statement of fact.” —Adrienne Elrod
“Crime went up under Donald Trump’s presidency. Crime is down under Joe Biden’s presidency. Donald Trump doesn’t care about crime. He doesn’t care about border security.” —Biden campaign communications director Michael Tyler
“This is a president who has gotten more done in his first term than any president in modern history.” —Biden campaign senior advisor TJ Ducklo
“Trump is a existential, urgent threat to our democracy. He promises to rule as a dictator on day one.” —TJ Ducklo
Fearmongering
“I’m concerned about the safety of so many people in this country, particularly people of color. … [Trump supporters] are taking him up on his threats even before the elections take place. And so it’s about thousands, maybe millions of people, you know, being threatened and being at risk because of Donald Trump and his desire to wreak revenge on anything and everybody.” —Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA)
“Two years ago, the Supreme Court justices that Trump handpicked helped overturn Roe v. Wade. … For MAGA Republicans, Roe is just the beginning. They’re going to try to ban the right to choose nationwide. They’re coming for IVF and birth control next. We’re up against extremism. Send me back to the White House and I’ll fight like hell to restore Roe v. Wade and protect American freedom.” —Joe Biden
Braying Jenny
“I think they’ve gone rogue.” —Rep. Nancy Pelosi on the Supreme Court
Non Sequitur
“The final reports are in on the Uvalde tragedy. 376 armed officers were outside that classroom. For one hour and 17 minutes. And they did nothing. Final proof that more guns in our schools will not keep our kids safe.” —Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT)
Pot Calling the Kettle Black
“For conservatives and delusional California bashers, their success depends on our failure. They want to impeach the very things that have made us successful, as a tactic to turn America toward a darker future. They do so in the name of ‘liberty’ and ‘freedom.’ They want to roll back social progress, social justice, racial justice, economic justice, clean air, clean water, and basic fundamental fairness. They would cleave America from the principles of freedom and the rule of law. And in the process, throw our economy and, in many respects, society as we’ve known it into chaos.” —California Governor Gavin Newsom
Praetorian Guard
“The killing of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Houston has become the latest crime seized on by Republicans to attack President Biden over his immigration policies.” —The New York Times
Unreal Spin
“Infant mortality rate rose 8% in wake of Texas abortion ban, study shows.” —Associated Press (Meanwhile, the mortality rate for abortions is 100%.)
Hot Air
“[We] created this wonderful quality of life for so many people by burning ancient carbon, ancient swamps, coal, oil, gas. We just got to stop doing that.” —Bill Nye
Belly Laughs of the Week
“Joe Biden doesn’t have any concerns about his mental fitness.” —Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu
“I am all in for President Biden because I think he’s done a good job and I think he has earned the right to be reelected to continue the work he’s doing to better position our country.” —Hillary Clinton
Former FBI special agent Nicole Parker discusses President Biden’s answer to the CNN Presidential Debate’s border topic on ‘Cavuto Live.’ #foxnews Subscribe …
President Joe Biden, 81, attempted to debate Donald Trump on Thursday. Given the fact that Democrats are now openly speculating about replacing Biden as the party’s nominee, it’s fair to say the president failed to reassure voters that he is fit to serve another four years in office. Alas, he does not seem very open to the idea of dropping out for the good of the country.
President Joe Biden and Republican candidate Donald Trump indicated that the country is headed for an imminent collapse, wrote entrepreneur and former owner of the largest file-sharing site Megaupload, Kim Dotcom, on the social network X.
Joe Biden should be replaced as US president, having shown he is“not up to the task”during his debate with Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson has said.
The US president’s performance in his first election face-off with Trump on Thursday was widely viewed as a disaster. The 81-year-old appeared frail and confused, struggling to finish his sentences and mixing up words. According to media reports, Democrats were“panicking”after the debate, and some donors have demanded that the president be dropped from the party’s ticket for the November 5 election.
“I would be panicking too if I were a Democrat today and that was my nominee. I think they know they have a serious problem,”Johnson told journalists on Thursday.
The Republican politician argued that Biden should not only withdraw from the race, but also be immediately removed from office.
“It’s not just political. It’s not just the Democratic Party. It’s the entire country. We have a serious problem here, because we have a president who, by all appearances, is not up to the task,”he said.
Johnson said Biden’s administration could force him to step down by invoking the 25th Amendment – which states that the vice president and cabinet members can vote to declare the president“unable to discharge the powers and the duties of his office,”making the VP the acting head of state. If the commander-in-chief refuses to comply, the final decision on the issue would be made by Congress. The amendment has never been used in US history.
“There are a lot of people asking about the 25th Amendment, invoking the 25th Amendment right now because this is an alarming situation,”the House speaker stressed.
Due to Biden’s mental condition,“our adversaries see the weakness in this White House as we all do. I take no pleasure in saying that.”
“I think this is a very dangerous situation… And it needs to be regarded and handled as such. And we hope that they will do their duty, as we all seek to do our duty to do best for theAmerican
people,”Johnson stated.“I would ask the Cabinet members to search their hearts.”
The results of a poll by Morning Consult, published by the news website Axios on Friday, suggested that 60% of the voters believe Biden should“definitely”or“probably”be replaced as the Democratic presidential nominee following his disappointing performance in the debate.
National security concerns are rising as the Biden administration’s apparent experiment with open southern and northern borders has facilitated the greatest illegal alien invasion this nation has ever seen. Customs data suggests that at least 10 million migrants have crossed into the US illegally during Biden’s first term. Alarming data shows a spike in military-aged men and dangerous terror-watch list suspects who have also illegally crossed the border or been apprehended.
Democrats have rolled out the red carpet for illegal aliens while gaslighting the American people and blaming everyone but themselves for the migrant crisis. The White House has been watching its polling data slide and decided late last month to sign an executive order to limit the number of illegals flooding the nation.
However, any efforts by the White House or Democrats to salvage their reputations after the biggest policy blunder in a generation are likely too late. The damage is irreversible, with 10 million illegals roaming the country freely. In recent weeks, the nation has been shocked by some migrants committing heinous crimes, including the rape and murder of young American women.
The rise in illegal crossings and suspected terrorist encounters at the southern border has been enough of a red flag for the Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) to release an open letter of concern about the “current heightened risk of terrorist attacks against targets inside the United States and both US and allied interests abroad.”
Here’s SOAA’s full letter, dated June 25:
June 25, 2024
An Open Letter of Concern,
Special Operations Association of America (SOAA) represents thousands of Army Rangers and Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Marine Raiders, Air Force Air Commandos, and other special operators who have fought and currently serve on behalf of our nation. We are gravely concerned by the current heightened risk of terrorist attacks against targets inside the United States and both US and allied interests abroad. Our complete withdrawal from Afghanistan, without a viable stay-behind or over-the-horizon counterterrorism and intelligence capability to suppress threats, has created a vacuum in the region in which anti-American terrorist groups, such as al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, are flourishing once again.
New Highs of Nonsense Californian Democrats have opted to delay increasing health care worker minimum wage increase in order to help balance the budget. Mind you, they had no problem increasing the minimum wage of fast food workers high enough to actually put some of them out of business, but health care workers appear not to be so valuable to the Democrats. I couldn’t figure out the logic of increasing the minimum wage in the first place, but why it doesn’t apply to important folks like health care workers eludes me.
Mixed Messages Last weekend there were some 14 mass shootings with some 12 people killed. The headlines bemoan the “mass shootings across the U.S.” And that’s bad. It is odd, though, that on the same day, that article came out, the FBI reported that active shooting incidents declined by 4% in 2023. Mixed messages. You see, the nature of the news is to tell the sensational. Unfortunately, the recipients of this information take it as “normal”, and we come away traumatized by the “mass shootings across the country” that are part of, as it turns out, a decline. It seems really close to terrorism to me.
On the Plus Side It doesn’t always have to be bad, does it? I came across this story about a woman who saw a vase in the National Museum that looked a lot like a $4 vase she got at a thrift store. She took it to the Mexican Embassy in Washington and discovered it was an actual Mayan piece of pottery. So … she returned it to the Mexican authorities. Very nice. Or how about the story of Ed Dwight. Ed was selected for the Air Force training program for NASA astronauts in 1961. He hoped to be the first black astronaut in space. He was ultimately not selected, but he is now lined up with Blue Origin to go to space … at 90. Nice to see that sometimes dreams do come true.
A Standard Standard? I didn’t quite understand this story. Apparently a woman on an airplane posted a video of a man cheating on his wife. Not clear at all how she knew or why she thought she should post it or why the media picked it up, but haven’t we already established that morality is relative and whatever a person lusts for is good and should be celebrated and not judged? So confused.
Heat Wave Casualty The heat wave this last week had a sad casualty. A wax statue of President Abraham Lincoln melted in Washington D.C. Just goes to show, they don’t make ’em like they used to, eh? Bet they’ll blame this on white supremacy, too?
The Debate It happened. Meh. I don’t think I’ve ever learned anything from a presidential debate that I didn’t already know.
See Follows Bee Los Angeles opened a luxury high-rise homeless shelter with $600,000 units (actual story), prompting a father to warn his son that if he didn’t study hard, he could end up homeless with a free luxury room … and vodka shots. The reason I decided to skip the presidential debate was that the White House warned in advance that any live video of Biden looking confused or senile was a deepfake, so why bother? Finally, a pastor who makes $17,000 a year was shocked to learn he was only in it for the money. Everyone knows that.
A post-debate poll has found that a massive 68 percent majority of independent voters want Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race.
Just 32 percent of independents told the Daily Mail/JL Partners snap poll that they want him to remain in the race.
According to the Daily Mail, “30 percent of people who voted for Biden in 2020 concluded that Trump won the debate.”
“And the poll found that even among Biden 2020 voters some 41 percent said it was time to find a new nominee,” the report added.
James Johnson, Co-Founder of J.L. Partners, said of the results, “Voters are not surprised by Biden’s performance: We know from other DailyMail.com polling that people expected him to perform poorly and think he is old and incompetent.”
“But this was his chance to right that perception and instead he confirmed it—and then some,” Johnson added. “Where this goes now is anyone’s guess, but looking at these numbers it looks like Joe Biden cannot beat Donald Trump among independents.”
Johnson concluded, “If you can’t win the voters in the middle, you can’t win the White House.”
There was also an eight-point swing after the debate.
“Some 40 percent said they planned to vote for Trump and 28 percent for Biden before the debate. Those numbers shifted to 44 percent opting for Trump and 24 percent for Biden after the debate, an eight-point swing,” the report explained.
Many Democrats, including the New York Times editorial board, have called for Biden to exit the race after the debate.
Biden has maintained that he does not intend to drop out and will be at the next debate in September.
NEW YORK, NY — Journalists from media outlets around the country are reeling from shock after Biden’s performance in the presidential debate, caught completely off guard by the President’s steep mental decline.
“There were no warning signs. None,” said MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough. “Up until the very moment the debate started, President Biden has been the picture of vitality and intelligence. He has never before lost his train of thought, stared into the abyss with his mouth gaping, mumbled incoherently for extended periods, or made nonsensical statements like ‘We beat Medicare’. It’s all so shocking – shocking, I tell you.”
Members of the White House Press Corps, having never reported a single instance of Biden faltering in the past four years, were equally stunned. “Biden’s debate performance was entirely out of the blue,” explained Tyler Page of the Washington Post. “There were no pointers that his mental capacity was impaired in the slightest before the debate. I mean, I’m just thinking back over the past few months…D-Day…the G7 Summit…the Juneteenth concert…yeah, there’s really just nothing that would indicate that he wasn’t at tip-top performance leading into the debate. It was just so unlike Joe Biden”
At publishing time, journalists had been further flabbergasted to hear that the President had told several egregious lies during the debate, as he had always been completely honest up until that point.
Bob Boeing, the founder of Boeing, explains how the number 1 priority for the airline manufacturer is diversity.
WASHINGTON, DC — Following the disastrous Presidential debate, First Lady Jill Biden announced she will not drop out of the race despite growing calls from within the party to do so.
“Over my husband’s dead body!” Ms. Biden declared. “The nomination is MINE. You hear me, Joe Scarborough? MINE! Now get back to work, fools!”
Many on the left have called for President Biden to step down after his mental decline was put on national display, however Jill Biden has forcefully declined. “Joe isn’t going anywhere!” screamed Ms. Biden as a frightened Joe tried to appeal for help. “Shut up, Joe! I didn’t drag your bag of bones through primary season to quit now. Get a juice box and get back on stage”!
With even liberal outlets like the New York Times calling for Biden to step aside for a younger, living candidate, the Biden campaign has thus far remained unmoved. A defiant Jill Biden returned the campaign trail Thursday in an effort to reassure supporters she is still in the game. “Look how alive Joe looks! Who’s a good boy?! We’re not going anywhere. Four more years!”
As of publishing time, Jill Biden announced Joe would be placed in a cryogenic sleep until after the election and she would continue to run the country in the interim.
Bob Boeing, the founder of Boeing, explains how the number 1 priority for the airline manufacturer is diversity.
Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to discuss foreign adversaries mocking the U.S. after the debate. #foxnews Subscribe to Fox News! …
“We cannot stand with Roman Catholics, Modalists, Prosperity Gospel preachers, many Charismatics, and adherents to doctrines that pervert the grace of God and reject the doctrine of the penal substitutionary atonement. Jude 1:4 says these people who deny our Master are condemned. Scripture is very clear that we should not associate with these people.”
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