There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true. —Soren Kierkegaard. "…truth is true even if nobody believes it, and falsehood is false even if everybody believes it. That is why truth does not yield to opinion, fashion, numbers, office, or sincerity–it is simply true and that is the end of it" – Os Guinness, Time for Truth, pg.39. “He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” – Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
Biblical interpretation is one of the most crucial tasks of the Christian life, as it determines how we understand God’s revelation and apply it to our lives. Scripture, being divinely inspired, has a single, intended meaning in its original context, though it may have multiple valid applications. The role of the interpreter is not to impose personal meaning onto the text (eisegesis) but to unpack its meaning through careful exegesis, considering historical, grammatical, and theological contexts.
When we approach the Bible, our aim is not to explain what the Bible means to us personally. Our goal is to explain what the original author intended from the beginning.
When we approach the Bible, our aim is not to explain what the Bible means to us personally. Our goal is to explain what the original author intended from the beginning. Unfortunately, many verses are frequently misunderstood and misapplied, often due to a neglect of the biblical context. Below are five commonly misinterpreted Bible verses, each followed by an explanation of the incorrect interpretation and the proper understanding grounded in the original intent of the author.
1. Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Misinterpretation:
This verse is often cited as a universal promise that God has a specific, prosperous plan for every individual Christian, ensuring success and blessing in this life. Many use it to support a prosperity-driven theology, implying that God guarantees financial security and personal happiness.
It’s common to see Jeremiah 29:11-13 (the broader range of verses) on graduation cards for Christians—with an emphasis that God has a plan to prosper the believer in the future as they pursue life in their chosen career path. This is unfortunately a twisted interpretation that is removed from the original setting and intended meaning.
Correct Interpretation:
Jeremiah 29:11 was written to the Israelites who were exiled in Babylon as a result of their disobedience. The promise refers to God’s plan for the nation of Israel, specifically His plan to restore them after 70 years in exile (Jer. 29:10). The “welfare” spoken of here (Hebrew: shalom) refers to spiritual and national restoration rather than individual prosperity. At the heart of these verses is the covenant promise of God and the nation of Israel’s blessing is directly connected to God’s covenant. While it reveals God’s faithfulness to His covenant people, its direct application is not to modern Christians in an individualistic sense but rather in a broader theological sense, pointing to God’s sovereign plan for His people in Christ.
2. Matthew 7:1 – “Judge not, that you be not judged.”
Misinterpretation:
This verse is often misused to argue that Christians should never make moral judgments about the actions or beliefs of others. It is frequently cited in defense of unbiblical lifestyles, suggesting that any critique of sin is itself sinful.
Historically, the most famous verse and most cited verse was John 3:16. It would not be uncommon to see people holding signs at baseball games or professional sporting events with the words “John 3:16” in order to point people to the gospel of Jesus. Tim Tebow once wrote John 3:16 on his eye paint under his eye during the 2009 National Championship game for college football. Following the game, he was informed that some 94 million people had googled “John 3:16” during the game.
In recent years, some statistics suggest that variations of Matthew 7:1 (“Judge not” or “Don’t judge”) have actually surpassed John 3:16 through social media posts and random conversations among people on a normative day. This is a misuse of the verse and demonstrates a lack of understanding of the context of Jesus’ sermon where the passage is found, but it also ignores the biblical context of the whole of Scripture (both OT and NT) which demands a righteous judgement among God’s people.
Correct Interpretation:
In context, Jesus is condemning hypocritical and self-righteous judgment, rather than all forms of judgment. Just a few verses later (Matt. 7:6, 15–20), He instructs His followers to discern false prophets by their fruit, which requires making moral and theological judgments. Furthermore, John 7:24 clarifies that we should “judge with right judgment.” Don’t misquote Matthew 7:1. It is actually the will of God for Christians to judge others—with a righteous judgment.
Don’t misquote Matthew 7:1. It is actually the will of God for Christians to judge others—with a righteous judgment.
In the foundational text on church discipline in Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus establishes the pattern of biblical confrontation and the steps that a church must take when a person persists in rebellious sin. Biblical judgment is necessary when exercised in humility, righteousness, and accordance with Scripture.
3. Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
Misinterpretation:
This verse is often taken to mean that Christians can accomplish any goal—whether winning a sports game, achieving personal ambitions, or overcoming any challenge—if they simply rely on Christ. It is frequently used as a motivational slogan divorced from its biblical context. It’s not uncommon to see weightlifters and football players with shirts and messages in black eyepaint under their eyes that reads, “Phil 4:13” or “I can do all things through Christ” as a quotation of this verse that Paul wrote to the church at Philippi. This is an unfortunate misinterpretation of this passage of Scripture.
Correct Interpretation:
Paul wrote this verse while imprisoned, emphasizing contentment in all circumstances (Phil. 4:11–12). The “all things” he refers to is not an unlimited potential for worldly success but the ability to endure hardships through Christ’s strength. This passage teaches reliance on Christ amid suffering and trials, rather than a guarantee of personal achievement.
One of the great lies of the enemy is that God has promised to prosper all of his people here in this life if we simply exercise faith. The fact is, God has promised us the opposite. If we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, we are promised a life that will include trials and suffering. Jesus said, “ “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). Paul had learned to be content under blessings and in the midst of painful suffering. His strength to endure came through the Lord—not himself.
4. Romans 8:28 – “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
Misinterpretation:
This verse is often interpreted to mean that everything will turn out well for believers in a material or circumstantial sense—that suffering will always be resolved in an earthly, favorable outcome. In some cases, this verse is twisted outside of its context to mean that “all things work together for good” for all people. Sometimes this verse is even cited by unbelieving pagans in a generic sense to soothe their consciences as they endure hardships, however, that’s not the meaning of the passage.
Correct Interpretation:
The “good” spoken of in this passage is defined in the following verse (Rom. 8:29): conformity to the image of Christ. The verse does not promise an easy life but rather that God sovereignly orchestrates all events—including suffering—for the ultimate spiritual good of His people, namely, their sanctification. This promise is rooted in the doctrine of God’s providence, ensuring that even hardships serve His redemptive purposes.
The broader context of this passage actually has an eschatological focus, the ultimately culminates in the eternal state of glorification which is promised to all of those who are called according to God’s divine purpose.
5. Proverbs 22:6 – “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Misinterpretation:
Many take this verse as a guarantee that if parents raise their children in a godly home, the children will always remain faithful Christians. This interpretation suggests a cause-and-effect relationship, as though parental effort automatically determines the child’s spiritual outcome. Unfortunately, this misinterpretation flattens out and ignores the genre of Proverbs. The art of biblical interpretation demands that we understand the context of the passage including the original author, audience, setting, grammar, and other interpretative clues. One of the essentials in this process is understanding genre.
We must interpret the genre of Scripture in the way that the author originally intended that genre to be interpreted in the original context, otherwise, the meaning of the passage will be twisted.
The Bible is filled with various genres, such as poetry, history, epistle, parable, prophecy, apocalyptic literature, and proverb. If we approach a proverb in the same way that we approach an epistle, we will easily misinterpret the meaning of the passage. We must interpret the genre of Scripture in the way that the author originally intended that genre to be interpreted in the original context, otherwise, the meaning of the passage will be twisted.
Correct Interpretation:
Proverbs are general principles of wisdom, not absolute promises. This verse teaches that proper training in godliness provides a strong foundation, but it does not override the doctrine of human depravity or the doctrine of election. While godly parenting is a biblical duty, a child’s salvation ultimately depends on the sovereign grace of God. Parents should diligently train their children in the fear of the Lord, but this verse does not guarantee their conversion or lifelong faithfulness.
Sound biblical interpretation requires that we consider the authorial intent, historical context, and the broader theological framework of Scripture. The danger of misinterpreting Scripture lies not only in distorting its meaning but also in misapplying it in ways that mislead believers. By carefully handling the Word of God (2 Tim. 2:15), we uphold the truth of Scripture and rightly apply its principles to our lives. William Gurnall observes:
Compare Scripture with Scripture. False doctrines, like false witnesses, agree not among themselves.1William Gurnall, A Puritan Golden Treasury, compiled by I.D.E. Thomas, Banner of Truth, Carlisle, PA. 2000, p. 36.
Biblical interpretation must always recognize that Scripture has a single meaning with a multiplicity of applications that cross geographic, socioeconomic, political, and societal lines. When we approach God’s Word with humility and reverence, seeking to understand what it truly teaches rather than what we want it to say, we honor both the biblical text and most importantly the God breathed it into existence.
2 Timothy 3:16–17 – All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (ESV)
Joshua 3:1-17 This week’s lessons teach us about the character of God, as seen in the Ark of the Covenant which went before the Israelites through the Jordan.
Theme
God’s Providence
The thing that is the most prominent, especially in chapters 3 and 4, is the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. Now we haven’t seen the Ark of the Covenant up to this point, but suddenly here it is as the focal point of the narrative. And it is mentioned again and again. It’s mentioned nine times in chapter 3, seven times in chapter 4, and four more times by the use of a pronoun. What was important about the ark? It was the focal point of the nation of Israel. It was where God symbolically resided among his people.
We are told what it looked like Exodus 25. It was a relatively small wooden box of about three feet, nine inches long; and it was a little over two feet high and deep. It was covered with gold inside and out, and had a lid made of solid gold. On either end of the lid there were figures of cherubim, which were facing each other. And each of these cherubim had wings that went back behind them, and then came upward over the ark, and nearly touched above the lid, which was called the mercy seat. And it was in that space between the wings of the cherubim above the mercy seat which God was understood to symbolically dwell. The ark was transported by the priests using poles. There were rings attached to each side of it, and poles were inserted through the rings. The poles were very important because nobody was supposed to touch the ark of God.
The Ark of the Covenant figures in this story because when the people were given instructions by God through Joshua to enter the land, the ark, which symbolized God’s presence, was to go before them. And as the ark went forward, the people were to follow, but at a respectful distance. The priests carrying the ark stepped down into the Jordan River, and as they stepped into the river, the water stopped flowing. Now at that time there was a great deal of water running because it was at flood stage. We’re told that the water piled up at a town upstream, and in a very short time the river had run dry. Then we’re told that all the people of Israel crossed over on dry ground. Then after they had crossed over, the priests who were still standing there holding the ark went across the Jordan themselves. When they went across and stepped up out of the river bed, the waters returned, and the Jordan flowed on as usual.
When God gave instructions for that to be done, it was symbolic and instructive. The first thing God was teaching was that if we’re going to get anywhere in spiritual things, God has to go before us. If He is not leading us, we must not go in that direction because if we do, God is not going to bless it. We might reach a point in our lives where we know we ought to do something, but we are not sure what it is, and it’s very hard to wait until we are sure where God is leading. But it is always better to wait until God moves. And at that point it becomes clearer why God had you wait, and that He was moving you along all the time.
Study Questions
From the lesson, what did the ark symbolize?
Why do you think it was important for Israel to have the ark for this symbolic function?
Application
Key Point: The first thing God was teaching was that if we’re going to get anywhere in spiritual things, God has to go before us. If He is not leading us, we must not go in that direction because if we do, God is not going to bless it.
For Further Study: Download for free and listen to Philip Ryken’s message, “No God But God.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
For Further Study: As we go through this study of the book of Joshua, we not only learn about an important period of Israel’s history, but we also see the character of God mightily at work. And we need to remember that this great and sovereign God is our God as well. Order your copy of James Boice’s paperback book, Joshua, and receive 30% off the regular price.
…In whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. 1 PETER 1:8
If there is any reality within the whole sphere of human experience that is by its very nature worthy to challenge the mind, charm the heart and bring the total life to a burning focus, it is the reality that revolves around the Person of Christ! If He is who and what the Christian message declares Him to be, then the thought of Him should be the most stimulating to enter the human mind. God dwells in a state of perpetual enthusiasm. He is delighted with all that is good and lovingly concerned about all that is wrong. No wonder the Spirit came at Pentecost as the sound of a rushing mighty wind and sat in tongues of fire on every forehead. In so doing, He was acting as one of the Persons of the blessed Godhead. Whatever else happened at Pentecost, one thing that cannot be missed was the sudden upsurging of moral enthusiasm. Those first disciples burned with a steady, inward fire. They were enthusiastic to the point of complete abandon! But what do we find in our day? We find the contradictory situation of noisy, headlong religious activity carried on without moral energy or spiritual fervor! In the churches it is hard to find a believer whose blood count is normal and whose temperature is up to standard. We look in vain among the professed followers of Christ for the flush and excitement of the soul in love with God. The low level of moral enthusiasm among us may have a significance far deeper than we are willing to believe!
Tozer, A. W., & Smith, G. B. (2015). Evenings with Tozer: Daily Devotional Readings (p. 59). Moody Publishers.
This is a beautiful conclusion of a history, which, during the providence wherein Paul the apostle and his companions were in shipwreck, afforded a large opportunity for the exercise of faith. The issue, it appears, was not doubtful from the first: for an angel of God had assured Paul, that God had given unto him the lives of all that sailed with him. And so it proved; yea, the very wreck of the ship furnished out means for the people’s safety. Now, my soul, here is a very precious instruction for thee. In the exercises of thy life, learn from hence to abide firmly by the promise, when every thing leading to its accomplishment seems to fail. God hath said, that eternal life with all its preliminaries, is in his Son; and that he that hath the Son, hath life, and shall not come into condemnation. Now let what will arise, after this declaration of God, like the storm and shipwreck of the apostle, these are intervening circumstances with which thou hast nothing to do. Do thou take hold of the promise; for the promise hath its claim upon God. This cannot fail, whatever else may fail. And, though, like Paul in this voyage, “neither sun nor stars in many days may appear,” and no small tempest be upon thee, Jesus is still at the helm, and thou shalt assuredly escape to land. Yea, the very wreck of all things around thee, shall but the better minister to this great end. And thou shalt at length write down the same conclusion to thy history, which Joshua, the man of God, made of the whole history of Israel: “Not one thing hath failed, of all the good things which the Lord your good spake concerning you: all are come to pass, unto this very day.”
Hawker, R. (1845). The Poor Man’s Evening Portion (A New Edition, p. 61). Thomas Wardle.
Instead of going to Nineveh to preach the Word, as God bade him, Jonah disliked the work, and went down to Joppa to escape from it. There are occasions when God’s servants shrink from duty. But what is the consequence? What did Jonah lose by his conduct? He lost the presence and comfortable enjoyment of God’s love. When we serve our Lord Jesus as believers should do, our God is with us; and though we have the whole world against us, if we have God with us, what does it matter? But the moment we start back, and seek our own inventions, we are at sea without a pilot. Then may we bitterly lament and groan out, “O my God, where hast thou gone? How could I have been so foolish as to shun thy service, and in this way to lose all the bright shinings of thy face? This is a price too high. Let me return to my allegiance, that I may rejoice in thy presence.” In the next place, Jonah lost all peace of mind. Sin soon destroys a believer’s comfort. It is the poisonous upas tree, from whose leaves distil deadly drops which destroy the life of joy and peace. Jonah lost everything upon which he might have drawn for comfort in any other case. He could not plead the promise of divine protection, for he was not in God’s ways; he could not say, “Lord, I meet with these difficulties in the discharge of my duty, therefore help me through them.” He was reaping his own deeds; he was filled with his own ways. Christian, do not play the Jonah, unless you wish to have all the waves and the billows rolling over your head. You will find in the long run that it is far harder to shun the work and will of God than to at once yield yourself to it. Jonah lost his time, for he had to go to Nineveh after all. It is hard to contend with God; let us yield ourselves at once.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1896). Morning and evening: Daily readings. Passmore & Alabaster.
AND thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years: and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years. 9 Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. 10 And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you: and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family. (The preaching of the Gospel is a proclamation of a spiritual jubilee, Jesus our great High-priest has preached deliverance to the captive, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound. Now, even now, each believer keeps his jubilee. Note that the jubilee began on the evening of the day of atonement; our Lord’s atoning work is the fountain-head of our holy joy.) 11, 12 A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed. For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field. 13 In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession. 14, 15 And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour’s hand, ye shall not oppress one another: According to the number of years after the jubile, thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee: 16 According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee. 17 Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God. (The Jews could overreach each other by selling the lease of their lands for forty-nine years, whereas the seven seventh years were not “years of the fruits” but sabbatic years, and therefore the Lord enacts that the sabbatic years shall not count in the estimate. In our buying and selling let us be scrupulously just, lest we provoke the Lord.) 25 ¶ If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. (Blessed be God, we have a near “kinsman” who has redeemed our lost inheritance for us.) 26, 27 And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it; Then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it; that he may return unto his possession. 28 But if he be not able to restore it to him, then that which is sold shall remain in the hand of him that hath bought it until the year of jubile: and in the jubile it shall go out, and he shall return unto his possession. (Our lost possession is now restored to us, and we have obtained even more than Adam forfeited.) 39 ¶ And if thy brother that dwelleth by thee be waxen poor, and be sold unto thee; thou shalt not compel him to serve as a bondservant: 40, 41, 42 But as an hired servant, and as a sojourner, he shall be with thee, and shall serve thee unto the year of jubile: And then shall he depart from thee, both he and his children with him, and shall return unto his own family, and unto the possession of his fathers shall he return. For they are my servants, which I brought forth out of the land of Egypt: they shall not be sold as bondmen. (Thus by the gospel jubilee we are set free, with the true liberty. Now know we the meaning of the Lord’s words, “the year of my redeemed is come.” Have all in this house kept the jubilee? If not, the Lord grant that we may.)
Jesus our great High Priest,
Hath full atonement made;
Ye weary spirits, rest;
Ye mournful souls, be glad!
The year of jubilee is come:
Return, ye ransom’d sinners, home.
Ye who have sold for nought
The heritage above,
Receive it back unbought,
The gift of Jesus’ love;
The year, &c.
Ye slaves of sin and hell,
Your liberty receive;
And safe in Jesus dwell,
And blest in Jesus live;
The year, &c.
Spurgeon, C. H. (1964). The Interpreter: Spurgeon’s Devotional Bible (p. 112). Baker Book House.
Leviticus 19:2 — The theme of the Book of Leviticus is stated – if it sounds familiar, we’ve seen it often. “Holy” is used 95 times in Leviticus, and this is the second time we’ve seen the phrase “You shall be holy.”
Leviticus 19:28 — In debates about whether it is appropriate for Christians to get tattoos, this verse comes up often. The KJV does not use the word ‘tattoo’ because the word was not invented until 1769 when Captain Cook landed in Tahiti (the KJV was translated in 1611, 150 years earlier). Interestingly, almost all Bible versions in recent years translate ‘qaaqa’ (Strong’s Hebrew #7085) as “tattoo”. By the way, this is the only time this word is used in the Bible.
Leviticus 19:37 — Forty-five times in Leviticus you will find the phrase “I am the LORD.” In many cases, it seems to be the answer to “Why?” If you don’t like God’s answer to “Why?”, Joshua 24:15 deals with that.
Leviticus 20:2-5 — Rarely in the Bible do we see commands that have the death penalty. Only 60 times in the Old Testament do we find the phrase “put to death.” This chapter contains more “death penalty” judgments than any other chapter in the Bible. Not only is the worship of Molech one of the few death penalty commands, but this is one of the few commands to “stone him” (in contrast to burning, beheading, or strangulation according to the Mishnah). “The people – many – shall stone him. Israel must unite to eliminate this plague.” By the way, we read about Molech yesterday in Leviticus 18:21, and we’ll read about Molech again when Solomon builds an altar for Molech (possibly on the Mount of Olives in 1 Kings 11:7). The worship of Molech seems to have been moved to the Hinnom Valley when 300 years later (in 2 Kings 23:10), Josiah finally destroys the altar. So why would people sacrifice to Molech?
A couple sacrificed their firstborn by burning the child on a metal idol of Molech, believing that Molech would ensure financial prosperity for the family and future children … Today’s Molech is the abortion industry, sacrificing babies for the idol of financial greed, veiled in the hopes of the development of new cures through biomedical research.
CHARLES PATRICK, SWBTS
Mark 8:25 — Why did it take two steps for Jesus to heal the blind man? The best explanation I’ve found comes from ChedSpellman.com. Dr. Spellman is a professor at Cedarville University:
[Jesus] says “Do you not yet see or understand? Having eyes do you not see? and having ears do you not hear?” (Mark 8:17-18). Jesus is saying, Open your eyes and see what is right in front of you! His point is that, though they have physical eyes, they still are in some sense blind to who Jesus really is.
Seen in this context, Mark’s placement and record of this miracle is brilliant. They see a blind man, who Jesus then leads by the hand out of the city where Jesus heals him. The first time, the man can only see slightly, his vision is blurred. Then Jesus did it again, and the “man looked intently” and was healed and could then “see everything clearly”. This is essentially a parable that Jesus is acting out for his disciples….His point is that his disciples are blinded to who he really is though he is demonstrating his power to them day by day right in front of their eyes. Their understanding is coming, but it is coming in stages.
The passage following confirms Mark’s textual strategy. Right after this healing, Peter finally “sees” and confesses Jesus’ identity, that Jesus is “the Christ.” But then, Jesus begins to tell them that the Messiah must suffer, which they don’t fully understand. They see, but not clearly.
To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)
My heart, be thou stirred up to persevere in the holy war, for the reward of victory is great. Today we eat of heavenly food which falls about our camps; the food of the wilderness, the food which comes from heaven, the food which never fails the pilgrims to Canaan. But there is reserved for us in Christ Jesus a still higher degree of spiritual life and a food for it which, as yet, is hidden from our experience. In the golden pot which was laid up in the ark there was a portion of manna hidden away, which though kept for ages never grew stale. No one ever saw it; it was hid with the Ark of the Covenant, in the Holy of Holies. Even so, the highest life of the believer is hid with Christ, in God. We shall come to it soon, Being made victorious through the grace of our Lord Jesus, we shall eat of the King’s meat and feed upon royal dainties. We shall feed upon Jesus. He is our “hidden manna,” as well as the manna of the wilderness. He is all in all to us in our highest, as well as in our lowest, estate. He helps us to fight, gives us the victory, and then is Himself our reward. Lord, help me to overcome.
The Parable of the Weeds He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’” (Matthew 13:24-30)
Donald Grey Barnhouse, in his sermon “What is God Doing Today?” explained,
Now, the Lord Jesus Christ taught clearly that we are in this age to sow the seed – that is, to spread the Gospel. But we are to expect that only part of the seed will fall on good ground, that is, believing hearts. And that the rest will not produce good fruit. The fault is not with the seed, but with the hearts. Christ taught that satan would plant counterfeit believers in the midst of true believers so that it would be difficult to tell the real from the false. The true and the false, the real and the counterfeit grow together until the harvest which is the end of the age in which we live. These truths He taught in the Parable of the Sower and the Wheat and Tares. And he gave the explicit interpretation Himself, not leaving it to man’s imagination. The good and the bad are to grow together. Neither will destroy the other. God will take care of the separation.
Matthew Henry:
So prone is fallen man to sin, that if the enemy sow the tares, he may go his way, they will spring up, and do hurt; whereas, when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced.
What is a weed? It is useful to study the properties of the object of the agricultural metaphor which the Lord in His wisdom used to explain the parable to us. As we read these properties of weeds, let’s keep in mind how these properties mirror the properties of the unbeliever. At the Penn State Extension website, we read Introduction to Weeds,
–a plant growing where it is not wanted –a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered. (R.W.Emerson). [Ed note: i.e. a virtueless plant] –plants that are competitive, persistent, pernicious, and interfere negatively with human activity (Ross, et. al.) –No matter what definition is used, weeds are plants whose undesirable qualities outweigh their good points.
These qualities of weeds certainly mirror the unbeliever’s qualities. Unbelievers in the world interfere with our activity, in pernicious, persistent, and competitive ways. This is because they are sown by satan. To continue looking at weeds:
Certain characteristics are associated with and allow the survival of weeds. Weeds posses one or more of the following:
a) abundant seed production; b) rapid population establishment; c) seed dormancy; d) long-term survival of buried seed; e) adaptation for spread; f) presence of vegetative reproductive structures; and g) ability to occupy sites disturbed by human activities.
I was particularly struck by the notion that weeds engage in “rapid population establishment”. Satan does not rest. One weed soon leads to others.
Weeds are troublesome in many ways. Primarily, they reduce crop yield by competing for water, light, soil nutrients, and space.
The parable is fairly simple, as parables go. The field is not the church. The Lord said the field is the world. (Mt 13:38). If we interpret the field as the church, then we would have a conflict with Matthew 18:15-17, which says to put unrepentant sinners out of the church, i.e. uproot them. So the field is the world, and the unbelievers are sown by satan.
In this tolerant, all-inclusive age, some people chafe when we say that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who are children of the Kingdom and those who are children of satan. We hate to think that there is no middle ground, or love to think that there must be ‘some good’ in people, they’re kinda, almost, mostly good. But no. If a person is not under the control and sovereignty of the Lord Jesus, they are under the control and sovereignty of satan. Wheat or tares. There are no hybrids.
The parable is telling us that we believers are sown into the world by Jesus. Let’s stop there. How wonderful! To be specifically planted by Jesus in the time and in the place He desires us to be grown is a very comforting thought. Matthew Henry wrote the comment to the verse by saying, “when good seed is sown, it must be tended, watered, and fenced,” and how wonderful it is to know we are being grown, nurtured and tended by Christ Himself.
The last part of the parable reminds us that Christ will do the separating at the end of the age. Again, this does not mean pastors aren’t to pursue biblical correction or even excommunication for unrepentant church members. It means that the world’s harvest will be accomplished by Jesus, since He has the power and discernment to see men’s hearts.(John 2:24).
The tares’ fate is to be thrown into the fire, and a woeful moment that will be for them, but for believers it will be an honor to watch Jesus right everything and avenge His name. (Revelation 6:10, 19:2).
Angels if you notice are God’s ministers of judgment. They often carry out the judgments God pronounces. They did at Sodom, also, it was an angel of the Lord that struck Herod down, and throughout Revelation angels execute the dread judgments, to name a few examples. And at the end of the age, they are the harvesters.
The five worst words in the Bible in my opinion. “…and the earth was reaped”. It demonstrates the power and might of the Lord to easily punish men. It also shows the meager and measly efforts of man to thwart Him. It is not possible. It is a terrifying verse because at some point all things will not go on as they have been. There is an end day. It will end for the tares/weeds. But it will continue in glory for the wheat!
Believers are citizens of heaven, and their lifetime in this world is a journey heading to their home in heaven. As such, heaven should be prominently in a believer’s thoughts, and heavenliness should be the prominent characteristic of their lives. But this world is a hostile environment for the believer, and it may often seem that worldliness and earthly-mindedness are insuperable obstacles to keeping up the continual converse and interaction with heaven which is essential for heavenliness. In the following updated excerpt, James Durham gives four pieces of advice to help us match better with Paul’s description of Christians in Philippians 3 as those who have their citizenship or “conversation” “in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).
It’s likely you will ask, “What are the means or steps by which we may ascend to this heavenliness?” This is indeed a very suitable and necessary question, and I hope to God that we are serious in proposing it, and convinced of the necessity of it.
Set worldly things to one side
So, let those who long to be heavenly know first of all that they must die to creature comforts, and exercise self-denial about them. In Colossians 3, these two things are set in opposition, “setting our affection on things in heaven, and not on things of the earth.” To go up and down at the same time is impossible. If you want to be heavenly, you must seek to have the world little and low in your estimation.
Seek not only to be free from the sinful entanglements of the world, but also to be mortified even to lawful things. I am not encouraging you to be negligent in your honest and lawful callings, far less to lay them aside, but be heavenly-minded and in a holy way self-denying in your diligence.
Use the things of this world as not abusing them. Do not be taken with them, do not be glued to them. Minding earthly things too much clogs our hearts, and drags them down, so that they do not rise up to heaven. While the heart is surfeited with the cares of this life, it is impossible that it can soar aloft.
Dr. Adam Tyson discusses the biblical importance of taming the tongue and controlling your speech. From Gen Z slang to the spiritual impact of words, he explores how what you say reveals your heart. Learn practical tips to honor God with your words and grow in faith.
by Tim Challies INFORMING THE REFORMING; FEB 25, 2019
It’s for good reason that the Apostle Paul is considered one of the greatest leaders among the first generation of Christians. He was the early church’s foremost theologian, pastor, missionary, and church planter. He was also the Christian faith’s chief exemplar. Through the descriptions of his life in the book of Acts and the biographical details contained in the various epistles, we see him setting an example of how a Christian is to live. In fact, he lived such a godly life that he could, in humility and under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tell others, “Be imitators of me.” Those who closely follow his instruction and example will be living lives that are pleasing to God.
In his writings, Paul addresses a host of issues related to both Christian doctrine and Christian living. He describes what Christians are to believe and then tells how, on the basis of those beliefs, they are to live. In Philippians 2:14–15, he discusses grumbling, an issue of enduring relevance. Knowing that the church in Philippi is encountering a time of trial that may soon turn to an outbreak of persecution, Paul is eager to ensure that the believers there endure it without sin. He knows that their attitudes and actions through this challenging time will honor or dishonor the gospel of Jesus Christ. Not only that, their attitudes and actions will either attract or repel the unbelievers who witness it.
As Paul calls on these believers to endure persecution well, he pairs two related words in instructing the church to “do all things without grumbling and disputing.” Both of these words refer to interpersonal conflict. At this point, Paul’s foremost concern is not that these believers will rebel against the providential sovereignty of God in their circumstances but that the trial will cause them to turn on one another. Attacks from outside will soon be paired with disputes on the inside, and the church will inevitably collapse into chaos. Thus, when he refers to grumbling, he warns against making negative comments about other members of the church behind their backs. When he refers to disputing, he warns against senseless debates or confrontational quarrels. The first threatens unity through sinful gossip while the second threatens unity through sinful confrontation. To the degree Christian unity is disrupted, Christian witness will be undermined.
There are at least two kinds of grumbling that are popular in our culture today and that are a temptation to contemporary Christians. The first is what I refer to as “casual grumbling.” This is a pseudo-serious way of expressing discontent about other people, and it is most often done under the guise of humor. It’s meant to evoke a laugh, but the humor actually masks the fact that we have uttered dead-serious gossip destructive to Christian unity. Then there is what we might call “direct grumbling,” which eschews any guise of humor or attempt at respectability. Here we directly speak to one person about another person who is not present. Grumbling meets gossip as we openly complain about their actions or attitudes. Rather than following biblical guidance and speaking directly to a person who has offended us, we speak to anyone or everyone else. This invariably erodes relationships in the church and foments disunity.
Then, of course, there is what Paul refers to as “disputing.” Disputing is the stuff of angry hallway confrontations or cutting comments on social media. It is approaching another person and dealing sinfully with his sin or with what may be perceived as an offense. It is making public what should be kept private and handling with anger what should be handled with grace. It is furthering disunity instead of pursuing peace. In both cases, we see that grumbling and disputing are not merely actions but evidences of a disposition. They are not just words of our mouths but attitudes of our hearts. They do not simply reflect something we do but broadcast something we are.
As Christians, we are responsible to maintain the unity of our local churches, and to do that, we need to protect our relationships with our brothers and sisters. When we face the temptation to grumble and dispute, we need to look—to look back, look up, and look forward. We first need to look back to the cross, to Jesus, who, though He was God, uncomplainingly “emptied himself, by taking on the form of a servant” and humbled Himself “by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. 2:8). If anyone had reason to complain, it was Jesus, yet He uttered not a word of grumbling. Having looked back, we can look up to see the good purposes and kind providence of God in our lives. Even the most difficult circumstances have been ordained by the One who promises He is working “all things together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). And then we can look forward to the coming consummation, when we will know that “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (v. 18).
As long as sin remains in us, conflict will remain in the church. Though it is unfortunate, it is also inevitable. There will be times when we disagree with others. There will be times when we need to confront other people for their sinful actions or attitudes or to dispute with others to contend for the truth and guard the gospel. But both must be handled with love and grace. Both must be seen as opportunities to further unity rather than further disrupt it. Both must be seen as threats to our calling to shine as lights in this dark and needy world.
This article was originally published in Tabletalk magazine.
Hungary Blocks New EU Military Aid for Ukraine On 3rd Anniversary Of War Hungary will veto a new multibillion-euro European Union military aid package for Ukraine, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó confirmed Monday. Budapest also opposes “the automatic extension of sanctions” against Russian individuals, saying it prefers peace talks about ending the three-year war between Ukraine and Russia. The announcement by Hungary’s top diplomat came while EU foreign ministers were meeting in Brussels to coordinate a response to U.S.-Russia negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.
New Poll Shows Massive Support for President Trump and His Agenda A new poll by Harvard CAPS-Harris reveals the majority of the country backs President Donald J. Trump and his actions to bring much-needed reforms that are making America great again. Americans overwhelmingly support President Trump’s agenda. 77% support a “full examination of all government expenditures.”
German election results: Populist AfD to be shut out of governing in the name of ‘democracy’ Despite more than doubling its vote share since 2020, taking almost a quarter of the 630 parliamentary seats, the populist party is unlikely to enter government. All other German parties have agreed to a “firewall” – forbidding any of them from ever cooperating with AfD to form a government.
Rand Paul reintroduces bill to permanently defund Planned Parenthood Republican U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky reintroduced legislation to permanently cut off federal tax dollars to Planned Parenthood, excluding the abortion chain from public funding regardless of whatever else happens with federal abortion policy.
Security Council adopts USA’s proposal on Ukraine The UN Security Council has adopted the Ukraine resolution written by the USA, which calls for swift peace without mentioning that it was Russia that attacked Ukraine. Even Russia backed the USA proposal.
US Christian leaders to unveil resolution endorsing Israeli sovereignty over Judea & Samaria ahead of Trump announcement Christian leaders will announce a resolution endorsing Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) International Christian Media Convention this coming week in Dallas, Texas. The American Christian Leaders for Israel (ACLI) will hold a press conference at the event to present the resolution, which has been signed by over 3,000 Christian pastors and organizational leaders from across the United States.
Doctors Without Borders Stop Work in Zamzam Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is discontinuing its operations in Sudan’s largest refugee camp, Zamzam. The reason is the increased violence.
IDF confirms at least 13,000 Palestinians evacuated from refugee camps in Samaria, DM Katz says no return allowed “I have instructed the IDF to prepare for a prolonged stay in the camps that have been cleared for the coming year – and not to allow residents to return and terrorism to grow again,” Katz said in an official Ministry of Defense statement. He added: “40,000 Palestinians have so far evacuated from the Jenin, Tulkarm and Nur a-Shams refugee camps, and they are currently empty of residents.”
Gazan rocket fired at Israel falls inside Strip A terrorist rocket that was fired toward Israeli territory fell short and struck inside the Gaza Strip on Monday afternoon, the Israel Defense Forces said. “The details are under investigation,” the military statement added. According to reports in Palestinian media, the projectile was launched from the city of Rafah, located in the southernmost part of the Strip.
“Utter Despair”: Liberals Panic Over ‘Politicized’ FBI After Bongino Appointment Sunday night’s panic within the FBI has quickly morphed into “utter despair” among liberals, “who had already grown fearful of a highly politicized FBI,” according to (formerly USAID-funded) Politico, which is rich considering that the FBI under Biden spent four years as a “highly politicized” weapon to go after conservatives.
Israel denies entry to Hamas-supporting European Parliament member European Parliament member Rima Hassan was denied entry into Israel on Monday, as officials cited her history of support for boycotts and sanctions against the Jewish state. The move came at the directive of Interior Minister Moshe Arbel based on recommendations from the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the US-based Combating Antisemitism movement. “Israel is not obligated to admit any foreign official,
Israel’s shield for Syria’s Druze and the regional shakeup no one expected – analysis Israel has not yet achieved “absolute victory” in Gaza – a fact painfully evident each time Hamas releases hostages in staged propaganda displays. Yet its military actions over the past 16 months have reshaped the Middle East. The comment that attracted the most attention regarding Syria was his declaration that Israel would not allow Syria’s new army or the axis that led to former president Bashar al-Assad’s fall to “enter the area south of Damascus.”
US Imposes New Sanctions on Iran’s Shadow Oil Fleet The United States imposed a fresh round of sanctions targeting Iran’s oil industry on Monday, hitting more than 30 brokers, tanker operators, and shipping companies for their role in selling and transporting Iranian petroleum, the Treasury Department said. The announcement comes as US President Donald Trump seeks to bring Iran’s crude exports to zero
6G Is Not Just A Tech Upgrade, It’s A Preview Of The Global System Described In Prophecy I don’t know how many people remember Operation Mockingbird. This was a covert CIA program launched in the 1950s to manipulate mainstream media. Journalists on the CIA payroll were given talking points to push specific narratives, influencing what Americans saw and believed. This was exposed in 1976 by The Church Committee Hearings, which the Senate Intelligence Committee conducted. These hearings revealed that terms like “fake news” was a term created by the CIA for the JFK Assassination. the reality is far deeper: this has been a slow, deliberate march toward total surveillance, control, and the erosion of individual autonomy. Let’s understand this has been forty years in the making. 6G isn’t just about faster internet, it’s about complete integration with AI, automation, and global connectivity.
“Waste Of Taxpayer Money”: Trump Admin Looks To Sell Nancy Pelosi Federal Building In San Francisco The Trump administration plans to sell two major federal buildings in San Francisco, including the recently renamed Nancy Pelosi Federal Building, according to Fox News. Formerly the San Francisco Federal Building, the 18-story tower sits in a crime-ridden area plagued by drug dealing and illegal markets. How apropos for a building named after a woman who helped oversee the decline of San Francisco.
Total lunar eclipse will cause moon to turn red in March The first “Blood Moon” eclipse since 2022 will cause the moon to change colors on March 13-14, and it will be visible across North America, as long as cloudy weather doesn’t spoil the show.
Over two dozen buildings collapse in Oswego County under weight of snow, New York Over two dozen buildings have collapsed across the state of New York due to heavy lake effect snow affecting the region from February 14 to 19, 2025. At least 26 buildings collapsed in Oswego County, while a Fire Department building collapsed in Oneida County on February 22.
Jonathan Cahn’s Prophetic Message Delivered To Washington D.C. Right after the Inauguration, Jonathan Cahn was invited to speak at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington D.C. And if you know anything about Jonathan Cahn, he was not going to give a watered-down message. I thought this was so wonderful and so important for so many in D.C. to hear, whether they truly took it to heart or not. Thank you, Jonathan, for faithfully delivering this powerful prophetic message!
Tuberculosis Outbreaks Emerge As Illegals Pose Biosecurity Threat For Nation “Alarm bells are sounding over the biosecurity threat posed by the illegal alien invasion as concerns mount over the spread of infectious diseases across the Homeland. Millions of migrants were dumped into the country by the Biden-Harris globalist regime without proper vetting—leaving citizens to bear the burden of what a retired CIA officer describes as the “public health consequences of Biden-era open border policies.”
Indian Post Office KYC Data Breach Exposes Security Flaws in Digital ID Systems Another alarming digital ID and KYC data breach has once again exposed the vulnerabilities of digital identity systems, proving why they remain a significant privacy nightmare. A security flaw in the Indian Post Office portal has led to the exposure of thousands of Know Your Customer (KYC) records, demonstrating the ongoing risks of centralized digital ID infrastructure.
11 Shocking Examples Of How Completely And Utterly Lawless Our Society Has Become A lot of people out there just want to stick their heads in the sand and pretend that everything is just great. Meanwhile, rampant lawlessness is raging all around us and our society is literally coming apart at the seams. I just don’t get it. How can people insist that things are fine when just about every form of evil that you can possibly imagine is on the rise? Nobody can deny that the moral decay of America is accelerating, and unless we reverse course and choose another direction conditions will continue to get even worse. The following are 11 shocking examples of how completely and utterly lawless our society has become…
Douglas Andrews, Thomas Gallatin, & Jordan Candler
Harris wins “public service” award, signs Hollywood deal: Who says they don’t give participation trophies anymore? Over the weekend, failed former VP Kamala Harris reached a pinnacle of sorts by becoming the first-ever failed Democrat presidential candidate to win the NAACP Chairman’s Award. Harris couldn’t resist taking a swipe at her vanquisher: “Some see the flames on our horizons, the rising waters in our cities, the shadows gathering over our democracy, and ask, ‘What do we do now?’” That’s easy, actually. If you’re Harris, you join Joe Biden and the Obamas in signing on with a Hollywood talent agency, all the better to improve her platform for supporting woke causes. At least one Democrat has seen the light, though. Former fundraiser Lindy Li now says, “I had no choice but to leave the cult and am finally free to return to my roots as a conservative.”
NBC settles suit regarding immigration lie: MSNBC’s parent company, NBC Universal, has avoided a public trial by agreeing to a settlement with a Georgia doctor whom MSNBC hosts Rachel Maddow, Nicolle Wallace, and Chris Hayes had labeled the “uterus collector.” Dr. Mahendra Amin, who worked at an immigration facility in 2020, filed a $30 million defamation lawsuit against the Leftmedia outfit for falsely claiming he had been performing “mass hysterectomies” on detained migrant women. The MSNBC hosts presented the allegations to characterize Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions negatively. The trial date was set for April following a ruling by a federal judge last year determining that Maddow, Wallace, and Hayes had made 39 “verifiably false” claims against Amin and reasoned that a jury could find MSNBC acted with “actual malice.” The settlement amount was not disclosed.
U.S. votes with Russia and North Korea at the UN: On its surface, at least, it was a dark day for America’s stature as leader of the free world. Yesterday at the UN, the U.S. voted with Russia and North Korea against a Ukraine-introduced General Assembly resolution that called out Russia for invading Ukraine three years ago. The UN is woefully corrupt, but still we wonder: If Russia didn’t invade Ukraine, who did? On the other hand, Donald Trump, meeting yesterday with French President Emmanuel Macron, thinks the end of that appalling war could be just “weeks” away. Perhaps, in terms of potential lives saved, the end justifies the rhetorical means. In addition, nearly all the key details are in place for a rare-earth mineral deal between the U.S. and Ukraine. Such a deal would relieve our reliance for such materials on China, our foremost geopolitical foe.
Dems move to end Trump’s energy emergency: Senate Democrats led by Tim Kaine and Martin Heinrich are seeking to rescind Donald Trump’s executive order in which he declared a national energy emergency. The Democrats have introduced a resolution to force the Trump administration to continue the Biden administration’s costly green energy investments, framing Trump’s EO as benefiting Big Oil and costing Americans more in energy prices. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Mike Lee rejected the claim, noting, “Their message to families is clear: pay more, expect less. Luckily, President Trump is committed to unleashing American energy and rescuing the country from the energy crisis that they have perpetuated.” The vote is set for Wednesday but is not likely to pass, as the Republican majority supports Trump’s energy agenda.
Trump gets a win against the AP: The White House scored an initial judicial win in its ongoing standoff with the Associated Press over Donald Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of America. The White House denied the AP special access to the Oval Office and Air Force One due to its refusal to use the new name. The AP sued, citing First Amendment freedom of the press. On Monday, federal Judge Trevor McFadden ruled that the AP “has not made the requisite showing” and he “will thus deny the motion.” As Brian Hudak, chief of the Justice Department’s civil division, argued to the court, “Most journalists have no routine access to the Oval Office, Air Force One, or the President’s home at Mar-a-Lago. Presidents historically provided this special access to the Associated Press, but that discretionary choice does not create a constitutional right.”
Woke Connecticut releases a killer cannibal: This seems like blue-state idiocy run amok. Unless there’s something beneficial about releasing criminally schizophrenic cannibals back into society that we’re just not picking up. Same with columnist Matt Walsh, who writes, “The role of modern psychiatry in freeing violent offenders is often ignored. But it’s very much a crisis in this country, and it’s been one for some time.” Are we overreacting here? You tell us. Tyree Smith himself admitted that he killed his victim with an ax before eating his eyeballs and some of his brain. On the other hand, according to the director of the Connecticut Psychiatric Security Review Board, Smith is “a joy” and “a really calming presence for other patients.” What could go wrong?
House Judiciary subpoenas Biden-era weaponization docs: Now that Kash Patel is ensconced as FBI director, maybe we can begin to get some answers about the bureau’s well-documented weaponization of the Justice Department against politically disfavored Americans. Ohio Republican Jim Jordan’s House Judiciary Committee, for one, is pressing forward, issuing subpoenas to the FBI for documents related to Joe Biden’s deployment of the bureau against his political enemies. Apparently, according to Jordan, former FBI Director Chris Wray “failed to produce many of these materials” before stepping down. Imagine that.
Barring the CCP from buying farmland: Due to the concerning development of various Chinese companies acquiring farmland near U.S. military installations over the last few years, Republican Senators Cynthia Lummis, Mike Crapo, and John Barrasso are reintroducing legislation that aims to bar the Chinese Communist Party from purchasing farmland near U.S. military property out of concern for national security. While a Department of Agriculture report from 2021 found that Chinese nationals’ ownership consists of less than 1% of all foreign-owned U.S. land, where that land is located is concerning. Why the U.S. would allow any foreign adversary to own any American land is puzzling.
Headlines
More than 20 staffers quit Musk’s DOGE, rebuke Trump admin government cuts (Newsweek)
House Rules Committee advances budget resolution to floor vote (Just the News)
Trump calls for company building Keystone XL pipeline to return to America and “get it built” (Fox News)
Greenpeace faces a $300 million lawsuit after Dakota Access Pipeline protests (NPR)
MSNBC axes shows hosted by three more lefty anchors in wake of Joy Reid’s ouster (NY Post)
NYC’s notorious Roosevelt Hotel shelter will be migrant-free in coming months (NY Post)
Argentinian President Javier Milei gave Elon Musk a chainsaw on Friday, and Musk wasted no time figuring out how to use it.
The trouble is that the chainsaw isn’t always the correct tool.
The latest Beltway buzz revolves around the infamous “What did you do last week?” email sent by the Department of Government Efficiency to two million or so federal employees. The email gave recipients 48 hours to reply with a list of “5 bullets of what you accomplished last week.” The first email was sent on Saturday, and the reply was expected by the end of the day on Monday.
As you can imagine, it went over like a lead balloon.
So, federal employees will be “given another chance,” Musk posted on X.
The point is to ferret out the federal employees who are lazy bums and provide no return on taxpayer dollars. The folks who haven’t put on a pair of pants to go to the office since the pandemic. Or worse, the people who squander our money on loony left-wing ideological projects. It would be an enormous benefit to the nation, for example, to dump the yahoos who are busy “sexting” each other about their “transgender” fetishes on the taxpayers’ dime.
President Donald Trump endorsed the effort, saying it was “great because we have people that don’t show up to work, and nobody even knows if they work for the government.”
Tellingly, a handful of employees received the email and, rather than take a few minutes to thoughtfully reply, ran to the media to wail about the unfairness of it all. Others elected to respond with profanity-laced rudeness. Either of those options should be considered their resignation.
Unquestionably, far too many federal employees fit undesirable descriptions. Beginning with Woodrow Wilson, the executive branch has grown into an unwieldy behemoth, populated with unaccountable bureaucrats who run roughshod over the American people. They work for us at the pleasure of the president. It’s long past time to drain The Swamp of creatures who inflict so much damage on the constitutional order.
However.
Believe it or not, some federal employees are good people. They work hard, bring skill to their position, and are doing justifiable jobs in service to our country. They don’t have time for what feels like a silly game made for social media consumption instead of serious governance and genuine accountability. If you work at, say, a VA clinic and saw more than a full load of patients on Monday and then had to stay overtime to reply to an email, that probably didn’t strike you as the best use of time.
The irony is the ones with the time to reply are the ones who don’t do much.
Even if this email merely makes good employees anxious or annoyed, DOGE has not just removed “enemies” but made them. I don’t know which side of the ledge one particular Pentagon official lands on, but that person described it as “the silliest thing I’ve seen in 40 years and completely usurps the chain of command.”
There is also mass confusion, as some agencies, such as the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security, told employees not to answer. Even the Office of Personnel Management said a non-reply would not be punished with firing. (The ironic benefit there is it helps Musk prove in court that he is not wielding too much power over anyone.)
At a more strategic level, a critical distinction must be made. Constitutional conservatives favor limited government that functions within the bounds of constitutional Rule of Law. This feels more anti-government.
Then again, anti-government is what a huge portion of the American people have become these days. And who can blame them? We’ve just endured four years of Joe Biden’s fiat government, which infringed on everything from free speech to gun rights to the right to peaceably assemble or make your own medical decisions, all while Biden used bureaucratic channels to waste our tax dollars paying off the student loans of some nose-ringed loser who majored in 17th-century French lesbian poetry.
Few Americans who’ve lost jobs or endured the cruel consequences of administrative state actions have any sympathy whatsoever for a bureaucrat who’s a little miffed at having to respond to an email. Reporting to superiors is a regular part of doing business out here in the “real” world. Welcome to the club.
As political analyst Ben Domenech put it, “The idea that any group focused on efficiency can’t ask that question is a sign you just don’t care about whether the government wastes taxpayer money or not. You just want it to flow forever, an unending river of cash into the pockets of bureaucrats who ‘work’ from home with side hustles galore.”
Of all places, The Washington Post has a story this week that gets something right with its title: “Move fast, break things, rebuild: Elon Musk’s strategy for U.S. government.”
That does seem to be the Trump-Musk strategy. They know how badly broken Washington is, and they’re willing to break it a little or a lot more in order to fix it. Some good eggs will be broken to make this omelet, and that’s unfortunate for those eggs. It may even yield some unintended consequences that make good governance harder in some places. Yet even if this whole thing is arguably obnoxious and over the top, it’s hardly a constitutional crisis. Ideally, it will even restore constitutional order.
Emmy Griffin: Planned Parenthood Takes Friendly Fire From NYT — The New York Times discloses that clinics are dirty, full of undertrained staff, and don’t care about their patients — which is a shock only to Times readers.
Douglas Andrews: Trump’s Cadre of Communicators — In building the team around him, Donald Trump has shown he understands the importance of great communication.
Gary Bauer: Poll Position — Any Republican in Congress wetting their pants ought to take a deep breath.
Editor’s Note: Each week we receive hundreds of comments and correspondences — and we read every one of them. Click here for a few thought-provoking comments about specific articles. The views expressed therein don’t necessarily reflect those of The Patriot Post.
Joy Reid Concludes Lackluster Career at MSNBC — The defiant performance came after news leaked on Sunday that MSNBC was canceling “The ReidOut” and firing Reid due to her abysmally low ratings.
How DEI Policies Hurt Diversity — DEI advocates really haven’t thought this through. Here’s how their woke policies undermine trust and hurt the people they were created to help.
Why the Internet Celebrated a Killer — Combine moral zealotry with increasingly blurred lines between political speech and violence long enough, and the outcome is predictable.
The State of Britain — Francis and Konstantin discuss the current state of the UK.
Adam Carolla Returns to Malibu — After 35 days of being displaced by the Los Angeles wildfires, Adam finally steps back into his Malibu condo to assess the damage.
SHORT CUTS
Lack of Self-Awareness Award
“These people are just idiots. … I’m at the point where it’s become really hard to have an intellectual debate with any of these people because the level of stupidity that they are displaying every single day is frankly embarrassing — not just in Congress, but as Americans.” —Congresswoman Ilhan Omar
The BIG Lie
“Now let’s talk about waste. We’re still waiting for Elon’s group [DOGE] … to identify real government waste.” —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin
Race Bait
“Both of our non-white hosts in primetime are losing their shows. As is Katie Phang on the weekend. And that feels worse than bad, no matter who replaces them. That feels indefensible. And I do not defend it.” —MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow taking it to a weird racial place in honor of Joy Reid
Touché
“NOTHING could be funnier than a watching a woman spend her whole career shamelessly race baiting the country only to get fired during Black History month. Congratulations to MSNBC on finally bringing viewers some actual Joy.” —Jimmy Failla
Village Idiots
“Woke just means you give a damn about other people.” —actress Jane Fonda (“No, it means you want to be seen that way to gratify your ego.” —Jim Treacher)
“The 12-year-old girl that can’t get an abortion … that’s what really, like, rips me apart.” —actress Natasha Lyonne
Upright
“Prominent figures are championing people having more babies, but we don’t just need more babies — we need more babies to be raised in stable, loving households by parents committed to each other in marriage.” —Lila Rose
For the Record
“When the history of this era is written, the Bud Light boycott in 2023 is when the woke business angle truly collapsed. There were warning signs everywhere, but Bud Light essentially having its business destroyed over woke nonsense changed everything.” —Clay Travis
“The only thing both sides agree on is that this is an existential fight. For those in the free speech community, it will determine the future of what Justice Louis Brandeis called ‘the indispensable right.’ For the other side, it is the future of a European model of free speech, limiting the right to deter those with extreme or inciteful views.” —constitutional scholar Jonathan Turley
And Last…
“Think of it as a PSA for what happens if you fire thousands of rockets at innocent Israeli civilians for months.” —Senator John Fetterman on Israel’s release of the video of Hassan Nasrallah’s death on the day of his funeral
Report: Hamas quietly preparing for renewed war amid hostage talks; as negotiations continue for a long-term solution in Gaza, Palestinian clerics are leading a campaign of hatred – using sermons to call for genocide against Jews, and Itamar Marcus of Palestinian Media Watch tells CBN News some of these prayers come from top Islamic officials, like Sharia judges and heads of Sharia courts; many European elites are concerned the ‘Trump Tornado’ in the US could sweep them out of power as well amid voter anger, as Vice-President J.D. Vance rebuked European leaders recently for trampling on free speech and ignoring voters who are turning to right-wing parties (which many did this weekend in Germany); how the largest abortion provider in the US, Planned Parenthood, is in a crisis, with some clinics facing financial crises, as the organization also deals with botched abortions and more; the rapid growth of evangelical Christianity is changing the spiritual and cultural fabric of Brazil – as evangelicals will soon outnumber Catholics; and St. Paul’s Cathedral in London is taking visitors through centuries of the building’s history, with Gospel readings, footage from World War II, and much more.
“So they were hiding from Congress. We didn’t know that USAID was funding drag shows in Peru or whatever…transgender operas in Colombia…it’s madness. But Elon has cracked the code. He is now inside the agencies. He’s created these algorithms that are constantly crawling through the data. And…the data doesn’t lie.”
(Matt Margolis – PJ Media) As you know, the media is still trying to drive a wedge between Donald Trump and Elon Musk in an attempt to undermine not only Trump’s second term but also Musk’s efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is saving taxpayers billions of dollars targeting wasteful spending.
Over the weekend, Trumpposted on Truth Socialthat while Musk is “doing a great job,” he’d like to see him “get more aggressive” because “we have a country to save.”View article →
Welcome to Lionel Nation—the home of bold ideas, fearless truth and deep analysis of the world’s most pressing topics. President Donald Trump has embarked on an assertive campaign to dismantle the so-called “deep state,” aiming to reshape the federal bureaucracy and reduce governmental overreach. Central to this effort is the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, which seeks to streamline operations and cut unnecessary expenditures. This initiative has led to significant changes within federal agencies, including mass firings and restructuring, as the administration prioritizes loyalty and efficiency over traditional protocols. While supporters view these actions as necessary reforms, critics argue they undermine institutional integrity and blur the lines between public service and political allegiance.
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Burk Parsons / Video screenshot @Ligonier Ministries
In January, MinistryWatch reported that Parsons was under investigation by the Central Florida Presbytery for potential violations of two ordination vows.
No. 5: Have you been induced, as far as you know your own heart, to seek the office of the holy ministry from love to God and a sincere desire to promote His glory in the Gospel of His Son?
No. 7: Do you engage to be faithful and diligent in the exercise of all your duties as a Christian and a minister of the Gospel, whether personal or relational, private or public; and to endeavor by the grace of God to adorn the profession of the Gospel in your manner of life, and to walk with exemplary piety before the flock of which God shall make you overseer?
Now, the commission has informed Parsons that he was indicted in relation to the two vows. The presbytery commission also suspended Parsons from his duties of teaching, preaching, and administering the sacraments as a teaching elder at St. Andrew’s Chapel, a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).
In an email to the congregation, the board of elders, known as a session, of St. Andrew’s said it is supporting Parsons through the trial process.
“Please know the Session is united in supporting Dr. Parsons as he goes through this judicial process. He has demonstrated to us a willingness to cooperate with the commission and learn from this experience. He maintains a heart of gratitude to the Lord in the midst of this trial,” the email stated.
The email did not provide any details about what actions prompted the indictment or when the trial will take place.
According to the PCA’s Book of Church Order (BCO) chapter 15, the commission has the authority to try the case and render judgment, including any censure. “The judgment of the commission shall be the decision of the Presbytery, and the statement of the case and judgment printed in its minutes,” the BCO reads.
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Parsons was scheduled to participate as a speaker at the Gospel Reformation Network conference, “The Ruling Elder: Rediscovering the Basics of Biblical Leadership for Today’s Church,” on May 7 and 8 at St. Andrew’s Chapel.
The Gospel Reformation Network told MinistryWatch, “Due to Central Florida Presbytery’s action, Rev. Parsons has removed himself as a speaker.”
Parsons was also scheduled to speak at a March 14-15 conference in Barcelona hosted by the Seminario Reformado Latinoamericano (SRL).
However, after the announcement of Parsons’ suspension, the board of trustees of the seminary “rescinded the invitation to Dr. Parsons to participate at the SRL conference in Barcelona, where SRL Seminary intends to open a seminary in order to bring back the Reformation to the millions of Hispanics in Europe.”
MinistryWatch reached out to Ligonier Ministries about whether it intended to make any adjustment or suspension of Parsons’ duties in light of the indictment, but did not receive a reply before the time of publication. An archived version of Ligonier’s National Conference webpage showed Parsons was scheduled to be a speaker. The latest iteration does not feature Parsons as a speaker at the National Conference in April.
Both St. Andrew’s Chapel and Ligonier Ministries were founded by well-known Reformed theologian and teacher, Dr. R.C. Sproul. After Sproul died in 2017, Parsons became the senior pastor of St. Andrew’s. He also is the chief editorial officer for Ligonier.
In the MinistryWatch database, Ligonier Ministries has a transparency grade of D because it does not file a Form 990 with the IRS nor publicly post its audited financial statements. It has a donor confidence score of 35 out of 100, meaning donors should withhold giving.
“So they were hiding from Congress. We didn’t know that USAID was funding drag shows in Peru or whatever…transgender operas in Colombia…it’s madness. But Elon has cracked the code. He is now inside the agencies. He’s created these algorithms that are constantly crawling through the data. And…the data doesn’t lie.”
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