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
29.—And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me another vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.—2 Kings 4:6.
Do I not see Jesus and his fulness here? His giving out never ceaseth, until we have no more empty vessels to receive. And surely it is but proper the oil of grace should stay when there are no more souls to be supplied. Pity indeed would it be, that any thing so precious should be spilt on the ground. My soul, art thou not poor as this poor woman? Is the creditor come to take thee for bondage? Cry mightily to Jesus, the Lord God of the prophets. And wilt thou borrow vessels to receive his bounty? Borrow not a few; for every vessel must fail before that Jesus fails. Hast thou filled all? See then that thy Almighty Creditor is paid from Jesus’ bounty; for he hath paid all thy debt: and see that thou live henceforth on Jesus’ fulness. Oh, bountiful Lord! let me learn from hence sweet lessons of faith. There is no narrowness in thee, but all fulness. All thou hast, moreover, is for sinners. And, precious Lord! art thou not glorified in giving out to sinners? Is it not thy glory, thy delight, so to do? Art thou not pleased when sinners come to thee? Oh, for grace to come to thee, and to know and believe that it is thy glory and thy pleasure to receive them. Indeed, indeed thou keepest open house—an open hand, an open heart. Lord, give me daily, hourly, to come empty to thee to be filled, with grace here, and glory hereafter!1
Yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God: they ask of me the ordinances of justice: they take delight in approaching to God.—Isaiah 58:2.
My soul! when thou readest a scripture like this, which, as far as the outward observance of religion goes, seems to carry a fair face, and concerning those who came upto this standard, the world calls them very good sort of people; but concerning them the Lord speaks most awfully. Persons of this complexion do not venture to say that they hope to be found before God without sin; for they will tell you, that they know “we have all sinned and come short of God’s glory:” but their faith is, that for their sins they have endeavoured to repent, and made amends; and they hope Christ will make up the deficiency. They have not been as many others; and in point of doing, they have done a great deal more: so that if they do not go to heaven, they know not who will. As to ordinances, as this scripture represents, they profess to seek the Lord daily, as a nation that does righteousness, and that takes delight in approaching to God. “Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? Wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest no knowledge?” Mark, my soul, the awful feature of such characters, and behold what is the leading principle in the religion of those who are not openly profane. Here are no cries for sin, no concern for the sufferings of Jesus; no inquiries for redemption in his blood; neither any heartfelt acquaintance with the teachings and humblings of the soul by the Holy Ghost. Doth God bid his sent servants to cry aloud, and spare not, in showing “his people” their transgressions, and “the house of Jacob” their sins? And can such as these be found righteous in his sight? Oh! for the warning voice, to bid them flee from the wrath to come! Had I the power of persuasion, I should say, “My poor, deluded, self-righteous brother! rouse from this carnal security and vain confidence. If salvation be of works, then is it no more of faith. And if any thing but the blood of Christ can cleanse from sin, or any thing but the righteousness of Christ justify the sinner, then must all the threatenings of the gospel be void, and all the promises be altered.” Blessed be the Lord that teacheth thee, my soul, to profit, and hath fully, finally, and completely established thee in this decisive truth, that “there is salvation in no other but in Jesus only: neither is there any other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”1
“I found him whom my soul loveth: I held him, and would not let him go.”
—Song of Solomon 3:4
Does Christ receive us when we come to him, notwithstanding all our past sinfulness? Does he never chide us for having tried all other refuges first? And is there none on earth like him? Is he the best of all the good, the fairest of all the fair? Oh, then let us praise him! Daughters of Jerusalem, extol him with timbrel and harp! Down with your idols, up with the Lord Jesus. Now let the standards of pomp and pride be trampled under foot, but let the cross of Jesus, which the world frowns and scoffs at, be lifted on high. O for a throne of ivory for our King Solomon! Let him be set on high for ever, and let my soul sit at his footstool, and kiss his feet, and wash them with my tears. Oh, how precious is Christ! How can it be that I have thought so little of him? How is it I can go abroad for joy or comfort when he is so full, so rich, so satisfying. Fellow believer, make a covenant with thine heart that thou wilt never depart from him, and ask thy Lord to ratify it. Bid him set thee as a signet upon his finger, and as a bracelet upon his arm. Ask him to bind thee about him, as the bride decketh herself with ornaments, and as the bridegroom putteth on his jewels. I would live in Christ’s heart; in the clefts of that rock my soul would eternally abide. The sparrow hath made a house, and the swallow a nest for herself where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God; and so too would I make my nest, my home, in thee, and never from thee may the soul of thy turtle dove go forth again, but may I nestle close to thee, O Jesus, my true and only rest.
AND there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
22 Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.
These Greeks did well to desire to see the great teacher, and we shall do still better if in all our attendances, upon religious worship our chief desire shall be to see Jesus. We should desire this that we may know him better, trust him more readily, and become more like him. We miss the end of public worship if we fail to see Jesus.
23, 24 And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. (Our Lord showed that he could only reach his mediatorial glory through death, and he then went on to teach the Greeks, and us, that, in like manner, by self-denial only can any of us attain to glory.)
25, 26 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.
27 Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.
28 Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.
29 The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.
30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.
This was the third time the heavenly voice had borne witness to him. First, when as our Priest he commenced his life-work at his baptism; a second time upon the mount of transfiguration, when his Father said “Hear ye him,” thus marking him out as the prophet long foretold; and now a third time when he had just entered Jerusalem as King. Thus in each of his three offices the Father bare witness concerning him.
31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
32, 33 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. (Thus by his death Satan is conquered and cast down from the seat of power, and souls are saved by myriads).
34 The people answered him, We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever: and how sayest thou, The Son of man must be lifted up? who is this Son of man?
35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.
36 While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Matthew 21:17
AND he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
He loved the quiet of the village and the domestic love of the household of Lazarus. Those of us who are wise will find in retirement our strength for public service.
9 This verse states the principle of the following sections and gives the first illustration of it. The principle is that companionship is better than isolation, and it follows from the negative example of the lonely miser given in the previous section. The principle is easily stated in the form of a “better-than proverb” that two are better than one. There is nothing in this verse or section to restrict its application to marriage as some, like Gordis, would have us believe. Indeed, Qohelet’s conflicting, but sometimes less than enamored (7:28), comments about the opposite sex work against seeing this principle as exclusively or primarily referring to marriage.
The language of the first example found in this verse is economic (return … toil), and leads one to think that Qohelet has a business partner in mind here, even though it must be admitted that what Qohelet means by return here is ambiguous. While it could mean that they get larger profits, it could also, in the words of Franz Delitzsch, refer to “the pleasant consciousness of doing good to the other by his labour, and especially of being helpful to him.” According to Delitzsch, this is the “idea of the reward of faithful fellowship.”1
4:9Two are better than one. For all the difficulties that relationships involve, Qoheleth recognizes them as an essential part of life and sees the hard work of relationships as worth the effort. Benefits come both from the help we receive from others and from the opportunities that relationships provide for helping others. Human beings are designed to function in community rather than in independence and autonomy, and the benefits that relationships provide are many.2
Ver. 9.—Koheleth dwells upon the evils of isolation, and contrasts with them the comfort of companionship. Two are better than one. Literally, the clause refers to the two and the one mentioned in the preceeling verse (Ἀγαθοὶ οἱ δύο ὑπὲρ τόν ἔνα, Septuagint); but the gnome is true in general. “Two heads are better than one,” says our proverb. Because (asher here conjunctive, not relative) they have a good reward for their labour. The joint labours of two produce much more effect than the efforts of a solitary worker. Companionship is helpful and profitable. Ginsburg quotes the rabbinical sayings, “Either friendship or death;” and “A man without friends is like a left hand without the right.” Thus the Greek gnome—
Ἀνὴρ γὰρ ἄνδρα, καὶ πόλις σώζει πόλιν.
“Man helps his fellow, city city saves.”
Χεὶρ χεῖρα νίπτει δάκτυλός τε δάκτυλον.
“Hand cleanseth hand, and finger cleanseth finger.”
(Comp. Prov. 17:17; 27:17; Ecclus. 6:14.) So Christ sent out his apostles two and two (Mark 6:7).3
9.Toil is very unspecific; whatever responsibilities or pursuits may be undertaken, companionship will help surmount the difficulties. Reward (śākār) often means ‘wages’, but a more general usage is found (Gen. 15:1; 2 Chr. 15:7; Ps. 127:3); here it refers to the success that comes through co-operation.4
Isaiah asked two questions, the first in verse 1, “Who is he that cometh from Edom, from Bozrah?” This is the geographical location of Petra in southern Jordan. To this question the Lord responds with, “I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save”.
In verse 2 the second question, “Why is his apparel stained with ‘red’ like him that treadeth in the winefat?” The Lord responds to this question, verse 3, “I have trodden the winepress alone”. The Lord said, their blood will be sprinkled upon His garments, “for the day of his vengeance is come verse 4. It is in verse 4 that the Lord finishes the thought of Isaiah 61:2.
This prophetic account is what will happen after the Lord goes to the Jezreel Valley at the time of the “Battle of Armageddon.” After all the enemies are destroyed by Jesus Christ, He makes the trip to Petra, traveling the 176 miles predicted by John in Revelation 14:19-20.
The blood rises as high as the “horse bridles” for that trip. The blood comes from the bodies of the hundreds of millions of men who die on the “battle field”. This will be a terrible time in history.
By the way, it is 176 miles from Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley to the entrance of Petra, the place “prepared by God” to protect the Jewish people in the last three and a half years in the Tribulation Period, Revelation 12:6.
This is the end time scenario of this terrible time of the end and the death of those who follow Satan instead of Jesus. It is a time when some of our loved ones may well be there because they have never trusted Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.
Here’s some pictures from my recent time in Petra with Jimmy DeYoung:
Isaiah 62:7-9 — The lovingkindness of the Lord (Isaiah 62:7) is demonstrated by His work as Savior (Isaiah 62:8) and by redeeming His people (Isaiah 62:9). How did He redeem us (Isaiah 53:5-6)? The Suffering Servant of Isaiah 53 is the LORD, the Redeemer of Isaiah 62:9.
Isaiah 64:4 — Quoted in 1 Corinthians 2:4, but what’s so amazing is that this promise is for sinners (Isaiah 64:5-7)! We’ll see what this promise is all about when we get to Isaiah 65:17-18 (Revelation 21:1-2).
Isaiah 65:5 — God doesn’t care for those who are “holier than thou.”
Philippians 2:20 — Paul was proud of Timothy. Servant in the gospel (Philippians 2:22). Naturally caring (Philippians 2:20).
He that believeth shall not make haste.Isaiah 28:16
He shall make haste to keep the Lord’s commandments; but he shall not make haste in any impatient or improper sense.
He shall not haste to run away, for he shall not be overcome with the fear which causes panic. When others are flying hither and thither as if their wits had failed them, the believer shall be quiet, calm, and deliberate, and so shall be able to act wisely in the hour of trial.
He shall not haste in his expectations, craving his good things at once and on the spot, but he will wait God’s time. Some are in a desperate hurry to have the bird in the hand, for they regard the Lord’s promise as a bird in the bush, not likely to be theirs. Believers know how to wait..
He shall not haste by plunging into wrong or questionable action. Unbelief must be doing something, and thus it works its own undoing; but faith makes no more haste than good speed, and thus it is not forced to go back sorrowfully by the way which it followed heedlessly.
How is it with me? Am I believing, and am I therefore keeping to the believer’s pace, which is walking with God? Peace, fluttering spirit! Oh, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him! Heart, see that thou do this at once!
The late theologian J. I. Packer, when talking about how God is constantly using afflictions and pain to mold us, said it so well: “God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away. To live with your ‘thorn’ uncomplainingly — that is, sweet, patient, and free in heart to love and help others, even though every day you feel weak — is true sanctification. It is true healing for the spirit. It is a supreme victory of grace.”1
While nobody wants pain and afflictions in the economy of God they are, simply put, His “chisel” and often His chief tool to help us grow spiritually and learn to become more dependent on Jesus. In our world, where independence is often touted as a virtue, in the spirit world, dependence on Jesus is not only a wise decision, but essential if we want to experience peace, joy, and meaning.
Just as an artist uses a chisel to smooth out the rough edges of his sculpture and break off parts of the clay that are not necessary, God uses pain and affliction to help us lean more on Jesus, but also to get rid of many of our character flaws such as impatience, bitterness, envy, and self-centeredness. Learning to be more dependent on Jesus and less on ourselves sometimes can only happen when God puts us through the crucible of affliction.
So Christian, what about you? Are you suffering from an illness? Have you recently lost your job? Or has your wife just had a miscarriage? In all of these situations God has allowed them to happen because God has a master plan in which He wants to use your tragedy for His glory. Our role is to trust God that He will use our suffering in unique ways if we just turn them over to Him. So, rather than question God in these above cases with the refrain: “why me,” I much prefer to ask God how can you use these negatives to bless others and make me a God glorifying vessel.
For the Christian, sadly, without understanding that God always has a purpose in suffering, he or she can become bitter at God, especially if tragedy strikes when we believe we are doing the will of God. I believe that when suffering comes our way, we need to trust God that He has a divine plan for ultimate good. And if we allow Him, we can use the suffering we go through as an opportunity to bring Him glory. So, for the Christian we can use suffering to either grow more reliant and closer to God or bitter and away from Him. If we choose the latter, we lose the only chance we have to truly overcome our afflictions because without the help of the Lord we are on our own and are destined to come up short.
One final thought. When we really understand that God works all things together for good (Romans 8:28) we will be able to truly rejoice and be thankful for the afflictions that come our way since they are after all pathways to blessings and opportunities to glorify Jesus!
“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Prophecy is being fulfilled, and that can be a very frightening thing to watch if you don’t follow Biblical prophecy. The One World Order is almost here, and wickedness is taking over everything, including our pulpits. God’s truth is seldom honored, and people are turning away from Christianity. Jesus told us that things would get progressively worse as the final days approach.
When His disciples asked Him about the end of the age, Jesus told of things to come. Remember, they were not asking about the Rapture because they didn’t even know there would be an ekklesia (the church). They were more concerned about when Jesus would rule the world. Jesus answered their questions, and we can see the things He described are intensifying. Specifically, He was talking to Jewish men about the very end of days. Today, as we approach the Rapture, we can see the events coming into focus.
“And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many” (Matthew 24:11).
There are many, many false teachings in this world, and those who don’t know God’s truth are suckered in by their lies. All roads do not lead to Heaven. Only faith in Jesus Christ will make a person righteous and able to stand before God. The Bible is the only place to find instructions for a life that honors God. It’s been described as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth. Christianity isn’t a religion; it’s a way of life. Compare all things you hear or read to Scripture. If the teaching doesn’t line up with Scripture, trust Scripture and throw away the lie.
“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold’’ (Matthew 24:12).
Iniquity is a condition without law; contempt and violation of law, and wickedness. Do we see that coming about today? We certainly do. I still cannot wrap my mind around the violent riots that burned businesses and killed people, all because a criminal died at the hands of the police. That should never have happened, but the resulting iniquity was demonic and beyond evil. Then I think of the cold-hearted events against citizens of Israel on October 7, 2023, and I’m sickened. Not only was the attack pure evil, but the reaction of many people was cold-hearted iniquity. Bible prophecy tells us these things will happen, and we shouldn’t live in fear.
“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).
Trust in the Lord, and show His love to others.
Many Christians are uninterested in prophecy, yet they watch the false prophets of the secular news media preaching their mistruths. Things that once were very confusing and hard to understand are becoming very clear. For years, people have said that prophecy is just allegory. As life unfolds, we can see that God’s word was and is truth. Things that were impossible to understand even 5 years ago are crystal clear now. For instance, the Mark of the Beast. When John was given the Revelation, how could anyone understand people receiving a mark that would allow a person to buy and sell? It wasn’t until 2019 that this mystery began to be clear. People were forced to take a shot and wear a mask. There is much controversy over the shot, and I believe it was all a ploy to make people trust government mandates rather than God.
“Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD” (Proverbs 29:26).
We now see many health issues that can be directly traced to the shot. Now, Elon Musk has a plan for his Starlink satellites. They are making a grid all around the world so everybody can be tracked and monitored. Soon, a tiny chip will be inserted into a person’s hand or forehead which will be read by these satellites. These chips will allow thoughts to be read and altered. Billy Crone has done much research on the subject, and here’s a link to some information from him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzu9SILMBPA.
Now isn’t the time to turn away from God but to draw nearer and closer to Him. Scripture has been proven true many times, and Biblical prophecy is becoming clearer every day.
“We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation” (2 Peter 1:19-20).
Why don’t people study Bible prophecy? It’s a very good witnessing tool. The coming one world leader is counting on the fact that “Christians” are ignorant of Scripture, especially prophecy. This coming world leader is powered by Satan, who is the father of lies. Don’t be ignorant of truth, or you will fall for his lies.
As I write this commentary, the WHO and the UN are meeting to conspire to become the rulers of the world. This will be a huge step in prophecy and making way for the Great Tribulation. America will soon vote for who we want to lead our nation for 4 more years. The takeover by the WHO has been in the works for a number of years, and Donald Trump removed the US from being a part of this organization. Unfortunately, Biden put us back into it, and Harris supports it. Brothers and sisters, wake up. Don’t be “woke,” but wake up to God’s truth and stand firm on His word.
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil” (Proverbs 3:7).
If the preacher where you worship avoids prophecy, skips over the moral Scriptures, and doesn’t stand firm on Scripture, you’re in the wrong congregation. Study Scripture in order to discern truth from lies. God does love us, but if a person can claim to be a Christian while living their life pridefully in opposition to God’s truth, then we need to avoid that person or, in love, draw them back to God’s truth. You will be labeled a “hater,” but it’s better to be called names than to accept the evil in the world. We can’t expect a non-Christian to follow God’s truth, but the ways of the world should never be allowed to influence a Christian congregation.
“For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them.” Ephesians 5:5-7.
This isn’t hard to understand. Christians are to be separate from the world and totally given to God and His ways. “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).
A modern-day example would be if your pastor invites a drag queen to lead the service and walk out. Reprove that preacher with Scripture and have no part in the evil.
It is troublesome living in this day and age. I cannot understand how blind people are to the evil. Most people can feel the evil around but can’t recognize where it comes from. Christians are called to witness to the unbelievers.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Jesus is the Light of the world, and His light shines through Christians. If we hide His light, then shame on us.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).
Don’t be ashamed of Christ. The power of the Holy Spirit is sealed within every true Christian, and when we speak His truth in love, that power shines in the darkness.
“We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed: we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken, cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).
Jesus never said it would be easy, and history shows that Christians have been persecuted for our faith. Thank God for those strong Christians who faced lions rather than deny Christ. Can that happen today? Christians are being persecuted daily, and many are being martyred. Our strength is found in Christ.
Christians do have the blessed hope found in Jesus and His truth. We are seeing the prophetic events of the Tribulation beginning to become intense, and it will get worse. Christians won’t see the Tribulation.
“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14).
We will all be called Home prior to the worst time in human history. Until then, don’t let the troubles in this world overwhelm you. Draw closer to God and honor Christ in all you do. Good works won’t bring salvation, but they will help you to be an example to this fallen world.
Don’t sit around wringing your hands in despair. Rather, show God’s love.
IDF Spokesperson: We will soon strike buildings where Hezbollah is hiding missiles IDF Spokesperson Daniel Hagari on Friday evening provided an update to the public and stated that Israel is going to imminently strike three buildings in Beirut where Hezbollah has been hiding anti-ship missiles. Hagari called on the residents of these three buildings to evacuate immediately. “Hezbollah has over 150,000 rockets, meant to kill Israeli civilians, some are strategically placed beneath civilian populations,” he said. “We have called on Lebanese civilians in specific buildings in the Dahieh neighborhood to move away from areas being used by Hezbollah. The IDF is defending Israel from Hezbollah. We are not in conflict with the people of Lebanon,”
Israeli forces say head of Hamas in southern Syria killed in strike The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced Saturday morning that it eliminated the head of the Hamas terrorist network in southern Syria. The Israeli Air Force struck Ahmad Muhammad Fahd following intelligence conducted by the IDF. Fahd was responsible for carrying out terror attacks against IDF troops and Israel from the area of southern Syria, including by firing projectiles toward the Golan Heights area, according to the IDF.
Netanyahu declares at UN: ‘The torch of Israel will shine forever – Am Yisrael Chai’ The prime minister began by condemning the attacks on October 7th, when terrorists infiltrated Israel, committing what he described as “unimaginable atrocities.” He vowed, “We will not rest until the remaining hostages are safely returned.” Accompanied by family members of the hostages, Netanyahu pledged, “We will bring your loved ones home. We will not stop until this mission is accomplished.” He emphasized the pivotal choices facing the Middle East, presenting two potential futures: one of normalization with Arab nations, and the other of ongoing conflict fueled by Iran and its allies. “Israel seeks peace, Israel makes peace, and Israel will make peace again,” he declared, underscoring Israel’s commitment to stability in the region.
Khamenei transferred to a ‘safe place’ Shortly after the IDF confirmed the assassination of Hezbollah’s Secretary General, it was reported that the Supreme Leader of Iran ‘was moved to a safe place with enhanced security measures.’
Netanyahu on Nasrallah elimination: These are important days, an historic turning point Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday night related to the elimination of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, calling him the “central engine” of Iran’s axis of evil. Beginning his speech, Netanyahu quoted, “‘If someone rises up to kill you – rise up early and kill him first.’ Yesterday, the State of Israel eliminated the mass murderer Hassan Nasrallah.
Hamas: Nasrallah elimination strengthens struggle against Israel Hamas claimed that Nasrallah “fell martyr on his way to Allah.””We express our honest condolences, comfort, and solidarity with the Lebanese nation, our brothers, and our brothers in Hezbollah and in the Islamic resistance in Lebanon,” the Hamas statement read.
‘Operation New Order’: Everything known about the strike that killed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah The IDF and Hezbollah confirmed on Saturday that the terror group’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in a massive airstrike on the group’s headquarters in the Dahiyeh district of Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Friday evening. Along with Nasrallah, Ali Karaki, the commander of Hezbollah’s southern front was killed, as well as Brig.-Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, a high-ranking officer in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) Quds Force, and several other Hezbollah commanders.
Sinwar runs scared after Nasrallah assassination, changes location in Gaza Yahya Sinwar and senior Hamas officials are running scared after the wave of assassinations in Lebanon. Al Arabiya reports Saturday that, after the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Sinwar changed his location in Gaza. It was also reported that in recent days Hamas has changed security protocols for the organization’s leader in the Gaza Strip.
At least 64 dead after Helene’s deadly march across the Southeast Massive rains from powerful Hurricane Helene left people stranded, without shelter and awaiting rescue, as the cleanup began from a tempest that killed at least 64 people, caused widespread destruction across the U.S. Southeast and knocked out power to millions of people.
Popular tourist attraction left decimated after Hurricane Helene slammed Florida Cedar Key was blasted by the power of the Category 4 hurricane as it hit the small island, which sits less than 10 feet above sea level in Levy County. A resident said he expects the recovery of the small community and the island as a whole to take years. “I expect there to be a mass exodus. There will be no services here for months. There’s no stores. No restaurants. It’s over,” he said grimly.
Western North Carolina cut off by ‘historic’ flooding in Helene aftermath Road closures caused by surging rivers, disrupted Internet and downed cellphone connections in the wake of Hurricane Helene on Saturday isolated western North Carolina in what officials are calling a “catastrophic natural disaster.”
The American Drug Mules Smuggling Fentanyl Into the U.S. Mexican drug cartels are turning thousands of Americans into fentanyl mules, deploying a torrent of couriers who can easily cross back and forth into their own country. More than 80 percent of the people sentenced for fentanyl trafficking at the southern border are U.S. citizens, federal data shows.
Iran’s Senior IRGC officer among the dead in Israeli strike on Beirut that killed Nasrallah Gen. Abbas Nilforoushan, deputy commander of Guards operations, was killed in Israel’s attack on Lebanon that assassinated the Hezbollah chief. Ahmad Reza Pour Khaghan, deputy head of Iran’s judiciary, confirmed Nilforoushan’s death, describing him as a “guest to the people of Lebanon.” Khaghan also claimed Iran had the right to retaliate under international law. The killing of Nilforoushan further ratchets up pressure on Iran to respond.
Israel-Gaza-Lebanon live updates: Small-scale ‘border movements’ may have begun Small-scale operations or “border movements” into Lebanon to take out Hezbollah positions right on the border have begun or are about to, according to two U.S. officials. Israel does not yet appear to have fully decided whether to launch a ground operation but is prepared for one, the officials said. If a ground operation happens, its scope will likely be limited, sources said. The key is fulfilling the promise to Israelis that the tens of thousands displaced from northern Israel will be able to go home. To do that, decapitating Hezbollah is not enough, the officials said.
13K Illegal-alien Murderers Free in U.S.; Almost 650K Criminals Total Nearly 650,000 illegal-alien criminals are roaming American streets, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has confessed. In a letter to GOP U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales of Texas, ICE reported that almost 450,000 are convicted criminals, while another nearly 227,000 are criminal suspects. More than 13,000 are murderers, and more than 25,000 are sex fiends.
Hundreds rally in the streets of Paris to support world abortion rights Hundreds of people came out in Paris on Saturday, marching in support of the right to abortion for women across the world, just six months after France became the first country to guarantee in its constitution a woman’s right to voluntarily terminate a pregnancy.
Russia Updates Nuclear Doctrine Russia has updated its nuclear deterrence policy in an attempt to modernize its defense strategy in response to Western military and political actions. Under the new policy, Russia reserves the right to use nuclear weapons if it is attacked by a massive airstrike via drones, missiles, aircraft, etc., and it believes its sovereignty is threatened. Furthermore, such an attack on Russia by a non-nuclear power with the aid of a nuclear power (e.g., Ukraine using U.S., U.K., or French weapons and guidance) will be seen as an attack by a nuclear power and could merit a nuclear response.
Netanyahu Scolds UN in General Assembly Speech During a speech at the UN on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the UN General Assembly for its attacks against Israel, calling the organization a “swamp of anti-semitic bile” intent on demonizing the State of Israel. During his speech, Netanyahu issued a grave warning to Iranian leaders, stating: “I have a message for the tyrants of Tehran; if you strike us, we will strike you. There is no place in Iran that the long arm of Israel cannot reach, and that’s true of the entire Middle East.”
The Startling Metadata Hidden within the Polling: Voters Love Trump American Thinker partnered with Rasmussen polling to look at battleground states, plus a few blue states in which there seems to be a softening toward Trump. What emerged from the ten states was fascinating. In swing states, Trump and Kamala are close, although Trump seems to be pulling ahead. In blue states, Trump is closer than one would expect. Most amazingly, voters in all states, often by significant majorities, love Trump; they just don’t know it. On the kitchen table, bread-and-butter, money-in-the-bank, our-children’s-future issues, people accept the Republican view that Democrats have done a terrible job and Trump can do a better job.
How little does Israel trust the Biden-Harris administration? So little that it only provided information about its Beirut strike that took out the Hezbollah terror while it was underway.
The US had no advance warning of Israel’s strike on Hezbollah’s central headquarters in Dahiyeh, Beirut on Friday, the Pentagon said, and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin learned of the operation while it was underway during a phone call from Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
While “it was underway” is bad. Not even beforehand.
Israel was so concerned about either Hezbollah being tipped off or some sort of last-minute interference that it provided the information only once the attack was already underway.
The same thing happened with ‘Pagergeddon’. Defense Minister Galant called Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin minutes before the pagers began exploding and provided no details.
All of this is bad. It means that Israel doesn’t trust this administration and it means that a crucial defense relationship has decayed to the point where we don’t have timely intelligence about what’s going on.
This situation is even worse than it was under the Obama-Biden administration and the fact that the Biden-Harris administration has moved people into key defense positions who are either compromised or enemy operatives at the National Security Council and the Pentagon likely isn’t helping.
Every White House response to an Israeli action is to call for a ceasefire while the average response to an Islamic terrorist attack is to ignore it.
The Biden-Harris administration has made it publicly clear that it’s not sharing intelligence with Israel. It can’t be too surprised when Israel doesn’t share it right back.
A simple way to understand the secular left is that they want to be very generous with other people’s money, and very compassionate at the expense of other people’s safety. The Biden-Harris regime, for example, wants to let in millions of illegal immigrants. Many of those have serious criminal convictions, and many of them are facing serious criminal charges. And these criminals threaten YOU.
Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sex offenses and homicide convictions could be loose on the streets, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data provided to lawmakers this week.
The agency provided data to Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, about national data for illegal immigrants with criminal charges or convictions. The data, as of July 2024, is broken down by those in detention, and those who are not in detention — known as the non-detained docket. The non-detained docket includes illegal immigrants who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not detained in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket.
Pay attention to these numbers:
The data says that, among those not in detention, there are 425,431 convicted criminals and 222,141 with pending criminal charges.
Those include 62,231 convicted of assault, 14,301 convicted of burglary, 56,533 with drug convictions and 13,099 convicted of homicide. An additional 2,521 have kidnapping convictions and 15,811 have sexual assault convictions.
There are an additional 1,845 with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, 3,266 with burglary charges and 4,250 with assault charges.
“As of July 21, 2024, there were 662,566 noncitizens with criminal histories on ICE’s national docket—13,099 criminally convicted MURDERS!” Gonzales said in a statement. “Americans deserve to be SAFE in our own communities.”
And this – a sharp drop in deportations compared to the Trump administration’s policies:
The Biden administration came under fire for releasing many migrants who came to the U.S. border into the interior, which coincided with a sharp drop in deportations as it focused on prioritizing public safety and national security threats. There were 142,580 removals in FY 23, up considerably from 72,177 in FY 22 and 59,011 in FY 21, but still down from the highs of 267,258 under the Trump administration in FY 19.
Should we expect Harris-Walz to protect taxpayers from criminals? Or does their virtue-signaling take precedence over their responsibilities to protect taxpayers?
Let’s look at Tim Walz’s record. Do you remember how Tim Walz handled rioting and arson and violence in his state, when he was governor?
Minneapolis officials estimated the rioting and looting in 2020 cost the city around $55 million in damages. Rioters set fire to at least 220 buildings following George Floyd’s death in police custody. Estimates in 2021, a year after the riots, put the total cost of damage to both Minneapolis and St. Paul at $500 million, according to the Star Tribune. Many of the businesses damaged in the riots remained closed a year after the unrest.
And what about Kamala Harris? She put out a call on Twitter for people to donate money to bail criminals out – including ones who had previous convictions for violent crimes.
Kamala Harris wants donations to bail out violent criminals
Even if you put aside concerns about crime, there’s also the matter of costs. Illegal immigration costs money, and taxpayers have to foot the bill.
Daily Wire reports about the costs of illegal immigration for just one state – Mississippi:
Illegal immigration could cost Mississippi more than $100 million every year, a new report from the state’s auditor reveals.
[…]Mississippi’s healthcare system is hit particularly hard by illegal immigration, with the report estimating that the state spends a whopping $77 million on healthcare for illegal immigrants and their children every year. The report estimates the figure with data on the number of illegal immigrants in the state, their rate of health insurance, and their use of emergency medical services. It also found that Mississippi spends $4 million every year to pay for births to illegal immigrants, whose children are then designated as American citizens.
[…]The state auditor’s report indicates that illegal immigration poses a massive financial burden on the Mississippi education system as well.
“In K-12 spending alone, in total, Mississippi taxpayers likely pay $25 million to educate illegal immigrants each year,” it reads, also noting that an estimated 2,500 illegal immigrants are currently enrolled in the state’s K-12 education system. “This estimate does not include the cost to educate the US-citizen children born to illegal immigrants, which is difficult to estimate given the state’s inability to collect citizenship data for students and their families.”
So, just be careful what you vote for in November.
Two and a half years since the war began, we’ve finally come to the point where most of the Mockingbird Media is ready to call it quits, and openly admit the obvious: Russian Federation troops are winning the war.
Even in their cheerleading for Kiev, they have to admit that ‘if Ukraine and its Western backers are to win, they must first have the courage to admit that they are losing.’
“A measure of Ukraine’s declining fortunes is Russia’s advance in the east, particularly around the city of Pokrovsk.
[…] Ukraine is also struggling off the battlefield. Russia has destroyed so much of the power grid that Ukrainians will face the freezing winter with daily blackouts of up to 16 hours. People are tired of war. The army is struggling to mobilize and train enough troops to hold the line, let alone retake territory. There is a growing gap between the total victory many Ukrainians say they want, and their willingness or ability to fight for it.”
Another unmistakable realization is that abroad, ‘fatigue is setting in’, be it in Germany and France or in the United States.
“If Mr Zelensky continues to defy reality by insisting that Ukraine’s army can take back all the land Russia has stolen since 2014, he will drive away Ukraine’s backers and further divide Ukrainian society. Whether or not Mr Trump wins in November, the only hope of keeping American and European support and uniting Ukrainians is for a new approach that starts with leaders stating honestly what victory means.”
It’s become obvious that he does not have the men or arms to turn the war around.
In a different report, the same The Economist has to state that “With his army gradually losing ground, his people’s enthusiasm for the war flagging and Western support in doubt, Mr. Zelensky is in a bind.”
The article reminds Western readers that ‘since Ukraine recaptured the city of Kherson in late 2022, it has made almost no progress repelling Russia’s invasion’.
The summer offensive in 2023 was a failure, and now Moscow is closing in on several more Ukrainian strongholds in Donetsk, including Pokrovsk and Ugledar.
Another harsh reality they start to face is the attacker’s huge advantage in firepower, especially now with glide bombs, which are guided munitions of up to 3 tons that can flatten defensive positions and slaughter troops.
“Russia [has launched] nine waves of attacks from March to August against Ukraine’s power plants and electricity grid. It has hit targets in almost every province under Ukrainian control, according to a recent UN report. This onslaught took out some 80% of Ukraine’s coal- and gas-fired generation.”
At this point, 77% of Ukrainians say a friend or acquaintance has died in the war, while 22% have lost a relative.
That is not all, because Some 6.5m people – almost a fifth of the population – have fled the country.
And who are the people that Kyiv expects to turn this around? Old – for war – conscripted people with an average age of 45 years old, whose training standards have reportedly been so poor that not all of them know how to hold a weapon.
“The Ukrainian Army is suffering from a continued decline in the capabilities of its frontline units, as losses among trained and experienced units have fuelled a fast growing reliance on conscript units with very limited operational capabilities.”
Ukrainian Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi says that recruits ‘have consistently proven to lack necessary training for frontline operations’.
Senior conscription officer: “Out of 100 people who joined the units last fall, 10-20 remain, the rest are dead, wounded or disabled.”
“Ukraine’s troops and their commanders are growing concerned over manpower problems, particularly the quality of new recruits and the speed at which they are injured or killed in combat.
[…] The new conscripts lack basic combat skills and motivation and often abandon their positions when they come under fire.
[…] The commanders estimated that 50 to 70 percent of new infantry troops were killed or wounded within days of starting their first rotation.
‘When the new guys get to the position, a lot of them run away at the first shell explosion’.”
Since the a new conscription law in May, Ukraine has managed to to draft about 30,000 soldiers a month – mostly by force.
“But commanders on the ground and military analysts have warned that the newly drafted troops are not highly motivated, are psychologically and physically unprepared — and are being killed at an alarming rate as a result.”
The remaining seasoned soldiers die too quickly and are being replaced by older men without experience and in worse physical shape.
“’Some of them don’t even know how to hold their rifles. They peel more potatoes than they shoot bullets’, he said, adding that he had bought paintball equipment to replace rifles and live rounds so that new recruits could get more practice without wasting precious ammunition.”
Did God create mankind, the world, and the universe over millions of years? In this presentation, Dr. Terry Mortenson answers this question, explains key issues with the evolutionary timeline, and emphasizes the importance of a biblical worldview. Terry’s book, The Great Turning Point, is available for purchase here: https://AnswersInGenesis.org/store/product/great-turning-point/ ======== Answers
On Friday, during a President Donald Trump campaign press call, several Angel Moms shared the painful reality of the impact of the broken (non-existent) Biden-Harris border policy has unleashed on American families.
Patty Morin, Alexis Nungaray, and Anne Fundner, blasted Harris on the call as the failed Border Czar went on a photo-op visit to the border.
This was Harris’ first visit to the southern border since June 2021.
All three mothers lost their children as a result of the border crisis, either through murder by an illegal or from the fentanyl that has flowed over the border, thanks to Biden-Harris.
Her mother Patty shared, “I would tell her, put all the border protections back into place that she and President Biden had stopped in those first hundred days.”
“Put those border protections back into place and start deporting the folks that are here in our country.”
She also for the deportation of every single illegal alien, citing concerns that millions of illegal immigrants in the country have crossed the border undetected.
“We don’t even know where they are. It’s going to be chaos for years and years to come.”
Alexis Nungaray’s 12-year-old daughter Jocelyn was brutally raped and murdered in June by two illegals from Venezuela.
Alexis questioned Kamala’s real motives for staging the photo op after four years in office.
“Would she only do that if it was someone that mattered to her because in our eyes, it seems like we don’t matter, and she’s shown that this entire campaign,” she said.
She added, “She came out of nowhere within the last 30-40 days trying to make some type of effort, which really is no effort at all. It’s very sad, it’s very disgraceful, it’s very inhumane.”
Anne Fundner’s 15-year-old son died after accidentally ingesting fentanyl in 2022.
Fundner suggested Harris is only interested in the border now because of her campaign.
She remarked, “I would say that she is late coming to the table on this. At any point, she can do something.”
“She can reinstate Remain in Mexico, which is an incredible Trump policy, and she can end catch and release. She can bring back, as I mentioned earlier, all the border policies, but she doesn’t.”
The mothers have also not heard from Harris.
Patty Morin's daughter, Rachel, was raped & killed by a Kamala illegal.
Alexis Nungaray's daughter, Jocelyn, was raped & killed by Kamala illegals.
Anne Fundner's son, Weston, was killed by fentanyl trafficked across Kamala's open border.
More than 30 tons of fentanyl have crossed the U.S.-Mexico border since the Biden-Harris Administration took office. In 2021, just after the Biden-Harris Administration’s immigration policies took effect, 90 percent of 80,000 opioid-related deaths involved fentanyl.
According to the report from the Deputy Director of ICE Patrick Lechleitner sent to Congressman Tony Gonzalez, over 662,000 illegal immigrants with criminal histories are currently on ICE’s national docket.
Terrifyingly, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently tracking over 425,000 illegal immigrants convicted of various crimes, while 226,000 face pending criminal charges, all of whom have been released into the United States under the regime’s lenient immigration enforcement.
Of that staggering number, over 13,000 illegal immigrants have been convicted of homicide, and more than 15,000 have been convicted of sexual assault.
Todd Friel addresses the importance of having rich worship in the Church and what that actually looks like, highlighting the work of Isaac Watts. To watch the full unedited episode, go here:
Fox News host Laura Ingraham disses Vice President Kamala Harris promoting her record with the border as ‘thousands’ of criminals pour into the United States.
President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at a campaign rally at the Bayfront Convention Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. Watch the full rally on NEWSMAX and NEWSMAX2.
Fox News host Mark Levin decries the Biden-Harris administration as well as the ‘punks’ who ‘love’ Hamas and Hezbollah on ‘Life, Liberty & Levin.’ #foxnews
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