How to Solve the Lordship Controversy in One Short Paragraph | Monergism

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How to Solve the Lordship Controversy in One Short Paragraph

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Here is how to resolve the Lordship controversy in one short paragraph: 

We do not forsake sin in order to come to Christ, we come to Christ in order to forsake sin. So if you are coming to Christ as Savior from sin, then it implies you, by Gods grace, want Him to deliver you from it. We do not pray “Lord save me from the penalty of sin, but leave me under its power.” Lord forbid. Rather, we pray, “Lord deliver me from sin’s guilt AND power.

If we can all agree with that then I think both sides in the Reformed camp can move on from this. 

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This perspective avoids the error of reducing salvation to mere intellectual assent or, conversely, to works-righteousness. Instead, it honors the biblical truth that a saving relationship with Christ leads to a hatred of sin and a growing conformity to His likeness. True faith does not pray for deliverance from sin’s penalty while clinging to its power (Romans 6:1-2). This balance, I believe, should indeed unify those within the Reformed tradition on this matter.

Our ability to forsake sin is entirely dependent on our union with Christ. This truth lies at the heart of the gospel and the Christian life. In John 15:4-5, Jesus makes this dependence clear when He says, “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches… apart from me you can do nothing.”

Union with Christ is the fountain from which all spiritual blessings flow (Ephesians 1:3). Through this union, we receive the double grace of justification and sanctification. Calvin eloquently describes this in Institutes when he explains that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us for justification, and at the same time, His Spirit works in us for sanctification​.

It is crucial to understand that sanctification, including the forsaking of sin, is not a self-wrought endeavor. Philippians 2:12-13 reminds us, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” In union with Christ, His Spirit transforms our desires, enabling us to put sin to death (Romans 8:13) and to live in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Regardless of the era or circumstance, the believer’s victory over sin remains rooted not in human strength or effort but in the grace of Christ applied by the Spirit through this vital union. Without Him, we remain powerless; with Him, we are more than conquerors (Romans 8:37).

Source: How to Solve the Lordship Controversy in One Short Paragraph

What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming? | GotQuestions.org

Rapture vs 2nd Coming, what is the difference and when can we expect them to happen? Have you ever wondered about the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming? In this video, we break down these crucial end-times events. Discover how the Rapture, described in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54, involves Jesus Christ returning to take believers from the earth in an instant. Contrast this with the Second Coming in Revelation 19:11-16, where Jesus returns to defeat evil and establish His kingdom. Learn the key distinctions and why it’s essential to understand each event in Bible prophecy. Watch now to gain clarity on end-times prophecy, tribulation, and the return of Christ! In this video we answer your question: What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming?

Source: https://www.gotquestions.org/difference-Rapture-Second-Coming.html

Source: What is the difference between the Rapture and the Second Coming? | GotQuestions.org

A Closer Look at 1 Cor. 15 and the Importance of the Resurrection | THINKAPOLOGETICS.COM

A Closer Look at 1 Cor. 15 and the Importance of the Resurrection

In this clip, we discuss 1 Cor. 15 and the importance of the resurrection.

NOVEMBER 21 | TEARLESS TEACHERS HAVE HARMED US

Serving the LORD with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations….

ACTS 20:19

It is not a reassuring thought that the writings of the grief-stricken prophets are often pored over by persons whose interests are curious merely and who never shed one tear for the woes of the world.

They have a prying inquisitiveness about the schedule of future events, forgetting apparently that the whole purpose of Bible prophecy is to prepare us morally and spiritually for the time to come.

The doctrine of Christ’s return has fallen into neglect, on the North American continent at least, and as far as I can detect, today exercises little power in the lives of the rank and file of Bible-believing Christians. For this there may be a number of contributing factors; but the chief one is, I believe, the misfortune suffered by prophetic truth when men without tears undertook to instruct us in the writings of the tear-stained prophets. Big crowds and big offerings resulted until events proved the teachers wrong on too many points.

Another field where tearless men have done us untold harm is in prayer for the sick. Thankfully, there have always been reverent, serious men who felt it their sacred duty to pray for the sick that they might be healed in the will of God. But when tearless promoters took up the doctrine it was turned into a lucrative racket. Smooth, persuasive men used superior salesmanship methods to make impressive fortunes out of their campaigns—and this in the name of the Man of Sorrows who had not where to lay His head!¹

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¹  Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2015). Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings (p. 353). Moody Publishers.

Evening, November 21 | “Lazarus was one of them that sat at the table with him.”—John 12:2

He is to be envied. It was well to be Martha and serve, but better to be Lazarus and commune. There are times for each purpose, and each is comely in its season, but none of the trees of the garden yield such clusters as the vine of fellowship. To sit with Jesus, to hear his words, to mark his acts, and receive his smiles, was such a favour as must have made Lazarus as happy as the angels. When it has been our happy lot to feast with our Beloved in his banqueting-hall, we would not have given half a sigh for all the kingdoms of the world, if so much breath could have bought them.

He is to be imitated. It would have been a strange thing if Lazarus had not been at the table where Jesus was, for he had been dead, and Jesus had raised him. For the risen one to be absent when the Lord who gave him life was at his house, would have been ungrateful indeed. We too were once dead, yea, and like Lazarus stinking in the grave of sin; Jesus raised us, and by his life we live—can we be content to live at a distance from him? Do we omit to remember him at his table, where he deigns to feast with his brethren? Oh, this is cruel! It behoves us to repent, and do as he has bidden us, for his least wish should be law to us. To have lived without constant intercourse with one of whom the Jews said, “Behold how he loved him,” would have been disgraceful to Lazarus, is it excusable in us whom Jesus has loved with an everlasting love? To have been cold to him who wept over his lifeless corpse, would have argued great brutishness in Lazarus. What does it argue in us over whom the Saviour has not only wept, but bled? Come, brethren, who read this portion, let us return unto our heavenly Bridegroom, and ask for his Spirit that we may be on terms of closer intimacy with him, and henceforth sit at the table with him.¹

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¹  Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. Passmore & Alabaster.

November 21.—Evening. [Or October 11.] | “Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.”

1 Corinthians 10:12–33

IN this tenth chapter of his epistle Paul mentions the sins and chastisement of ancient Israel, and then adds—

¹² Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.

¹³ There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (If our temptations were such as none else had ever endured, and there were no way out of them, we might give up in despair; but it is not so. The Lord will not try us too much, too long, or too often. Grace will bear us through.)

^{14, 15} Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say. (Idolatry in every form is to be avoided by us, and in these days especially we must avoid all participation in the Popish ritualistic idolatry which is becoming so common. All bowing before the cross or the wafer, and all attendance upon such idolatrous worship must be abhorred by the faithful.)

^{16, 17} The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

¹⁸ Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?

^{19, 20} What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. (As both among Christians and Jews the partaking of holy feasts involved fellowship, so if we join with idolaters we have fellowship with them and shall be sharers in their sin.)

²¹ Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils.

²² Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? (Communion with the unholy is a challenge to Christ, an open defiance to his kingship.)

^23–26 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof.

²⁷ If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (There could be no harm in the meat itself, and the believer was free to eat what was set before him so far as he himself was concerned, but there were times when it would be better not to eat it, lest in the judgment of others the Christian should seem to have communed in an idolatrous sacrifice.)

^{28, 29} But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?

³⁰ For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

³¹ Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

(This is the rule at the table; let us always observe it. Much evil may come out of eating and drinking: it was by eating that man first fell from innocence. The table must be watched lest it become a snare unto us.)

^{32, 33} Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. (What we may do lawfully it will frequently be better not to do lest we injure others: for their sakes we must deny ourselves, for selfishness in a Christian is a grievous vice.)

Gracious Lord, implant in me

Pure celestial charity;

Let my every word and deed

From a loving heart proceed.

Let the touch of love divine

Make my meanest actions shine;

That in all things I may be

Full of love, and like to Thee.¹

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¹  Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 692). Baker Book House.

November 23 – Ezekiel’s New Ritual? | VCY

November 23 – Ezekiel’s New Ritual?

TODAY’S BIBLE READING CHALLENGE:
  Ezekiel 45:13-46:24
  1 Peter 1:13-2:10
  Psalm 119:33-48
  Proverbs 28:11

Ezekiel 45:18 — Instead of putting the blood on the walls of the peoples’ houses (Exodus 12:7), the blood is put on the walls of the Temple. From Adam Clarke:

 There is nothing of this in the Mosaic law; it seems to have been a new ceremony. An annual purification of the sanctuary may be intended.

https://biblehub.com/commentaries/clarke/ezekiel/45.htm

Ezekiel 46:1 — Nehemiah 13:19 records how Nehemiah shut the gate for the Sabbath, but this gate is open only on the Sabbath. Interestingly, the Prince (Ezekiel 46:2) is not able to prepare his own offering; we still see a distinction between the political and the priestly roles. We’ll see this gate open again in Ezekiel 46:12, interestingly, to connect the Temple with the Mount of Olives.

Ezekiel 46:16 — Another clue as to the identity of the Prince. Is it a resurrected David? Possibly. Is it Jesus? Unlikely because the Prince offers a sin offering for himself and for the people. Was it Zerubbabel? Unlikely because Zerubbabel did not have a mile wide temple in a city almost as wide as modern Israel. Whoever it is would be of the Davidic line however.

1 Peter 1:13 — Get ready Jesus is coming! What is the point of prophecy? So we can pass a test and recite the identities of the ten toes? No!

1. Clean up our minds – don’t let the loins drag in the dirt. We don’t have time to be stuck in the muck of the world. The Art of Manliness has an illustrated guide of how you can gird up your loins.
2. Concentrate on the task – don’t be distracted with the lusts of the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life.
3. Confidence in the end – hope, a sure foundation that trusts in the grace of Jesus’ return.

1 Peter 1:15 — Peter returns to the theme of Leviticus. He echoes Leviticus 11:44-45 and transitions to a new model of comparison – the LORD Jesus! No, we can’t say we’re better than the Joneses; we have to see how we line up compared to the God of eternity!

1 Peter 1:19 — Martha Garvin shares with us how we’ve been Redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb!

1 Peter 1:25 — The only two things that will last forever is God’s Word and the souls of people.

1 Peter 2:9 — From Earl Martin:

1 Peter 2:9 — This is the fourth time in the Bible God uses the phrase “peculiar people.” Notice also the phrase “royal priesthood.” We are both royalty (as adopted children of the King) and priests – able to access God’s throne at any time.

Psalm 119:33 — Again we see the submissive obedience to the Word of God. Teach me and I shall keep it. Give me understanding and I shall observe it (Psalm 119:34). Make me to go and I will delight in it (Psalm 119:35). We need God’s help to learn, understand, and go in His ways!

Psalm 119:48 — Scripture reading isn’t just a morning activity. Meditate on it throughout the day!

Proverbs 28:11 — Riches pale in comparison to wisdom and understanding. Don’t make the foolish choice!

Share how reading through the Bible has been a blessing to you! E-mail us at 2018bible@vcyamerica.org or call and leave a message at 414-885-5370.

Care of Our Feet | VCY

https://www.vcy.org/charles-spurgeon/2024/11/21/care-of-our-feet/

He will keep the feet of his saints.1 Samuel 2:9

The way is slippery and our feet are feeble, but the Lord will keep our feet. If we give ourselves up by obedient faith to be His holy ones, He will Himself be our guardian. Not only will He charge His angels to keep us, but He Himself will preserve our goings.

He will keep our feet from falling so that we do not defile our garments, wound our souls, and cause the enemy to blaspheme.

He will keep our feet from wandering so that we do not go into paths of error, or ways of folly, or courses of the world’s custom.

He will keep our feet from swelling through weariness, or blistering because of the roughness and length of the way.

He will keep our feet from wounding: our shoes shall be iron and brass so that even though we tread on the edge of the sword, or on deadly serpents, we shall not bleed or be poisoned.

He will also pluck our feet out of the net. We shall not be entangled by the deceit of our malicious and crafty foes.

With such a promise as this, let us run without weariness and walk without fear. He who keeps our feet will do it effectually.

40 Promises of God in Scripture to Cling to Every Day | Crosswalk

The Bible is full of promises from God – hundreds of truths for our faith to be founded on. And every one of those promises are for believers. All the promises have been fulfilled. Unfortunately, very few of us believe and access His promises. While Scripture truths are meant to encourage us to walk our journey with confidence, fear often overtakes us and we struggle to find peace in the middle of anxiety and struggles. 

Let’s begin a new faith walk – one that is focused on the promises of God. The key to unlocking these promises is obedience. Following God leads to fulfillment of these promises. Here are over 30 promises of God to know and cling to when you need hope and comfort:

1. God promises us that nothing can seperate us from His love

In Paul’s letter to the Roman church, he asks, “who can separate us from the love of Christ?” The answer: no one and nothing. Not life or death, angels nor demons, no power or living creature, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ (Romans 8:35)

Even when the world is spinning out of control, despair and tragedy all around, we are carefully in the grip of God’s love. If He is for us, who, or what can come against us (Romans 8:31)? Nothing. God promises that we will never be without His love. 

2. God promises to work everything together for good

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – Romans 8:28

For those of us who love Him and are called to his purpose, He promises these powerful words, “in all things God works for the good.” In everything. Not just the good things that happen, but in it all, we can be assured, He will indeed bring good from it. He is our Redeemer, and He will not waste our pain.

3. God has made you a new creation

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 

As the righteousness of God in Christ, you are a new creation. You were a sinner. You were full of sinful desires, but that is the old you. Now you are righteous and desire righteousness. You were weak but now you are strong. Your life is brand new.

4. God promises to protect you

“For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease.” Psalm 91:3 

In a world filled with uncertainty, God promises His protection over every part of our lives. We can trust in His divine security from physical and spiritual harm.

5. God heals you

“He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 

When sick people were brought to Jesus, He healed them all. The Lord’s heart for humanity has not changed. Jesus desires to heal all. If you are sick anywhere in your body – eyes, digestion, mental illness, blood condition, cancer, any ailment – embrace the promise of total healing because of the wounds of Jesus.

6. God will give you peace

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you” Isaiah 26:3

When we readjust our thinking from the “what ifs” and “what could have been” and we focus on trusting Jesus, we can experience steadfast peace. Recall Scripture, meditate on God’s word and you will become steadfast in faith. The peace of Jesus is perfect, it lacks nothing because it knows the victory is already won.

7. God promises to be near

Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. James 4:8

When we draw closer to God through prayer and reading his Word to us, He promises to come near to us! What a beautiful invitation for an intimate relationship with our Lord and Savior. 

8. God has plans prosper you and not harm you

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11

The more you listen to God, the more your steps align with His and your plans will lead toward a prosperous future. God’s way is righteous and He doesn’t wish for anyone to fall. If you pursue the plans God has for you in each decision that you make, you will have a rich hope and future!

9. God will never condemn you

“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1

The devil is the accuser. He will condemn you and bring up past mistakes and sin. He is quick to remind you of where you missed it. But there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ. Shut down the voice of guilt and condemnation with this promise.

10. God will bless you

“You will experience all these blessings if you obey the Lord your God: Your towns and your fields will be blessed. Your children and your crops will be blessed. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be blessed. Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be blessed. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed.” Deuteronomy 28:2-6 

There’s a whole bunch of promises in Deuteronomy 28. The promises are based on obedience to the law of God. As New Covenant believers, the promises of Deuteronomy 28 are available to you and me because of Jesus’ obedience to the law. Because He fulfilled the law completely, I have access to every promise of Deuteronomy 28 and am free of every curse. Your children are blessed, your career is blessed, your household are blessed, and wherever you go is blessed. 

11. God will give you victory through Christ

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:37 

No matter what you are going through, no matter how hard things may seem, overwhelming victory is yours. Victory will happen. Persevere through the storm. 

12. God promises purpose in the pain

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”  – James 1:2-3

God reminds us to choose joy in whatever we face, confident that He is working even though every trial and hard place, to bring us greater endurance. We never gain greater strength and spiritual muscles simply by living an “easy” life. We can only build deeper faith and perseverance by walking through the hard times that press us more closely into His Presence.

13. God will comfort you

“…Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 1:4-5

Unless we experience difficulty and suffering, we cannot truly help another soul who faces loss and pain. It’s only through our own pain and grief, or hardship, that we can have a fuller understanding of what others walkthrough as well. There’s great comfort in knowing that God will use what we have experienced, no matter how difficult, to help someone else. Christ Himself suffered and tempted in “all things” so that we’re reminded He truly understands “all” that we walk through in this life.

14. God is your strength

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  – 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Our difficulties allow us to see God’s strength displayed in our lives. Through every weakness and hard place. It brings us to a deeper humility and dependency on Him, that we would never know without the trial or pain we had faced.

15. God promises to lead you

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 32:8

We serve a God of infinite wisdom who promises to instruct us! What a promise! As a loving Father, God wants to cousel and guide us every step that we take – every minute of every day. This is a promise – “I WILL instruct and teach you…I WILL counsel you.” Not for one second will God take His eye off you and cause you to stumble. 

16. God guides you

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

We all face countless decisions in a day. Will we lean on our own understanding and experiences or will we look to God’s higher understanding and trust the Lord? Do we try to figure things out on our own or do we go to God in prayer, apply the truths we know from Scripture and allow the Holy Spirit to guide us? Continually seek God and ask Him to show you the way and He promises to make your path straight.

17. God gives you rest

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29

Jesus promises us “rest for our souls.” Only in Him can our burdens be lifted, only in Him can we find help and strength in our greatest times of need. For He Himself is our peace. True peace can never be found through this material world, money, or even in the people we love most.

He invites us to come to Him and He will give us rest. As we’re willing to humbly admit our need for Christ to restore us and help us, we can find true freedom from the burdens that will seek to overwhelm our lives and weigh us down. Time with Him is never wasted. He alone is able to change our perspective, renew our spirits, and strengthen our hearts for the day ahead.

18. God promises to give wisdom

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” James 1:5-6

There are some decisions that we face that seem to be “grey” or not right vs. wrong. We are left wondering what is the best, or wisest choice. God promises to provide us with wisdom in those moments  – freely and abundantly because he is a generous God. He “gives generously to all without reproach.” He is generous with his wisdom and guidance and direction. He doesn’t disapprove of us for asking. But there is a condition to this promise – when we ask we need to ask in faith without doubting. When I ask God for wisdom it’s because I have faith in who He says He is and what He can do. 

19. God will guard your heart and mind from anxiety

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7

When we battle with a struggle, it’s hard sometimes not to worry. Everything within us seems to drift to the “what if’s” and “why’s” in whatever it is we face. God’s words bring life and peace. He understands how prone we are to worry and fear, He reminds us we have to make the choice not to be driven by anxiety.

He calls us to Himself, He reminds us to pray, to choose gratefulness, and to bring all our needs and requests to Him. And the very peace of God, which we can’t even fully understand, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ.

20. God will not let you fall

“The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.”  Psalm 37:23-24

This verse makes the steps of life simple and practiical – If we delight in the Lord and his way, he will establish our steps. He will lead us and guide us. We don’t have to worry and have anxiety over what may come, for when we delight in Jesus we will not fall because God is holding out hand! 

21. God promises to teach you

“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” Psalm 25:9

Here is another promise that God leads and teaches those who are humble. Humility allows us to come before God in surrender, acknowledging that we do not know it all! We don’t think we have all the answers. We know that we do not have the power, strength, or wisdom to do this life on our own. We know that we need God’s leading and guidance. 

22. God is for you

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” 1 John 4:16

God has loved us from the beginning with an everlasting love. He created us and knows us. God has real compassion for each one of us. He cares about what is going on in our lives.  He loves us with an unfathomable love. He is steadfast in his love for us. Because He loves us we are more than conquerors in life, no matter what comes our way. Nothing whatsoever will ever separate us from His love.

23. God is a firm foundation

“When my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2

The truth is, it’s easy to say, “we trust God.” These words, however, are much harder to live out. Yet when we truly find rest and hope in Him alone, nothing has the power to shake us. We stand on firm ground, safe territory. We’re protected, surrounded, and held secure.

We can be assured He knows our way and holds us safely in His hands, no matter what we’re up against. We don’t have to try to control everything, we can just let it go safely into His hands. All the worries, the burdens, the stress, and feelings of being overwhelmed.

24. God will give you mercy and grace

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” Hebrews 4:16

God’s mercies are endless and everlasting. God’s mercy is based on His longsuffering and compassion. Many of His healings came after people cried out for mercy.  When we take God’s acceptable way of escape through Jesus, He provides a safe haven. Because of God’s mercy, we escape the results of our sins.

25. God promises good things

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows”  James 1:17

He does good things for us and He intends to do good things for us. This doesn’t mean that life will always be easy for people that love God. But in the end, things will be well.

26. God’s testing is to refine you

“But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.”  – Job 23:10

We will come out “as gold,” tested, tried, and true. God knows our way, and we are only passing through. He reminds us that will “come out” to the other side. Changed for the better, stronger, shining, beauty deepened from within.

27. God will renew you

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

In all those seemingly hopeless situations where we can’t see any way out, we’re battling the sense of being overwhelmed, God’s power has greatest the opportunity to shine. It’s in those times when we come to the end of ourselves, and we know we can’t depend on our own abilities, on anything we have, or anyone we know, that we are reminded we are totally and completely reliant on Him.

Those times are the most powerful of all. He alone is our strength-giver, the one who lifts us up, so we can keep moving forward in His power and blessing. If you’re struggling with weariness and anxiety, God is able to renew your strength and bring refreshment to your spirit. He has great purpose and hope still in store. Never be held back by fear and defeat.

28. God’s Son, Jesus, has overcome the world

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

He reminds us there will be trouble in this world, but He’s already overcome it all. He’s already victorious. And that same power works in us today, giving us the courage and strength to persevere and overcome.

29. God will make a way

“I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:19

God reminds us that He will be with us no matter what we walk through in this life. And He says “when” we do, not “if,” for in this world we know we will face difficult times. But our hope is not in this world. It’s secure in Christ. He will make a way where there seems to be no way, even in the toughest of situations. This seems to be God’s specialty.

30. God promises eternal life

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

As believers, assurance of eternal life began the moment we surrendered our lives to Jesus. We believe in our hearts that Jesus is the Son of God who lived a perfect life, and then, obediently died the death we deserve so we could be reconciled with God. Then He defeated death when he rose from the dead on the third day just as He said He would. As Christ followers, we have the promise of eternal life.

31. God promises citizenship in heaven

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Philippians 3:20

As God’s children, we enjoy dual citizenship. We live on this earth, but our citizenship is in heaven. If we visit another country, we do not become citizens of that country because we cross its borders. We are merely visitors and remain a citizen of our home country. The same is true for the kingdom of God. Our time on this earth is temporary, and our real home is heaven. We have the promise of heavenly citizenship.

32. God will uphold you

“Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

 It is God’s very clear reminder to our hearts not to fear. For He is with us. He is our God. He strengthens us. He helps us. He upholds with His righteous right hand. Nothing in this verse ever says it’s all up to us to make it through somehow. But it assures us that our God who never sleeps or slumbers is at work, in us, through us, and He will hold us up. There’s surely no better, no safer place to be but to be held by Him.  

He has a plan and purpose in whatever we walk through. He can cut a clear path through any wilderness. He is the God of miracles. He never changes. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

33. God will never leave you

“The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8

When the way seems unclear, when things have changed in our circumstances and we don’t know what to do, we can be assured that God still leads us. He never leaves us on our own to figure it all out. His word reminds us that He is the One who holds our hand. He goes before us, paving out new pathways, opening doors, and healing broken places so we can walk through. God has it all figured out. So we don’t have to worry. He’s working on our behalf even when we can’t see it all.

34. God will meet your needs

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 4:19

You can trust that God has enough riches to meet and supply your every need! Whether your needs are emotional, spiritual, or physical, you have a loving God that will meet you in your time of need.

35. God promises the return of Jesus

“He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon!’ Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” Revelation 22:20

Embrace the promise Jesus is coming soon. May it put urgency in your life. May it remind you to share the love of Jesus with all you meet. May you look forward to the day in great anticipation when you see Your Savior face to face.

36. God promises to answer prayer

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7

God assures us that He hears our prayers and responds to those who earnestly seek Him. Whether we see immediate answers or wait for His perfect timing, God is faithful to listen and respond according to His will. We can approach Him with confidence, knowing that our prayers never fall on deaf ears.

37. God will be with you

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6

This is one of the most powerful promises in Scripture—no matter what we face, we are never alone. God’s presence is constant, offering us strength and comfort through every trial and circumstance. His promise to be with us reminds us that we can trust Him in both the good and difficult times.

38. God will provide

“God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:19

God’s provision is not limited by our circumstances; His resources are boundless. Whether we are in need of physical sustenance, emotional strength, or spiritual encouragement, God promises to meet all our needs. We can trust Him to provide for us in every season of life.

39. God is kind and cares about us

“cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

This promise reflects the deep compassion and kindness of God. He cares about every detail of our lives, no matter how small. His kindness extends to us in ways that offer peace and reassurance, and we can freely bring our worries and burdens to Him, knowing that He lovingly carries them with us.

40. God fights for us

“The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14

This powerful promise reminds us that the battles we face are not ours to fight alone. Whether we’re facing personal struggles, spiritual warfare, or overwhelming circumstances, God goes before us, defending and protecting us. Our job is to trust in His strength and be still, allowing Him to bring victory in His way and time.

No matter what we face, these promises are anchors for our souls, reminding us that we are never alone and that His goodness and mercy follow us all the days of our lives. As you meditate on these truths, may your heart be filled with confidence and peace, knowing that God is faithful to fulfill every word He has spoken. Let these promises not only bring comfort in difficult times but also inspire you to live boldly, trusting in the unshakable foundation of His word.

https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/bible-study/gods-promises-scripture-truths-to-cling-to-every-day.html

7 Ways the Particularity of Scripture Underlines the Exclusivity of Christ | Crossway

The Particularity of Scripture Calls Us: Christ Is the Only Way

I recently encountered again a common bumper sticker: “Co-exist.” Twenty-first-century philosophical pluralism meets the American bumper sticker. Drivers with this bumper sticker may simply be urging people from all ethnicities, cultures, nations, and religions to relate to one another with civility, kindness, and love. If so, as Christians we heartily agree. After all, we follow a Lord who taught and demonstrated love for the outsider, even enemies. But my suspicion is that many affix the “co-exist” bumper sticker on their cars to preach the gospel of philosophical pluralism (which rejects any notion that a particular ideological or religious claim is intrinsically superior to another).

In such a context, it is hard for many to hear the words of Jesus when he boldly asserts: “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). Many are appalled at Jesus’s declaration that he is the only way. But those who accept biblical authority find his assertion to stand firmly in the broader biblical story and worldview. In several overarching ways, the particularity of Scripture underlines the particularity of Christ.¹

First, Christ as the only way is grounded on the biblical teaching that there is only one God, the triune God of the Old and New Testaments, who is Creator, Lord, and Judge. If there were more than one God, there would likely be more than one way to the gods. But the particularity of God points to the particularity of how God is known, followed, or embraced.

Confident Witness

David S. Dockery

Written by scholars from various Christian universities, these essays explore evangelism, discipleship, and apologetics to help educators and students understand the importance of sharing the gospel in every generation.

Second, Christ as the only way is grounded on the biblical teaching that the one true and living God has communicated with humanity. He has communicated truly, even if not exhaustively; and humans can understand, even if partially, who he is and how to relate to him. If truth were merely subjective and not rooted in God or eternal realities, then claims to exclusivity would be a stretch. But if the one true God graciously reveals himself to us, then seeking to understand and follow that revelation is not arrogance but humility and faithfulness.

Third, that all of us are sinners, fall short of God’s glory, and stand guilty before God also shapes how we view this issue. The biblical teaching on this is unambiguous: we cannot be our own way to salvation by being sincere, good, nice, or pleasant.

Fourth, that Christ is the only way flows from the biblical teaching that God is the covenant Lord who determines if and how he will relate to humans. He freely and graciously sets the terms of the covenant; he freely and graciously sets forth if and how he will forgive, justify, adopt, reconcile, redeem, or save sinners. Thus, not only can we humans not be our own way to salvation; we also cannot devise our own way.

Fifth, and very much related to the last point, Christ as the only way rests on the important truth that Jesus alone is able to serve as the Savior. As the fully divine and fully human mediator, he is uniquely able to save. As the sinless and obedient second Adam, he is uniquely able to represent us. As the obedient Son and the substitutionary sacrifice for our sins, he is uniquely able to forgive us. As the resurrected one, the firstborn from the dead, he is uniquely able to give us new life. Thus, Christ is the only way because of his uniqueness. Many people died on crosses, but none but Jesus could save.

Sixth, Christ is the only way in the sense of being the unique Savior. And Christ is the only way in the sense that faith in Christ is the only way to receive the benefits of his saving work. The benefits of Christ’s saving work do not flow to us through our good works, religious scrupulousness, or relational sincerity. Salvation comes only through Christ’s work, by grace through faith. That Jesus is the object of our faith highlights his uniqueness, especially his deity (ultimate faith in someone other than God is idolatry) and utter worthiness. Indeed, that Christ saves through faith underlines both his sufficiency and our dependency, and both glorifies him as the giver and benefits us as the recipients.

Salvation comes only through Christ’s work, by grace through faith.

Seventh, that Christ is the only way to salvation also assumes that those who do not have faith in Jesus are on another path, and not the one to salvation. All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. And all are justly condemned and punished by God. Thankfully, many embrace Jesus as Lord and will receive the blessings he has gained for them. Sadly, many do not and will not follow Jesus; and Jesus will consign them to hell, a place of punishment, banishment, and eternal death.

Maybe framing these items in reverse would be helpful: if other ways of salvation existed apart from Christ, what could they be or where could they come from?

• Could other gods bring such salvation, however the gods and salvation might be defined?
• Could we humans become good, religious, sincere, and so forth, and thereby become our own way?
• Could we devise our own way?
• Could there be something or someone else besides Jesus who could accomplish this for us?
• Could something other than faith in Jesus be the means to receive the benefits of his saving work?
• Could people who do not follow Jesus somehow receive salvation anyway?
• Or could the question be dismissed out of hand due to a lack of any real, objective truth?

Interestingly, the biblical portrait disrupts each of these possibilities and asserts that Christ is the only way. It does so by pointing to the oneness of God, the reality of objective truth, the universality of human sin, the nature of God’s covenant lordship, the uniqueness of Christ, the necessity of faith in Christ, and the horror of hell.

As the only way to salvation, Jesus is worthy of our love, trust, and worship. He is also worthy of our gospel witness. May our recognition of Jesus’s uniqueness burden our hearts for the lost and stir our feet to take the good news about him to our universities and through them to the nations.

Notes:

1. For more, see Faith Comes by Hearing: A Response to Inclusivism, ed. Christopher W. Morgan and Robert A. Peterson (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2008); also, see D. A. Carson, The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996).

This article is by Christopher Morgan and is adapted from Confident Witness: Evangelism and Apologetics for the 21st Century edited by David Dockery.

Source: 7 Ways the Particularity of Scripture Underlines the Exclusivity of Christ

VIDEO: Are We Now Going Back to Normal?

The US election is over and do we now go back to normal? How might election results play into the end-time scenario? Hear from remnant European believers. Ken Mikle, Mondo Gonzales, and Billy Crone remind us to redeem the time. The post appeared first on Olive Tree Ministries .

Source: VIDEO: Are We Now Going Back to Normal?

Pastoral Care from the Bible | FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS

Pastoral Care from the Bible

FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS
volume 23, number 47, November 21, 2024

And have mercy on some who are doubting; save others, snatching them from the fire; and on some show mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh, Jude 22,23.

Jude, the half brother of Jesus, writes his short epistle primarily to shepherds, leaders in the church, urging them to contend earnestly for the faith, once for all handed down to the saints, And why is this necessary? Because certain people are always making their way into the church, people who long ago were marked out for eternal destruction because they turn the grace of God into licentiousness (antinomianism, “sin all you desire because God will always forgive you, no matter what you do”) and deny our only master and Lord Jesus Christ. Denying the application of Jesus’ person and work which we receive by God’s free grace, always brings legalism (“I must do certain things to gain, maintain, or regain my salvation”). Jude lists many ways how these ungodly and false leaders ply their trade and when they do so, they leave people in the church exposed to all manner of spiritual problems.

In verses 22,23 Jude takes up three such problems and how we should minister to those who are stuck in their sin or unbelief. To the tender-hearted, those who are doubting their right standing with God, we are to show them mercy. To the hard-hearted, we are to save them from their folly by snatching them from the fire. And to the perverse hearted, we are to show them God’s mercy with fear and trembling, hating even the polluted garment they wear. 

And even though Jude is writing primarily to leaders in the church, he nonetheless has practical words for all of us since we all have friends who are either tender-hearted, hard-hearted, or perverse hearted. What is this practical advise and how should we use it? First, let’s consider the tender-hearted. There are people in the church who, for one reason or another, are prone to doubt their salvation. Sometimes these people are melancholy by temperament, introspective types, who may allow their creative minds to garner up scenarios of what might happen to them or their loved ones in coming days. Sometimes they are people who have been delivered by God’s free grace from heinous sin and who seem unable to believe that God has actually forgiven them. They are plagued by the accuser of the brethren (Rev.12:10) who is always reminding them of their latest sin. I have also noticed that the closer Christian people get to death, they sometimes are overcome with fear, wondering if this Christian “thing” really is true. They sometimes focus on their sin more than God’s grace in Christ. 

How should we help such people? We are to show them mercy. But how? Not by “psychobabble” where we might prop them up by saying, “You are such a good person. Everybody loves you. You should feel really good about yourself.” We must use the Scriptures, focusing on passages like Romans 8:28-39, Psalm 27 and 91, and Ephesians 2:1-13. If your friend has the Spirit of Christ through the regenerating work of the Spirit, then he has the mind of Christ and he can and will respond to the word of God in due time. 

But what about the hard-hearted person? Most of us, at one time or another, have wandered away from sincere, heartfelt devotion to Jesus, and found ourselves in a precarious condition of not really caring what we are thinking, saying, or doing. Jude tells us to snatch such people from the fire. Fire in Scripture often connotes destruction that is about to engulf a person (Amos 4:11, Rev. 20:14,15). Brushfires in Southern California have often come suddenly to a community and destroyed homes, cars, pets, and human lives, all within a matter of minutes. I remember many years ago receiving a phone call from a woman I did not know who told me that one of her friends was in an adulterous relationship with a man in our church. I called the man and confronted him. He admitted that yes, he was guilty. I took an elder with me that night and we had the man confess his sin of adultery to his wife and ask her to forgive him. She did so and their marriage was restored. In such situations we must bring out the heavy artillery where God says that fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, and thieves will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9,10), where He says there is no longer a sacrifice for sins when people going on sinning willfully after receiving Biblical truth, that it is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb.10:26-31). At first glance these passages may seem to contradict passages like Romans 8 and John 10:27-30 but they do not. Any true Christian, sooner or later, will be convicted by the Holy Spirit concerning sinful living. He will then repent. I have known people in the church whom I never heard say, “I am sorry. What I said was sinful. Please forgive me.” These are the kind of people who are in grave peril of perdition.

And then there are the perverse hearted. Some say that sin is sin, that all sins are equal. This clearly is not the case. There are seven sins which God hates (Prov.6:16-19). God calls homosexuality and bestiality an abomination (Lev.18). He calls homosexuality a perversion of the natural order (Rom.1:26,27). Jude says that when you are dealing with pedophiles, perverts, serial murderers, masochists, wicked rulers, cartel kings, or Ponzi scheme people like Bernie Madoff you must approach these people with fear and trembling. Why? For a couple of reasons. First, if they have brutalized others then they very well may turn on you, like a lion which is supposedly tame but attacks his handler. And secondly, you are getting into a depth of sin and perversion which Satan may use to tempt you to either do the same or move you to champion the pervert who has convinced you that he is really a victim of others, that he is not really that bad of a person. Jude says, “Not only should you approach these people with fear but you must also hate even the under garment they soiled with their own excrement. Jude is being quite vivid. In essence he is saying, “Just as you would be repulsed and never put on someone else’s soiled underwear, keep your distance from such people. Don’t get too emotionally involved with them. Remember you are dealing with someone who is beyond the pale in wickedness and perversion. Ted Bundy was such a man. 

And how should you use the Scriptures with such people? You cannot comfort them for at this point they still are under the just wrath and condemnation of God. You must tell them that they have no hope of ever changing unless God gives them His sovereign, electing grace in regeneration. You must give them the Law of God, painting a vivid picture of their coming eternal condemnation. You must show them that their only hope is God’s sheer mercy, that they are in the prison house of sin and death and they do not have the key to get out of prison. Only Jesus has that key and they must beg Him for it. 

Are you tender-hearted and sometimes given to melancholy, doubt, and depression? Then preach the full gospel to yourself, reminding yourself of God’s free grace in regeneration, justification, and sanctification. Are you hard-hearted? Then you must quickly run to Jesus and repent in faith. Or are you secretly a pervert? Are you satisfying yourself with pornography, homosexuality, pedophilia? I have known people who were church members living this secret lifestyle. You are not saved if these control your life. Don’t kid yourself any longer. Run to Jesus and ask Him for mercy. Get rid of the idea that you can turn your life around anytime you wish. You cannot do it. You are deceived and enslaved to horrific sin. Beg God for His mercy in regenerating grace. Don’t stop until He gives you peace in your heart.  

President Biden Provokes Russia | The NEWSMAX Daily (11/20/24)

Today’s 20-min top headline news brief includes: [5:11] -Newsmax’s Rob Finnerty: War path changed possibly forever after Joe Biden’s foolish move. [Finnerty] [14:01] -Jim Jordan: FEMA messaging is undeniably derogatory towards regular Americans. [American Agenda] [16:30] -Greg Kelly annihilates FEMA for discriminating against Trump supporters. [Greg Kelly Reports] [23:30] -Rand Paul explains where Trump should think twice on deportation operation. [Rob Schmitt Tonight] [31:15] -Late-night host Jon Stewart torches the “Morning Joe” hosts. [Rob Schmitt Tonight]

Mid-Day Snapshot · November 21, 2024

“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.

THE FOUNDATION

“The best and only safe road to honor, glory, and true dignity is justice.” —George Washington (1779)

IN TODAY’S DIGEST

• Executive News Summary
• Featured Analysis: Justice for Laken Riley
• More Analysis
• Best of Right Opinion
• Podcast
• Best of Videos
• Short Cuts
• Memes and Cartoons

EXECUTIVE NEWS SUMMARY

Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler

Government & Politics

• Johnson protects women: With Congresswoman Nancy Mace proposing a bill to ensure that males do not have access to women’s bathrooms in the Capitol after the election of the first “transgender” male to Congress — Tim Sarah McBride (D-DE) — Speaker Mike Johnson acted on Wednesday by issuing a new rule. It reads: “All single-sex facilities in the Capitol and House Office Buildings — such as restrooms, changing rooms, and locker rooms — are reserved for individuals of that biological sex. It is important to note that each Member office has its own private restroom, and unisex restrooms are available throughout the Capitol.” Johnson added, “Women deserve women’s only spaces.” McBride responded by stating that he was “not here to fight about bathrooms,” adding that he “will follow the rules as outlined by Speaker Johnson, even if I disagree with them.” If only he’d follow the rules of biology more generally.
• Biden’s grotesque Medal of Freedom: The “Good Catholic” Joe Biden quietly bestowed the nation’s highest civilian honor on former Planned Parenthood head Cecile Richards on Wednesday. She led the country’s number one abortion mill from 2006 to 2018, overseeing the murder of millions of preborn babies. The award ceremony was not publicly announced until after the event, nor were the media allowed to attend. In other words, it was done on the down-low because the Biden administration knew how blatantly controversial and offensive this was. “The White House continues to promote abortion up to the bitter end,” observed Emily Davis, vice president of communications for Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America. “Under Cecile Richards, Planned Parenthood ended more than 3.8 million unborn lives and was caught harvesting baby body parts for sale. Where is the ‘freedom’ for babies and moms? It’s time to end Planned Parenthood’s taxpayer-funded ride.” Giving Richards this award is worse than bestowing a civil rights award on the Grand Wizard of the KKK.
• Why both Arabs and Israelis preferred Trump: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was the first foreign leader to congratulate Donald Trump on his electoral victory earlier this month, but the Saudi Crown Prince wasn’t far behind. Both men, despite their disparate interests and impassioned constituencies, have a common interest in regional peace and stability, and they believe Trump, far more than Kamala Harris, is equipped to bring it about. “In the Arab world,” writes former Obama Middle East diplomat R. David Harden, “the term ‘wasta’ is a colloquial expression describing the use of personal connections or influential relationships to gain advantage and favor. A man with wasta rewards loyalty, values tribe over governing norms, and trades in favors rather than acts on principle.” That last part is a none-too-subtle swipe at Trump, but what are we to expect from those whose milquetoast Middle East policies brought nothing but strife to the region? Harden, though, makes a far better point about the voting shift of Michigan’s large Arab-American community: “Dearborn voters know better than most of us the customs, practices and culture of the Middle East. Despite the Muslim ban, anti-immigrant rhetoric and Israeli-American activist Miriam Adelson’s $100 million donation to the Trump campaign, Michigan’s largest Arab American community decisively voted for Trump over Harris.”

Security

• Obama gave ICE’s Homan a Presidential Rank Award: Leftmedia pundits have been losing their collective minds over Donald Trump choosing Tom Homan to serve as border czar. Trump campaigned on promising to remove the massive number of illegal aliens who entered the country thanks to Joe Biden’s de facto open border policies. Tagging Homan to direct this effort is the first impactful step in making this campaign promise a reality. Therefore, the Left has smeared Homan as some jackbooted racist champing at the bit to “tear families apart.” Yet this is the same Homan who received a Presidential Rank Award, the nation’s highest civil service award, from none other than Barack Obama in 2016 for his service in Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Homan, who served in ICE from 1984 to 2018, oversaw the deportation of over 2.4 million illegal aliens during the Obama administration. In other words, he’s the perfect man for the job of cleaning up the mess that Biden’s border malfeasance has created. Furthermore, he’s got the support of 58% of the American public, who support mass deportation of illegal aliens.
• Criminals can sponsor illegals under Biden’s “parole” program: Democrats remain in power by giving away “free” stuff. And they’ve endeavored to grow their voter base by opening our southern border to people with brown and black skin, believing incorrectly that these immutable epidermal characteristics somehow predict future Democrat voting fealty. These two cynical practices have been combined by the Biden-Harris administration in a pro-trafficking immigration program whose details practically beggar belief. As The Washington Times reports: “Sex traffickers may be using a Biden administration ‘parole’ program to sneak illegal immigrant women into the U.S., the House Judiciary Committee revealed Wednesday in an explosive report exposing fraud in one of the Homeland Security Department’s marquee border operations. Welfare recipients, people involved with criminal activity and even other illegal immigrants have been approved as sponsors for parolees from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela.” DHS doesn’t check would-be sponsors for criminal records. So much damage has already been done, but at least we know that this awful program will be terminated on or about January 20, 2025.
• That Quantico incident? Nothing to see here: Remember the ruckus caused back in May by two Jordanian illegals who attempted to breach Marine Corps Base Quantico in a box truck posing as Amazon delivery drivers? Remember all the speculation about how they were likely conducting a dry run to test security at the base before launching a terrorist attack? Well, the Biden-Harris Justice Department wants you to move along. They say there’s nothing to see here. The DOJ “quietly dismissed charges,” reports The Washington Times, adding, “In court documents, the U.S. attorney in eastern Virginia said squelching the cases was in the interest of ‘the ends of justice,’” and the details of the case remain murky. “We are aware that one of these men entered through the Southwest border, claimed asylum, and was released into the interior just a month prior to the incident at Quantico,” said House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green. “The circumstances surrounding this event remain concerning, and I urge the Biden-Harris administration to respond without further delay to Congress and the American people.” We’re shocked — SHOCKED — to report that the U.S. attorney’s office declined to comment on the dismissal of charges.
• Russia fires first intercontinental ballistic missile at Ukraine (Newsweek)
• Senate shoots down Bernie’s attempted arms embargo on Israel (Washington Free Beacon)
• ICC issues arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu (Newsweek)

Culture

• Another celebrity flees Trump’s America: We hate to see distressed leftist glitterati self-deporting in the wake of Orange Hitler’s resounding electoral victory and concomitant repudiation of Kamala Harris’s $1 billion advertising war chest. Still, we wish Ellen DeGeneres the happiest of trails. DeGeneres, whose last tango with relevancy took place some years ago, announced that she’s calling it quits and departing from the greatest country on Planet Earth. The onetime “comedian” and talk-show host “said that her recent stand-up special on Netflix would be her last,” the doleful Daily Beast reports. “And now, after getting ‘kicked out of show business,’ as she put it, the comedian has apparently self-exiled across the pond.” Show business is a tough racket, no? So is putting all of one’s eggs in the Kamala Harris basket. The Beast continued, “DeGeneres and her wife, actress Portia de Rossi, have put their Montecito, California home on the market and fled the country to Great Britain with no plans to return — a move spurred by the election of Donald Trump this month.” Now, if only we can convince more of her Hollywood fellow travelers to follow Ellen’s intrepid lead to an even more left-wing — and more white — foreign country.
• Women are boycotting Thanksgiving with their Trump-supporting family (Newsweek)
• Jussie Smollett conviction overturned by Illinois Supreme Court (Fox News)
• Colorado to pay over $1.5 million to settle lawsuit with Christian website designer (Christian Post)
• Jaguar rebrand called “disastrous” as focus on diversity comes under fire (Newsweek)
• Hospital apologizes for Chick-fil-A lunch, thanks employees who had the “courage” to complain (Daily Wire)

Economy

• Cali votes down minimum wage hike: The basic understanding of economic principles is not entirely lost on California voters as they voted down Prop 32, a measure that would have raised the state’s minimum wage to $18 per hour by 2026. It took a while to count, but voters appear to have listened to the wisdom of the California Chamber of Commerce and opposed the bill, observing that its passage would result in job losses and higher taxes. As the chamber’s CEO, Jennifer Barrera, noted, “With the economy and costs top of mind for many voters this election, that message appears to have resonated.” Furthermore, given the negative fallout from the Golden State raising fast food workers’ minimum wage to $20 per hour in April of this year, it’s understandable that voters wanted no more of this economy-damaging policy.
• Ford to cut European jobs as EV shift, Chinese rivals take toll (Reuters)

Misc.

• Ethics Committee won’t release Gaetz report, as Democrats turn to other tactics (Roll Call)
• Gravy train derails at MSNBC: Top anchors face huge pay cut after Comcast severs ties with left-wing network (Washington Free Beacon)
• North Carolina GOP lawmakers vote to strip incoming Democratic leaders’ powers (NBC News)
• Humor: Here’s how 14 different news outlets are covering the “Trump Dance” craze (Babylon Bee)

For the Executive Summary archive, click here.

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FEATURED ANALYSIS

Justice for Laken Riley

Emmy Griffin

There is a contract between the people and their government when it comes to the Rule of Law. We entrust our lives and livelihoods to a governing body that, in return, has promised to uphold justice on our behalf. The story of Laken Riley’s murder is an example of where that trust in government has both succeeded and failed utterly.

Let’s start with the failure because it was the complete and utter failure of the federal government that led to the murder of this innocent young woman. President Joe Biden, “border czar” Kamala Harris, and the Department of Homeland Security have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to cross the border. Then they used taxpayer dollars to fly these illegals all around the U.S. interior.

That is how Laken Riley’s murderer, Jose Ibarra, even got to Georgia in the first place. Ibarra is an alleged member of the Tren de Aragua gang — a vicious, bloodthirsty, diabolical crew from the bowels of Venezuela. He made his way across the border, was flown to New York, and from there transported to Georgia, where he was living with his two brothers in Athens. There were even signs that he had predatory tendencies before the murder took place.

This derelict refusal to secure the border and protect the American people from the predations and failings of other countries is why 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University, did not return from her morning run on February 22, 2024.

Brave Laken fought for her life for 18 minutes as her attacker attempted to violate her; she wasn’t going to submit quietly. As columnist Gary Bauer notes, “Have you ever thought about 18 minutes? It can go by in the blink of an eye if you’re doing something really fun. But sometimes 18 minutes can seem like a long time if you’re sitting in the dentist’s chair or stuck in a traffic jam. … Eighteen minutes was the time it took for Jose Ibarra, an illegal alien and a monster, to brutally murder Laken Riley.” This illegal immigrant, who should not have even been in the United States, bashed her head and strangled her. He left her body in the woods without dignity and covered with leaves.

After Riley’s murder, other government entities failed her.

Biden wouldn’t even acknowledge the case until forced to do so during his State of the Union Address. But even then, he referred to “Lincoln” Riley, and later apologized for calling her murder an “illegal.”

The Democrat mayor of Athens, Kelly Girtz, was more concerned about avoiding the issue of illegal immigration and the crime that comes with it than the fact that toxic empathy for those who have come here unlawfully just got a young woman killed.

Moreover, radical District Attorney Deborah Gonzalez refused to seek the death penalty against Ibarra. Her reasoning? “Our utmost duty is to ensure that justice is served and that the victim’s family is an integral part of the deliberation process. We understand that there will be those outside this office who will disagree with our decision and seek to exploit this case for political gain. However, the integrity of our judicial process and the pursuit of justice must always transcend political considerations.”

This disproportionate pursuit of justice has devastated Riley’s family and friends. Now, young women like Riley’s roommate, Connolly Huth, are afraid to run outside, fearing that the same thing could happen to them. This failure has destroyed the peace and freedom of this college town community.

Although it’s unfortunate that the death penalty was quashed, the story of Laken Riley doesn’t end with complete failure. Yesterday, Ibarra was found guilty of her murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Riley had fought and scratched her attacker, providing the DNA evidence that helped track him down. Ibarra also left behind a fingerprint on her phone and was caught on video trying to get rid of evidence.

Today, we honor the life of a beautiful, vivacious young woman. Laken Hope Riley was well-liked, a strong Christian, and loved helping others. By all accounts, she was an incredible woman of character. She was dreaming of her future.

Riley’s stepfather shared this journal entry of hers during his impact statement:

To my future husband. I want you to know that I’m thinking about you.

I’m working every day to become the best wife I can be by working through my current relationships to best prepare me for ours and our kids.

I am focusing on God and what he defines as a faithful Christian wife so that I can best embody those characteristics.

I pray that you know that is with my full faith and trust in God, that I know this relationship has been handcrafted by him.

I pray that we continue to glorify the Lord, prioritize him in every aspect of our lives, and raise our family, our future family, to be God-fearing Christians as well. I pray God is the center of our relationship as it is, as it is a gift from him.

I thank him for you before I even know you and can’t wait to love you in the best way.

No matter what challenges we face, I pray that our trust in God and love for one another overrules the obstacle.

May our relationship last forever, your future wife.

There can be no better way to honor Riley’s life and bravery than by fighting to ameliorate the failures that led to this monster being put in her path. Rest in the hands of your perfect Savior, sweet Laken. The first step on the path toward justice has begun.

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MORE ANALYSIS

• Thomas Gallatin: SPLC Haters Target Not the Bee — The leftist “anti-hate” organization doxxes writers of the conservative media outfit.
• Douglas Andrews: How NY Dems Are Using Trump’s Hush-Money Case — In an act of pure, rotten political power, the Democrats appear poised to withhold sentencing Donald Trump until after he leaves office in 2029.
• Samantha Koch: The Left Chooses Politics Over Family — By distancing themselves from their Trump-supporting loved ones, aggrieved Harris supporters are doing the work of the anti-family Left.
• Nate Jackson: MSNBC’s Comeuppance — The Leftmedia outlet’s parent company has put it up for sale.

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For more of today’s columns, visit Right Opinion.

PODCAST

Latest PodcastPopCon #71: Cultural Winds Deliver WinsTrump’s election remains a polarizing cultural subject both at home and abroad. While scores on the Right rejoice, many on the Left are embracing radical reactions. Join Thomas and Sterling as they explore the landscape just weeks after this historic election.

BEST OF VIDEOS

• Why Nancy Mace’s Bathroom Bill Matters for America — Representative Nancy Mace has just proposed a piece of “controversial” legislation, and the Left is going crazy.
• ‘There Has Been No Oppression for the White Man’ — Democrat Representative Jasmine Crockett goes on a racist rant while debating the Dismantle DEI Act.
• ‘For Your Birthday, Will You Please Talk to Us?’ — Reporters beg and scream for Joe Biden to talk to them for his birthday.
• MSNBC Hit With $30M Lawsuit — The Leftmedia news outlet is facing a defamation lawsuit for peddling fake news designed to hurt Donald Trump.
• ‘BlueAnon’ Conspiracy Theorists Are Mainstream — David Harsanyi discusses the conspiracy theorists who are on the rise on the Left.
• Green Energy Needs Minerals, Yet America Blocks New Mines — We’re told we need more minerals for everything, especially “green” energy. But America’s regulators and environmental groups keep killing new mines.

SHORT CUTS

Demagogue

“To my Republican colleagues, I offer a word of caution in good faith: Take care not to misread the will of the people, and do not abandon the need for bipartisanship.” —Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (“Schumer’s top priority in the new Harris administration would have been to eliminate the legislative filibuster that has long protected minority rights in the Senate.” —Byron York)

The BIG Lie

“Although there is very little evidence indicating a connection between immigration and violent crime, this is still something President-elect Trump, several Republicans on The Hill wanted to essentially plant their flag on and point that to the current Biden administration.” —ABC News’s Ike Ejiochi

For the Record

“It turns out that [Jose] Ibarra was flown by the Biden/Harris administration, at taxpayer expense, on a ‘humanitarian flight’ from New York City, a left-wing sanctuary city, to Georgia, where he stalked Laken Riley and killed her. That flight was anything but ‘humanitarian’ for Laken Riley.” —Gary Bauer

“Laken Riley was a victim of a heinous crime, committed by an illegal alien who should have never been anywhere near her — he was enabled by a government/NGO system that claims to be empathetic. To who? This man also victimized her family, who have a hole in their hearts forever, and her friends, who testified today they no longer run outdoors — terrified they’ll be next. … It didn’t have to be this way. It must stop.” —Katie Pavlich

Political Futures

“Matt Gaetz is virtually no one’s idea of a qualified nominee. … He practiced law for less than two years in a civil firm, has no criminal law experience and was briefly suspended for not paying certain administrative fees but was later reinstated, according to USA Today. He has spent most of his adult professional career in Congress, representing Florida’s 1st Congressional District since 2017.” —Christine Flowers

And Last…

“Women shouldn’t be forced to share bathrooms, locker rooms, or any other private space with men. Sex-exclusive spaces exist to protect women and girls from men, especially the men who’d dress up as a woman to get undressed next to them.” —Allie Beth Stuckey

“The same people who feel that it’s banning books to take pornography out of school feels that it’s perfectly fine to keep the Bible out of school.” —Andrew Klavan

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MEMES & CARTOONS

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For more of today’s memes, visit the Memesters Union.

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For more of today’s cartoons, visit the Cartoons archive.

“From The Patriot Post (patriotpost.us)”.

Biden and Harris are rolling out the red carpet for illegals before Trump returns to the White House

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris look to be setting fire to as much as they can before Donald Trump returns to the White House on January 20. After sparking, overseeing, and enabling a years-long unprecedented migrant crisis — despite Kamala Harris’s famously deep understanding of the issue as border czar — they’re doing their best to let as many illegal immigrants into the country as possible before they’re forced to pack up their stuff and make way for Trump.

https://notthebee.com/article/bidenharris-administration-are-rolling-out-the-red-carpet-for-illegal-immigrants-before-donald-trump-returns-to-white-house/

Critics: Ceasefire Would Protect Hezbollah and Iran | CBN NewsWatch – November 21, 2024

Critics warn potential ceasefire deal being pushed by US would help both Hezbollah and Iran, as Israel insists it must be able to prevent Hezbollah from ever again being a huge threat; US vetoes UN resolution calling for ceasefire in Gaza – without releasing hostages; and US Senate overwhelmingly votes down measures denying US weapons and military aid to Israel; Chris Mitchell talks about whether or not Israel would approve this ceasefire deal, if a ceasefire with Hezbollah is possible, why the deal could be bad for the entire Middle East, bias against Israel at the UN, and possible concerns in Israel over the growing number of Democrats supporting a weapons/aid embargo against Israel (compared to the relief in the Jewish state that the Trump Administration and Republicans are coming in); the controversy over transgender athletes – with critics saying biological men should not be competing in women’s sports – has led to a women’s college volleyball coach being suspended after joining a federal lawsuit against the NCAA; and Florida charter school founder Erika Donalds talks to CBN’s The Global Lane about the future education in the US.

Want more news from a Christian Perspective? Choose to support CBN: https://go.cbn.com/ugWBn

CBN News. Because Truth Matters™

Source: Critics: Ceasefire Would Protect Hezbollah and Iran | CBN NewsWatch – November 21, 2024

Is a Mass Deportation Coming? | Newsmakers – November 21, 2024

On today’s Newsmakers: immigration, Chris Pratt’s new film, and a de-transitioner’s journey. Want more news from a Christian Perspective? Choose to support CBN: https://go.cbn.com/ugWBn CBN News. Because Truth Matters™

Source: Is a Mass Deportation Coming? | Newsmakers – November 21, 2024

Israel Reacts After ICC Issues First Ever Arrest Warrants Targeting A Democratic Country | ZeroHedge

In a decision which was expected and has long been previewed in international reports, the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant over the war in Gaza.

Three judges of the ICC’s “Pre-Trial Chamber I” issued the warrants unanimously, accusing the Israeli leaders of crimes against humanity. They wrote: “The chamber considered that there are reasonable grounds to believe that both individuals intentionally and knowingly deprived the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”

“The Chamber also found reasonable grounds to believe that Mr Netanyahu and Mr Gallant each bear criminal responsibility as civilian superiors for the war crime of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population,” the ruling continued.

Over the summer as the arrest warrants were pending and expected at any moment, Netanyahu had actually begun altering his travel plans, in July avoiding stopovers in central Europe while en route to the United States.

Some 120 countries are party to the ICC, but Israel and the US are not. They have long blasted the war crimes investigation, and have condemned the warrants. Israeli media has highlighted that—

The decision marked the first time the ICC has ever issued arrest warrants against leaders of a democratic country.

Now, with the final issuance of formal ICC warrants, Netanyahu and Gallant face potential arrest should they travel to any of these 120 countries; however, the ICC of course lacks an enforcement mechanism and relies on the individual countries to follow through. Clearly the American pressure on The Hague-based court didn’t work.

But interestingly, the ICC has referenced Israeli leaders’ own words in making the case for their intentionally laying siege to a large civilian population. For example, in Oct. 2023 – within days after the Hamas terror attack which killed 1,200 and resulted in some 250 Israelis being taken hostage – Gallant said: “I have ordered a complete siege on the Gaza Strip. There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals and we are acting accordingly.”

Netanyahu has long warned that the ICC investigation and warrants would set a “dangerous” precedent for other democratic countries, including Israel’s allies. “Israel is given here a bum rap. I think it’s dangerous. Basically, it’s the first democracy being taken to the dock when it is doing exactly what democracies should be doing in an exemplary way,” he told CNN months ago. “It endangers all other democracies. Israel is first, but you’re next. Britain is next. Others are next, too.”

On Thursday, reacting to the new ICC warrants, Netanyahu’s office has blasted the ruling as “absurd and false lies” and characterized the decision as “antisemitic.” 

Supporters of Israel in the West, including Democratic Senator John Fetterman, also reacted fiercely on Thursday:

Avi Mayer, the former editor of the Jerusalem post, has highlighted the selectivity of the new ICC move. Mayer wrote:

“In order to create a false impression of fairness, the international criminal court also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif … who is dead. That should tell you just how ridiculous and politically motivated these warrants are. The ICC is a joke.”

Other than impacting potential travel of ‘wanted’ officials, the warrant is largely symbolic. But it creates a dilemma politically, and a possible strain on relations for some countries.

For example Russia’s Putin, also subject of a prior ICC arrest warrant, recently canceled an in-person trip to a BRICS summit in South Africa precisely to avoid putting the South African government in a sensitive position.

Source: Israel Reacts After ICC Issues First Ever Arrest Warrants Targeting A Democratic Country

China’s Intellectual Property Theft, Cyber Espionage, and Infiltration in the U.S | The Gateway Pundit

China’s Intellectual Property Theft, Cyber Espionage, and Infiltration in the U.S

Photo courtesy of the Department of Homeland Security.

Earlier this month, the FBI and CISA issued a joint statement detailing a significant cyber espionage campaign by actors affiliated with the People’s Republic of China (PRC).

The investigation revealed that PRC-linked operatives compromised networks at multiple telecommunications companies, enabling the theft of customer call data, breaches of private communications—primarily of individuals involved in government or political activities—and the unauthorized copying of sensitive information subject to U.S. law enforcement requests.

The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security released a detailed assessment on October 17, highlighting significant national security threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), including espionage and acts of transnational repression.

Titled the “China Threat Snapshot,” the report documents recent legislative efforts to counter these threats and provides alarming statistics on CCP-related activities in the United States.

According to the report, there have been over 55 documented cases of CCP espionage across 20 states between February 2021 and August 2024.

These cases involve trade secret theft, obstruction of justice, transnational repression schemes, and the transmission of sensitive military information.

The FBI estimates that 80% of economic espionage prosecutions are linked to activities benefiting China, and about 60% of trade-secret theft cases have ties to the CCP.

FBI Director Christopher Wray testified that the agency opens a new case targeting CCP intelligence operations every 12 hours.

Committee Chairman Mark Green emphasized that the threat lies not with the Chinese people but with the CCP’s authoritarian regime, which spies on defectors, intimidates American citizens, censors dissent, and undermines democratic governance.

The report underscores the urgent need for robust measures to protect U.S. sovereignty and counter the CCP’s escalating aggression.

In the week of September 9, 2024, House Republicans are focusing on several key issues, particularly targeting Chinese espionage, the protection of U.S. intellectual property, and national security.

The Chinese Communist Party has long been involved in stealing U.S. intellectual property, resulting in losses of up to $500 billion annually for American taxpayers.

As the vast majority of economic espionage cases involve China, and House Republicans are taking steps to counter this by introducing the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act.

This legislation reinstates and renames the “China Initiative” as the CCP Initiative, aiming to combat espionage and protect U.S. trade secrets and academic institutions.

House Republicans are also focused on protecting U.S. institutions from Chinese influence. The Chinese government has used Confucius Institutes to infiltrate American universities and spread propaganda.

Although many of these institutes have closed, some schools still maintain ties with Chinese entities.

The DHS Restrictions on Confucius Institutes and Chinese Entities of Concern Act aims to restrict funding to institutions that maintain relationships with Chinese entities, thereby safeguarding academic integrity.

Additionally, Republicans are addressing concerns over Chinese dominance in the electric vehicle (EV) market. The current lenient rules allow Chinese entities to benefit from U.S. tax credits for EVs.

To counter this, the End Chinese Dominance of Electric Vehicles in America Act seeks to close loopholes that allow Chinese manufacturers to exploit U.S. subsidies, ensuring that American tax dollars are not supporting foreign adversaries.

Another pressing issue is the growing foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, particularly by Chinese companies. Over the past decade, Chinese ownership of American farmland has increased significantly, raising concerns about food and national security.

The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act proposes adding agricultural transactions to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) review process, ensuring that foreign adversaries cannot acquire land near military installations or threaten the U.S. food supply.

These initiatives reflect the Republican commitment to safeguarding U.S. intellectual property, and national sovereignty, while ensuring responsible use of taxpayer funds and bolstering national security.

They align with President Trump’s hawkish cabinet picks, signaling a tough stance on China. Former U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, the architect of the U.S.-China trade war, is poised to lead trade policy with a continued focus on countering China’s economic practices.

Sen. Marco Rubio, nominated for Secretary of State, has been a vocal critic of the CCP, co-authoring legislation to revoke China’s PNTR status.

National Security Advisor pick Michael Pillsbury, another staunch China hawk, has championed strategic decoupling and increased pressure on Beijing.

Together, these appointments underscore Trump’s intent to confront China aggressively on trade, security, and human rights.

The post China’s Intellectual Property Theft, Cyber Espionage, and Infiltration in the U.S appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Luke Barnes on the fine-tuning of the strong force and fine structure constant | WINTERY KNIGHT

Luke Barnes on the fine-tuning of the strong force and fine structure constant

By now, anyone who has had discussions about scientific evidence for the existence of God knows about the fine-tuning argument. In a nutshell, if the fundamental constants and quantities given in the Big Bang were even slightly other than they are, then the universe itself would not be hospitable for complex, embodied intelligent life.

Here is an article from The New Atlantis written by Australian cosmologist Luke Barnes.

Excerpt:

Today, our deepest understanding of the laws of nature is summarized in a set of equations. Using these equations, we can make very precise calculations of the most elementary physical phenomena, calculations that are confirmed by experimental evidence. But to make these predictions, we have to plug in some numbers that cannot themselves be calculated but are derived from measurements of some of the most basic features of the physical universe. These numbers specify such crucial quantities as the masses of fundamental particles and the strengths of their mutual interactions. After extensive experiments under all manner of conditions, physicists have found that these numbers appear not to change in different times and places, so they are called the fundamental constants of nature.

[…]A universe that has just small tweaks in the fundamental constants might not have any of the chemical bonds that give us molecules, so say farewell to DNA, and also to rocks, water, and planets. Other tweaks could make the formation of stars or even atoms impossible. And with some values for the physical constants, the universe would have flickered out of existence in a fraction of a second. That the constants are all arranged in what is, mathematically speaking, the very improbable combination that makes our grand, complex, life-bearing universe possible is what physicists mean when they talk about the “fine-tuning” of the universe for life.

Let’s look at an example – the strong force. Not only must the strong force be fine-tuned so we have both hydrogen and helium, but the ratio of the strong force must also be fine-tuned with the fine structure constant.

Barnes writes:

The strong nuclear force, for example, is the glue that holds protons and neutrons together in the nuclei of atoms. If, in a hypothetical universe, it is too weak, then nuclei are not stable and the periodic table disappears again. If it is too strong, then the intense heat of the early universe could convert all hydrogen into helium — meaning that there could be no water, and that 99.97 percent of the 24 million carbon compounds we have discovered would be impossible, too. And, as the chart to the right shows, the forces, like the masses, must be in the right balance. If the electromagnetic force, which is responsible for the attraction and repulsion of charged particles, is too strong or too weak compared to the strong nuclear force, anything from stars to chemical compounds would be impossible.

Here’s the chart he’s referencing:

Fine-tuning of the strong nuclear force and the fine structure constant

As you can see from the chart, most of the values that the constants could take would make complex, embodied intelligent life impossible.

We need carbon (carbon-based life) because they form the basis of the components of life chemistry, e.g. proteins, sugars, etc. We need hydrogen for water. We need chemical reactions for obvious reasons. We need the light from the stars to support plant and animal life on the surface of a planet. And so on. In almost every case where you change the values of these constants and quantities and ratios from what they are, you will end up with a universe that does not support life. Not just life as we know it, but life of any conceivable kind under these laws of physics. And we don’t have any alternative laws of physics in this universe.

By the way, just to show you how mainstream these examples of fine-tuning are, I thought I would link to a source that you’re all going to be familiar with: The New Scientist.

The fine-tuning of the force of gravity

So here is an article from the New Scientist about a different constant that also has to be fine-tuned for life: the force of gravity.

Excerpt:

The feebleness of gravity is something we should be grateful for. If it were a tiny bit stronger, none of us would be here to scoff at its puny nature.

The moment of the universe‘s birth created both matter and an expanding space-time in which this matter could exist. While gravity pulled the matter together, the expansion of space drew particles of matter apart – and the further apart they drifted, the weaker their mutual attraction became.

It turns out that the struggle between these two was balanced on a knife-edge. If the expansion of space had overwhelmed the pull of gravity in the newborn universe, stars, galaxies and humans would never have been able to form. If, on the other hand, gravity had been much stronger, stars and galaxies might have formed, but they would have quickly collapsed in on themselves and each other. What’s more, the gravitational distortion of space-time would have folded up the universe in a big crunch. Our cosmic history could have been over by now.

Only the middle ground, where the expansion and the gravitational strength balance to within 1 part in 10¹⁵ at 1 second after the big bang, allows life to form.

Notice how the article also mentioned “the universe’s birth”, which is part of mainstream science.

When I’m writing to you about things like the origin of the universe, or the cosmic fine-tuning, I’m not talking to you about things that pastors found in the Bible. These discoveries are known and accepted by mainstream scientists. It’s amazing that people are constructing their worldviews without having to account for the birth of the universe and this cosmic fine-tuning. We all, as rational individuals, have to bound our view of the universe with the findings of science. Right now, those findings support the existence of a Creator and a Designer. So why am I seeing so many atheists who are just plain ignorant about these facts? Maybe we should tell them about this evidence. Maybe we should ask them why they don’t account for scientific evidence when forming their beliefs.

Positive arguments for Christian theism

• The kalam cosmological argument and the Big Bang theory
• The fine-tuning argument from cosmological constants and quantities
• The origin of life, part 1 of 2: the building blocks of life
• The origin of life, part 2 of 2: biological information
• The sudden origin of phyla in the Cambrian explosion
• Galactic habitable zones and circumstellar habitable zones
• Irreducible complexity in molecular machines
• The creative limits of natural selection and random mutation
• Angus Menuge’s ontological argument from reason
• Alvin Plantinga’s epistemological argument from reason
• William Lane Craig’s moral argument
• The unexpected applicability of mathematics to nature
• Arguments and scientific evidence for non-physical minds