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
When a child heads off to college it is easy for parents to get anxious. They wonder, is my child ready? Will they succeed? Will the trauma of the teenage years wear off so our relationship can be normal again? Wise parents take time to prepare their child for the big change. As the Book of Deuteronomy opens, Israel is poised to enter the land God had promised them. But the journey had not been easy. What should have been a brief journey took 40 years because of Israel’s disobedience at Kadesh Barnea (see Num. 14:33). Despite this, God had brought them through. As they awaited the command to cross over, God took time to prepare them by reaffirming His covenant with them.These people were the offspring of the men and women who had met with God at Mt. Sinai (Ex. 20:22). They were too young to understand the special relationship God had with the nation. As they prepared to inherit this land, they needed to be reminded of who they were, who God is, and what He expected of them.First and foremost, they needed to do carefully what God commanded (8:1). Doing so would enable them to enjoy the land He had promised. To help them obey, God instructed them to remember how He loved them by caring for them in the wilderness (v. 2). Those days were indeed difficult, but God used those trials to train them for their own good (v. 3). He had also provided for them miraculously (v. 4). Even the times of discipline were for their development (v. 5). He concludes by describing the benefits of obedience. They would enjoy a land filled with abundance (v. 9). But they would need to be on guard, for abundance could breed a different kind of unbelief (v. 10)!
Go Deeper Has abundance or good times ever decreased your dependence on God? Why do you think that happens? How can we remember God during bad times and good?Extended Reading:Deuteronomy 8–10
Pray with Us We praise You, Lord, for Your love for us, in good times and in times of trials and hardships. Your faithful love endures forever! It accompanied the Israelites in Deuteronomy, and it guides our steps today.
For all the universities, schools, and nurseries of learning.
Let the schools of the prophets be replenished with every good gift and every perfect gift from above, from the Father of lights. James 1:17(ESV)
Throw salt into these fountains and heal its waters, 2 Kings 2:21(ESV) so that from them may issue streams that shall make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. Psalm 46:4(ESV)
For the common people of the land.
Give grace to all the subjects of this land, that they may, under the government God has set over this nation, lead peaceful and quiet lives, godly and dignified in every way, 1 Timothy 2:2(ESV) dwelling together in unity, Psalm 133:1(ESV) that the Lord may command a blessing upon his people, even life forevermore. Psalm 133:3(ESV)
Let everyone of every denomination who fears God and works righteousness, be acceptable to him; Acts 10:35(ESV) yes, let such as love your salvation say continually, “Great is the LORD, who delights in the welfare of his servants.” Psalm 35:27(ESV)
He also said, This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how.
Mark 4:26-27
This is a secret of the kingdom of God, and to me it is one of the most encouraging of all the parables Jesus ever uttered. He is speaking of how this rule of God increases, how it grows in a life. He explains it as a coming to harvest by a patient expectation that God will work. The key of this whole passage is, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. That is, there are forces at work that will be faithful to perform their work—whether a farmer stews and frets about it or not. Farmers do what they can do, what is expected of them. But then God must work. And God will work. And in the confidence of that, this farmer rests secure. As Jesus draws the picture this farmer goes out to sow. It is hard work as he sows the field, but this is what he can do. But then he goes home and goes to bed. He does not sit up all night biting his fingernails, wondering if the seed fell in the right places or whether it will take root. Nor does he rise the next morning and go out and dig it up to see whether or not it has sprouted yet. He rests secure in the fact that God is at work, that He has a part in this process, and He must do it; no one can do it for Him. But he will faithfully perform it. So the farmer rests secure, knowing that as the seed grows there are stages that are observable: first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. It is only as the grain is ripe that he is called into action again. When the harvest is ready, then he is to act once more.
This is exactly what Paul describes for us in that passage in 1 Corinthians 3:9a: For we are God’s fellow workers. This is the way we ought to expect Him to work. It involves a witness first, perhaps a word of teaching or exhortation to someone—or to ourselves. And then an inevitable process begins, one that takes time and patience and allows God to work. One of the most destructive forces at work in the church today is our insistent demand for instant results. We want to have immediate conversions, immediate responses every time we speak. We tend not to allow time for the Word to take root and grow and come to harvest.
I have watched a boy in Peninsula Bible Church (PBC) growing up since grade school. I watched him come into adolescence and enter into a period of deep and bitter rebellion against God. I watched his parents, hurt and crushed by his attitudes, yet nevertheless praying for him—saying what they could to him—but above all holding him up in prayer. I watched the whole process as the seed that had been sown in his heart took root and began to grow. There were tiny observable signs of change occurring. Gradually he came back to the Lord. And as an adult young man, he asked me to fill out a reference for him to go to seminary. That is the Word growing secretly. The sower knows not how it happens but can rest secure in this.
Our Lord is teaching us the fantastic truth that God is at work. It does not all depend on us!
Thank You, Lord that I can trust that as I do my part and sow the seed of Your Word wherever I can, You will do the rest.
Life Application
We have the privilege of sowing the fertile seed of the gospel. Do we trust the sovereign work of the Spirit to produce a harvest, or rely on our own effectiveness?
1Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. 2He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: 3“Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, multiplying thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times.”
9Then Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”
10When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. 11He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables 12so that, ” ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!'”
13Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t you understand this parable? How then will you understand any parable? 14The farmer sows the word. 15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them. 16Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy. 17But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 18Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; 19but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown.”
21He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? 22For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. 23If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.”
24“Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. 25Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”
26He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 29As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it, because the harvest has come.”
Matthew 5 This week’s lessons on the Beatitudes teach us that true happiness comes by living in a way that is contrary to the world and even to our natural way of thinking.
Theme
Inheriting the Earth
The third beatitude concerns meekness. What do you think of when you think of meekness? Most of us think of Caspar Milquetoast or else the skinny 98-pound weakling in the Charles Atlas ad. That is not what meekness meant in the ancient world. Aristotle once outlined what the proper virtues of a civilized man should be. Men are usually too extreme, he said. They either exhibit too much of something, or they attain too little of something else. They should aim for what Aristotle called “the golden mean,” that is, the virtue that stands in the middle.
Meekness is one such virtue. It is part-way between being too angry at something–flying off the handle—and, on the other hand, not being angry enough, being passive. Aristotle defined meekness as “always being angry about the right things at the right time and never being angry about the wrong things at the wrong time.” In Christian terms this means that believers must use all the force at their disposal to speak out against the sinfulness of the world. But at other times, perhaps when their own rights are intruded upon, they must step back and allow the Lord to be their defender.
In Numbers, Moses is described as being the meekest man on the face of the earth (12:3). Moses was the man who stood before Pharaoh and said, “Let my people go!” He was the one who climbed Mount Sinai to appear before God while God gave him the Ten Commandments. His was real strength. But in the twelfth chapter, where Moses is described as being meek, another type of strength is revealed. Moses had married a girl from Cush or Ethiopia. She was black, and some people did not like it. The person most offended was Moses’ sister, Miriam. So she, along with her brother Aaron, challenged Moses’ leadership. God did not look upon this lightly. He said, “Who are you to question my servant Moses, the one with whom I talked face-to-face?” Then a cloud from the tabernacle overshadowed Miriam, and when the cloud moved away everybody saw that Miriam had become white with leprosy. It is ironic. God was saying, “You are too proud of your color. You think white is better? Here is more of it.” Aaron was aghast. He said, “Oh, Moses, don’t let this sin of hers be held against her.” Then Moses turned to the Lord and asked Him to heal Miriam of her leprosy.
It is a very stirring story, and it is in the midst of this story that we are told that Moses was the meekest man who ever lived. A meek man is one who bows low before God so that he can stand up against God’s enemies. And because he has bowed low before God, he does not have to defend himself. He can be bold in God’s service.
Study Questions
How is meekness defined in a general sense? How does one practice it as a distinctively Christian virtue?
How did Moses demonstrate meekness?
Application
Application: Are there any situations you are going through that require meekness? What form will that meekness specifically take? If you are finding it difficult to cultivate meekness, ask the Lord for grace to enable you to demonstrate it for the honor of Christ.
Key Point: A meek man is one who bows low before God so that he can stand up against God’s enemies. And because he has bowed low before God, he does not have to defend himself. He can be bold in God’s service.
For Further Study: To learn more about how the Bible governs the life of the Christian, download and listen for free to James Boice’s message, “Walking by God’s Word.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
In today’s culture, the concept of the fear of the Lord is often misunderstood, dismissed, or even despised. Many view it as outdated or oppressive, associating it with an angry God who should be avoided. Yet, the fear of the Lord is a foundational biblical doctrine, essential to a proper relationship with God. It’s central to the teachings of Scripture, both in the Old and New Testaments. Proverbs 9:10 says:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Genuine wisdom starts with a proper understanding of God. It is not merely a fear of punishment but a profound respect for His holiness, power, and authority. Isaiah describes the fear of the Lord as a treasure:
The fear of the Lord is His treasure. (Isaiah 33:6)
And look at this wonderful promise:
The fear of the Lord leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil. (Proverbs 19:23)
In contrast, the world often rejects the thought of fearing God. Modern culture tends to prioritize self-reliance, worldly pleasure, and autonomy, viewing submission to God as restrictive. This is reflected in Romans 3:18, which says:
“There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
“Genuine wisdom starts with a proper understanding of God. It is not merely a fear of punishment but a profound respect for His holiness, power, and authority.”
Without the fear of God, society drifts into moral confusion, arrogance, and rebellion, rejecting the boundaries and wisdom that God has kindly established. Psalm 25:14 states:
The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
Those who fear the Lord are drawn into a deeper relationship with Him, where He reveals His truth and blesses them with His presence. In the New Testament, the fear of the Lord remains relevant for believers. The apostle Paul writes:
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Corinthians 7:1)
Although the world may despise or ridicule the fear of the Lord, Christians are called to embrace it as a priceless treasure. It is the key to wisdom, the foundation of godly living, and the path to a deeper relationship with the Creator. Let us remember King Solomon’s wise words:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all. (Ecclesiastes 12:13)
By cultivating a healthy fear of God, we honor Him and receive the blessings of wisdom, guidance, and eternal life in His presence.
“Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (8:24)
Here Jesus went beyond the self-righteousness and worldliness that damns to the ultimate issue—unbelief. Repeating His warning from verse 21, Jesus declared that those who reject Him will die in their sins because they refuse to believe that I am He. The Lord’s use of the absolute, unqualified phrase I am (the pronoun He does not appear in the Greek text) is nothing less than a direct claim to full deity. When Moses asked God His name He replied, “I AM WHO I AM” (Ex. 3:14). In the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament), that is the same phrase (egō eimi) Jesus used here (the Septuagint similarly uses egō eimi of God in Deut. 32:39; Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 25; 45:18; 46:4). Jesus was applying to Himself the tetragrammaton (YHWH, often transliterated as Yahweh)—the name of God that was so sacred that the Jews refused to pronounce it. Unlike many modern cult groups (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses), the Jews of Jesus’ day understood perfectly that He was claiming to be God. In fact, they were so shocked by His use of that name, in reference to Himself (cf. vv. 28, 58), that they attempted to stone Him for blasphemy (v. 59). Unmistakably, the Lord Himself says that those who reject Him cannot be saved, but will die in their sins. To be a Christian one must believe the full biblical revelation about Jesus: that He is the eternal second person of the Trinity, that He entered space and time as God incarnate, that He was born of a virgin, that He lived a sinless life, that His death on the cross is the only sufficient, substitionary sacrifice for the sins of all who would ever believe in Him, that He rose from the dead and ascended to the Father in heaven, that He now intercedes for His own redeemed people, and that He will one day return in glory. To reject those truths about Him is to “be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:3), to worship “another Jesus” (v. 4), to be cursed by God (Gal. 1:8–9), and ultimately to hear the Lord say, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness” (Matt. 7:23). The word unless introduces the only hope of escape from God’s wrath and judgment on sin. R. C. H. Lenski notes,
The sins of these men will destroy them by robbing them of life eternal only if they refuse to believe in Jesus. The “if” clause [in the KJV] is pure gospel, extending its blessed invitation anew. Yet it is again combined with the warning about dying in sins. This note of warning with its terrifying threat persists because these Jews had chosen the course of unbelief. Yet the “if” opens the door of life in the wall of sin. (The Interpretation of St. John’s Gospel [Reprint; Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 1998], 614)
Persistent unwillingness to believe the truth about Jesus Christ, by its very nature, precludes the possibility of forgiveness, since salvation comes only through faith in Him (3:15–16, 36; 6:40, 47; Acts 16:31; Rom. 10:9–10; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 5:10–13). Those who continue in unbelief, refusing to embrace in faith all that Jesus is and has done, will die in their sins and be lost forever (cf. 3:18, 36; Heb. 2:3). And apart from the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, no one can be saved. Therefore believers are commanded to go to the world and preach Christ to everyone (Mark 16:15–16; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). John 1–11 (pp. 348–349). Moody Press.
23, 24. So he was saying to them, you are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Did I not say to you that you would die in your sins? For if you will not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins. This reply of Jesus serves both as a continuation of verse 21, giving the reason (as if he had said, “Where I am going you cannot come, for you are from below, I am from above”), and as a fitting response to the sneering question of the Jews (as if he had said, “Your mockery indicates that you are from below,” etc.). What Jesus means is that the thoughts and motives of these Jews were hell-inspired; his own, were heaven-inspired. Jesus then repeats the words of verse 21 (“You will die,” etc.) with a slight change (see on that verse). This death in sins will be the result of not believing that I am he; literally, that I am (ἐγώ εἰμι), the predicate must be supplied mentally, as in 4:26; 6:20; 9:9; 13:19; 18:5, 6, 9. Basic to the expression are passages such as Ex. 3:14; Deut. 32:39; Is. 43:10. The meaning is: that I am all that I claim to be; the One sent by the Father, the One who is from above, the Son of man, the only-begotten Son of God, equal with God, the One who has life in himself, the very essence of the scriptures, the bread of life, the light of the world, etc. The fact that rejection of the Son—failure to believe in him and to obey him—results in everlasting death is expressed not only here in 8:24 but also in 3:36 (see on that verse), which may be viewed as an explanation of 8:24.
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, p. 46). Baker Book House.
I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. (Psalm 91:14)
Does the Lord say this to me? Yes, if I have known His name. Blessed be the Lord, I am no stranger to Him. I have tried Him, proved Him, and known Him, and therefore do I trust Him. I know His name as a sin-hating God, for by His Spirit’s convincing power I have been taught that He will never wink at evil. But I also know Him as the sin-pardoning God in Christ Jesus, for He has forgiven me all trespasses. His name is faithfulness, and I know it, for He has never forsaken me though my troubles have multiplied upon me.
This knowledge is a gift of grace, and the Lord makes it to be the reason why He grants another grace-gift, namely, setting on high. This is grace upon grace. Observe that if we climb on high, the position may be dangerous; but if the Lord sets us there it is safe. He may raise us to great usefulness, to eminent experience, to success in service, to leadership among workers, to a father’s place among the little ones. If He does not do this, He may set us on high by near fellowship, clear insight, holy triumph, and gracious anticipation of eternal glory. When God sets us on high, Satan himself cannot pull us down. Oh, that this may be our case all through this day!
Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. (Hosea 6:1)
It is the Lord’s way to tear before He heals. This is the honest love of His heart and the sure surgery of His hand. He also bruises before He binds up, or else it would be uncertain work. The law comes before the gospel, the sense of need before the supply of it. Is the reader now under the convincing, crushing hand of the Spirit? Has he received the spirit of bondage again to fear? This is a salutary preliminary to real gospel healing and binding up.
Do not despair, dear heart, but come to the Lord with all thy jagged wounds, black bruises, and running sores. He alone can heal, and He delights to do it. It is our Lord’s office to bind up the brokenhearted, and He is gloriously at home at it. Let us not linger but at once return unto the Lord from whom we have gone astray. Let us show Him our gaping wounds and beseech him to know His own work and complete it. Will a surgeon make an incision and then leave his patient to bleed to death? Will the Lord pull down our old house and then refuse to build us a better one? Dost Thou ever wantonly increase the misery of poor anxious souls? That be far from Thee, O Lord.
The Protestant Reformation occurred against the backdrop of great corruption in doctrine, worship, and piety. In this message, Dr. Stephen Nichols looks at the setting of the sixteenth-century Reformation and the problems in the church that made substantial reform necessary.
Artificial intelligence continues to dominate Americans’ lives, with new technologies transforming the way people interact with brands, the internet — and one another.
Nick Skytland, a vice president at Gloo, a faith-based AI company, recently explained the impact of artificial intelligence and why his organization is on a mission to investigate how it contends with the Christian worldview.
Gloo recently launched its Flourishing AI effort, a project to research benchmarks surrounding how faith is perpetuated and handled in the AI space.
Skytland argues mainstream AI models default to generic or secular advice rather than biblical or Christian guidance, even when faith-based prompts are given.
“Gloo is a technology company that serves the faith ecosystem, and, back in July, we had released some research that we call Flourishing AI,” Skytland said. “And it’s just a benchmark that’s really grounded in seven dimensions of human flourishing based on a lot of research that’s out there.”
Gloo’s focus is on the Christian worldview and understanding how this dynamic shows up through various AI tools.
“We really think that this might be the first comprehensive framework of its kind, measuring AI alignment for human flourishing from an authentic biblical worldview,” Skytland said.
The researcher said he tends to be a “half-full optimist” and believes “AI is incredible” and has a lot of promise. Still, there are some caveats and worries.
“I think there’s something that we really do need to understand here — that AI does have a built-in bias,” Skytland said. “It does have a built-in, essentially hidden worldview, especially to the average user.”
This is why Gloo has gone so deep into its efforts to try and discern what is happening within the AI framework.
“This is something we’re really trying to understand with the flourishing AI benchmark, to expose the structural bias and then think about … what does that mean from a Christian worldview?” he said.
AI operates based on the data it is fed and trained on, which can lead it not to present things through a biblical framework.
“It’s … very great technology. But, as a Christian, we should ask the question: ‘Does it represent my values?’” he said. “And, if not … how do I approach that? What do I think about that?”
Skytland said these issues are most pronounced when Christians ask AI about theology and relationships.
“Not surprisingly, faith and spirituality remain the most difficult dimension across all the frontier models that we’re seeing,” he said. “This is a really important point, but we don’t just measure it in the dimension. We think about how does our faith affect humanity?”
Despite these challenges, Skytland said he believes the “models are getting better.” Even as challenges persist, the AI expert encouraged parents and educators, noting it’s a “huge opportunity for Christians.” Watch what he had to say above.
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time. And for this I was appointed a preacher and an apostle (I am telling the truth, I am not lying) as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. (2:3–7)
This powerful and dramatic passage answers the question “Why pray for the lost?” It is one of the most definitive statements in all of Scripture of the saving purpose of God. It contains several reasons for evangelistic prayer.
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER IS MORALLY RIGHT
This points back to the commandment to pray for the lost in verses 1–2. Kalon (good) refers to what is intrinsically, morally good. God defines prayer for the lost as the noble and spiritually proper thing to do, and our consciences agree. The lost suffer the agony of sin, shame, and meaninglessness in this life, and the eternal hell of unrelenting agony in the life to come. Knowing that, it is the most excellent task to pray for their salvation. Some might argue that Jesus said in John 17:9, “I do not ask on behalf of the world.” But there Christ was praying as Great High Priest for God’s elect. Because He is sovereign, omniscient Deity, His prayer was specific in a way ours cannot be. It was a prayer exclusively for the salvation of those whom He loved and chose before the foundation of the world to be partakers of every spiritual blessing (Eph. 1:3–4). “The world” was specifically excluded from the saving design of this prayer. Our prayers, however, are not the prayers of a high priest; we pray as ambassadors of Christ, whose task it is to beseech men and women on His behalf to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20). We are therefore commanded to offer our entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings … on behalf of all men. Our earnest desire ought to be for the salvation of all sinners (cf. Rom. 9:3; 10:1). We are not to try to limit evangelism to the elect only. There are two reasons for this. First, God’s decree of election is secret. We do not know who the elect are and have no way of knowing until they respond to the gospel. Second, the scope of God’s evangelistic purposes is broader than election. “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). Even Jesus’ high priestly prayer does embrace the world in this important regard. Our Lord prayed for unity among the elect so that the truth of the gospel would be made clear to the world: “that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me.… that the world may know that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:21, 23). God’s call to all sinners is a bona fide and sincere invitation to salvation: “ ‘As I live!’ declares the Lord God, ‘I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?’ ” (Ezek. 33:11).
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER IS CONSISTENT WITH GOD’S DESIRE
Obviously, in some inscrutable sense, God’s desire for the world’s salvation is different from His eternal saving purpose. We can understand this to some degree from a human perspective; after all, our purposes frequently differ from our desires. We may desire, for example, to spend a day at leisure, yet a higher purpose compels us to go to work instead. Similarly, God’s saving purposes transcend His desires. (There is a crucial difference, of course: We might be compelled by circumstances beyond our control to choose what we do not desire. But God’s choices are determined by nothing other than His own sovereign, eternal purpose). God genuinely desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Yet in “the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Eph. 3:11), He chose only the elect “out of the world” (John 17:6), and passed over the rest, leaving them to the damning consequences of their sin (cf. Rom. 1:18–32). The culpability for their damnation rests entirely on them because of their sin and rejection of God. God is not to blame for their unbelief. Since God desires all men to be saved, we are not required to ascertain that a person is elect before praying for that person’s salvation. God alone knows who all the elect are (2 Tim. 2:19). We may pray on behalf of all men with full assurance that such prayers are good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior. After all, “the Lord is gracious and merciful; slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Ps. 145:8–9). Apodektos (acceptable), is from apodechomai, which means “to receive gladly,” “to accept with satisfaction,” or “to heartily welcome.” The Lord eagerly accepts prayer for the lost because it is consistent with His desire for their salvation. Such prayer is also consistent with His nature as Savior. The phrase God our Savior appears five other times in the Pastoral Epistles (1:1; 4:10; Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4), as well as in Jude 25. God is not only creator, sustainer, king, and judge, but also savior. His saving character is manifested through His Son, Jesus Christ (2:5–6; 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:6). God is the “Savior of all men” in a temporal sense, but “especially of believers” in an eternal sense (1 Tim. 4:10b). That truth of God’s saving nature is also taught in the Old Testament (cf. 2 Sam. 22:3; Ps. 106:21; Isa. 43:3, 11). The idea that the God of the Old Testament is a vengeful, wrathful ogre mollified by the gentle, loving, New Testament Christ is not at all accurate. When God desires all men to be saved, He is being consistent with who He is. In Isaiah 45:22 God said, “Turn to Me, and be saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 55:1 invites “every one who thirsts” to “come to the waters” of salvation. Again, in Ezekiel 18:23, 32 God states very clearly that He does not desire that the wicked should perish, but that they would sincerely repent (cf. Ezek. 33:11). In the New Testament, Peter writes, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). No true biblical theology can teach that God takes pleasure in the damnation of the wicked. Yet though it does not please Him, God will receive glory even in the damnation of unbelievers (cf. Rom. 9:22–23). How His electing grace and predestined purpose can stand beside His love for the world and desire that the gospel be preached to all people, still holding them responsible for their own rejection and condemnation, is a mystery of the divine mind. The Scriptures teach God’s love for the world, His displeasure in judging sinners, His desire for all to hear the gospel and be saved. They also teach that every sinner is incapable yet responsible to believe and will be damned if he does not. Crowning the Scripture’s teaching on this matter is the great truth that God has elected who will believe and saved them before the world began. What mystery!
Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Rom. 11:33–36)
To come to the knowledge of the truth is to be saved. Epignōsis (knowledge) is used three other times in the Pastoral Epistles (2 Tim. 2:25; 3:7; Titus 1:1). In all four occurrences, it refers to the true knowledge that brings about salvation. Far from desiring their damnation, God desires the lost to come to a saving knowledge of the truth. Some have argued that this passage teaches universalism. If God desires the salvation of all men, they argue, then all will be saved, or God won’t get what He wants. Others argue that what God wills comes to pass, because all men means all classes of men, not every individual. Neither of those positions is necessary, however. We must distinguish between God’s will of decree (His eternal purpose), and His will expressed as desire. Desire is not from boulomai, which would be more likely to express God’s will of decree, but from thelō, which can refer to God’s will of desire. This is precisely the distinction theologians often make between God’s secret will and His revealed will. God desires many things that He does not decree. It was never God’s desire that sin exist, yet the undeniable existence of sin proves that even sin fulfills His eternal purposes (Isa. 46:10)—though in no sense is He the author of sin (James 1:13). Jesus lamented over Jerusalem, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling” (Matt. 23:37). John Murray and Ned B. Stonehouse wrote, “We have found that God himself expresses an ardent desire for the fulfillment of certain things which he has not decreed in his inscrutable counsel to come to pass” (The Free Offer of the Gospel [Phillipsburg, N.J.: Presb. & Ref., 1979], 26). God desires all men to be saved. It is their willful rejection of Him that sends them to hell. The biblical truths of election and predestination do not cancel man’s moral responsibility.
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER REFLECTS THE UNIQUENESS OF GOD
One of the most fundamental teachings of Scripture is that there is one God (cf. Deut. 4:35, 39; 6:4; Isa. 43:10; 44:6; 45:5–6, 21–22; 46:9; 1 Cor. 8:4, 6). That runs counter to the pluralistic religiosity of our world, which rejects the concept of any exclusive religious truth. We are taught by the spirit of our age that the gods of the Christians, Jews, Moslems, Buddhists, and Hindus are to be charitably considered equally valid. If that were true, there would be many ways of salvation, and hence no need for evangelism. But since there is only one true God, then He is the One in whom all must believe to be saved. There is no other name under heaven by which sinners may be saved (Acts 4:12). Evangelistic prayer recognizes that all must come to the one true God.
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER IS CONSISTENT WITH THE PERSON OF CHRIST
Not only is there only one God, but one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. Mesitēs (mediator) refers to one who intervenes between two individuals to restore peace, or ratify a covenant. The concept of a mediator is seen in Job’s lament, “There is no umpire between us, who may lay his hand upon us both” (Job 9:33). Because Christ is the only mediator, all must come to God through Him (Acts 4:12). There isn’t an endless series of aeons, or subgods, as the Gnostics taught. We do not approach God through the intercession of angels, saints, or Mary. Only through the man Christ Jesus can men draw near to God. The absence of the article before anthrōpos (man) suggests the translation, “Christ Jesus, Himself man.” As the perfect God-man, he brings God and man together. Hebrews 8:6 calls Him “the mediator of a better covenant,” while Hebrews 9:15 and 12:24 describe Him as the mediator of the new covenant. All men who come to God must come through Him.
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER REFLECTS THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST’S ATONEMENT
Our Lord freely gave His life when He died for our sins. In John 10:17–18 He said,
For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.
He voluntarily went to the cross and gave all of Himself, not merely something He possessed. Ransom is a rich theological term, describing Christ’s substitutionary death for us. It is not the simple word for ransom, lutron, but antilutron, the added preposition intensifying the meaning. Christ did not merely pay a ransom to free us; He became the victim in our place. He died our death, and bore our sin. He gave Himself. The phrase gave Himself as a ransom for all is a comment on the sufficiency of the atonement, not its design. To apply a well-known epigram, the ransom paid by Christ to God for the satisfaction of His justice is sufficient for all, but efficacious for the elect only. Christ’s atonement is therefore unlimited as to its sufficiency, but limited as to its application. Real benefits accrue for all because of Christ’s all-sufficient atoning work. The gospel may be preached indiscriminately to all (Mark 16:15); the water of life and the offer of divine mercy are extended freely to all (Rev. 22:17); Christ is set forth as Savior for all to embrace (1 Tim. 4:10; 1 John 4:14). Moreover, in a temporal sense, the entire race was spared from immediate destruction and judgment when Adam sinned (a privilege not afforded to the angels who fell—Heb. 2:16), and individual sinners experience delay in God’s judgment on their sins. Nineteenth-century theologian William G. T. Shedd wrote,
The atonement is sufficient in value to expiate the sin of all men indiscriminately; and this fact should be stated because it is a fact. There are no claims of justice not yet satisfied; there is no sin of man for which an infinite atonement has not been provided.… Therefore the call to ‘come’ is universal.” (Dogmatic Theology [reprint; Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1980], 2:482)
That does not mean that all will be saved. Again, “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). Christ’s death was sufficient to cover the sins of all people, but it is applied to the elect alone. The price paid was infinite. If billions more had been added to the number of the elect, Christ would not have been required to suffer one more stroke of divine wrath to pay the price for their sin. On the other hand, “had there been but one sinner, Seth, elected of God, this whole divine sacrifice would have been needed to expiate His guilt” (R. L. Dabney, The Five Points of Calvinism [reprint; Harrisonburg, Va.: Sprinkle, 1992], 61). So the infinite price our Savior paid was certainly sufficient for all. “Christ’s expiation … is a divine act. It is indivisible, inexhaustible, sufficient in itself to cover the guilt of all the sins that will ever be committed on earth” (Dabney, 61). Therefore salvation can sincerely and legitimately be offered to all, though only the elect will respond. Shedd writes, “The extent to which a medicine is offered is not limited by the number of persons favorably disposed to buy it and use it. Its adaptation to disease is the sole consideration in selling it, and consequently it is offered to everybody” (Dogmatic Theology, 2:482). It is crucial to understand that the atoning work of Christ fully accomplishes everything God declared He would accomplish in eternity past with regard to the salvation of sinners. God’s sovereign purposes are not thwarted in any degree by the unbelief of those who spurn Christ. “I am God,” He states, “and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’ ” (Isa. 46:9–10). The atonement of Christ does not represent a failed attempt to save anyone who will not be saved. All those whom God purposed to save from eternity past will be saved (cf. John 17:12). Yet it is worth reiterating once more that while God’s saving purpose is limited to the elect, His desire for the salvation of sinners is as broad as the human race. He desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. And so Christ gave Himself as a ransom sufficient for all. How graphically the atoning work of Christ reveals to us the heart of God for the salvation of sinners! That is why Paul refers to the atonement as the testimony borne by Christ at the proper time. This thought precisely parallels Galatians 4:4–5, “But when the fulness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law.” Christ gave Himself as a ransom at exactly the proper time in God’s redemptive plan. His redemptive work is the most eloquent testimony ever borne to God’s saving desire for all sinners. Evangelistic prayer for all men therefore reflects the heart of God, and honors Christ’s work on the cross.
EVANGELISTIC PRAYER IS IN ACCORD WITH PAUL’S DIVINE COMMISSION
And for this, Paul writes in verse 7, I was appointed a preacher and an apostle. This refers to the great truths that God is our Savior, Christ is our mediator, and Christ gave Himself as a ransom, as discussed in the preceding verses. Paul’s divine commission was based on those truths. Preacher derives from the verb kērussō, which means to herald, proclaim, or speak publicly. The ancient world had no news media, so announcements were made in the city square. Paul was a public herald proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ. An apostle was a messenger, sent on behalf of Christ. If the gospel message was exclusive, that would undercut Paul’s calling. Paul reinforces the truthfulness of his calling as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth with the parenthetical statement in verse 7. He affirms I am telling the truth, I am not lying. In case some doubted his teaching in this passage, he insists that he is speaking the truth. We, too, are called to proclaim the gospel to the lost world. That call, like Paul’s divine commission, is based on God’s desire that all be saved. Evangelistic prayer acknowledges our responsibility.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1995). 1 Timothy (pp. 67–74). Moody Press.
The position, “God desires all men—men from every rank and station, tribe and nation—to be saved” is true, For (there is but) one God, and (there is but) one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus. There is not one God for this nation, one for another; one God for slaves and one for free men; one God for rulers, one for subjects. Paul is his own best interpreter: “For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Cor. 12:13). Again, “or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also: if it be true (and it certainly is true) that God is one …” (Rom. 3:29). That the apostle is actually thinking of the distinction “ruler … subject” follows from the immediately preceding context (1 Tim. 2:2a). That he has in mind the distinction “Jew … Gentile” is apparent from the immediately following context (1 Tim. 2:7b). Not only the realm of creation but also that of redemption is united under one Head. Hence, not only is there only one God; there is also only “one Mediator of (here in the sense of between) God and men.” The present is the only passage in which Paul speaks of Christ as “Mediator.” However, in Gal. 3:19, the apostle also uses the term, with probable reference to Moses, who as mediator transmitted God’s law to the people. In Gal. 3:20 he speaks in general about “a mediator.” It is the author of the epistle to the Hebrews who discusses at some length the position of Christ, our heavenly Highpriest, as Mediator (Heb. 8:6; 9:15; 12:24), “the Mediator of a new covenant.” By derivation the word simply indicates someone who stands “in the middle.” The purpose for which he takes this in-between position must be derived, in each single case, from the context, or from parallel passages. In the present case it is not open to legitimate doubt that the apostle takes his point of departure in the fact that Christ is the One who has voluntarily taken his stand between the offended God and the offending sinner, in order to take upon himself the wrath of God which the sinner has deserved, thereby delivering the latter. This is clear because the entire context speaks of salvation (verse 4), and of Christ as a ransom (see on verse 6). A striking explanation is found in Gal. 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for (or over) us.” In that passage the Savior is pictured as standing over us, that is, between us and the curse of the law, so that the curse falls on him, and we are saved. However, it is clear that in the present passage (1 Tim. 2:5) the concept Mediator is even slightly broader. Not only does Christ in this capacity restore sinners to the right legal relationship to God, but he also brings them to “the knowledge of the truth” (verse 4); and causes the testimony of this glorious truth to be borne to them (verse 6). Hence, he both establishes peace and reveals it to men, persuading them to accept the good news. He stands revealed as Mediator in this twofold sense. Note the manner in which the identity of this Mediator is revealed: “one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” To think of men in this connection means to think of man, the man Jesus Christ. Hence men and man are juxtaposed. Had salvation been intended only for one particular group—say, only for the Jews—the apostle would have written, “the Jew Christ Jesus.” Since it was intended for both Jew and Gentile, that is, for men in general, without distinction of race or nationality, he writes “the man Christ Jesus.” (By no means is this a denial of Christ’s deity. That he is the object of faith and worship is clear from 1 Tim. 3:16. The word man here in 1 Tim. 2:5 is not contrasted with God but with Jew or Gentile.)
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Pastoral Epistles (Vol. 4, pp. 97–98). Baker Book House.
Michael Reagan, RIP: On Sunday, January 4, Michael Reagan — the adopted son of former President Ronald Reagan — died at the age of 80. Reagan was a Christian, a conservative, an author, a nationally syndicated radio host, and a stalwart defender of his father’s legacy who was closely involved with the Reagan Library and Foundation. “Michael Reagan lived a life shaped by conviction, purpose, and an abiding devotion to President Reagan’s ideals,” the Foundation stated upon news of his death, which then quoted his father: “When I read his book, I had even more of a fatherly pride in Mike than I had had before. … He was happy and at peace with himself.” The Patriot Post had the honor of sharing Michael Reagan’s weekly column with our readers. He will be greatly missed.
Venezuelan oil: Since the capture of illegitimate president Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, the Trump administration has claimed control over Venezuela and its oil. That will be put to the test following President Donald Trump’s announcement that interim Venezuelan authorities will hand over 30-50 million barrels of oil, to be delivered immediately to U.S. ports by ship. The oil will be sold at market price, with the proceeds controlled by the U.S. president and dispensed to enrich both the Venezuelan and American peoples. U.S. and British oil companies built the oil industry in Venezuela and brought production to its peak of 3.7 million barrels a day before Venezuelan nationalization caused production to sink below one million barrels a day by 2025. Venezuela’s oil reserves are believed to be the largest in the world, totaling over 300 billion barrels.
U.S. continues to seize tankers carrying Venezuelan oil: After departing Venezuela, the tanker known as the Bella-1 slipped past the U.S. maritime blockade, leading to a two-week pursuit as it attempted to reach Russia carrying sanctioned oil. During its voyage across the Atlantic, the ship was registered under the Russian flag and was renamed the “Marinera.” At some point, Russia deployed a submarine to shadow the tanker and escort it safely to Russian territory. Undeterred, the U.S. Coast Guard and other military forces intercepted and seized the tanker off the coast of Iceland this morning. Also today, another tanker, the M Sophia, which departed as part of a “shadow fleet” carrying Venezuelan oil to China, was seized in the Caribbean.
Venezuelan operation and AI tomfoolery: Soon after news broke of the successful U.S. operation to capture, arrest, and extract Nicolás Maduro from his residence in Caracas, videos and images rapidly spread across social media featuring the destruction of the tomb of former President Hugo Chavez. It was claimed that the U.S. had intentionally targeted the tomb. However, it turns out that these images and videos were fake, having been generated by AI. The tomb of Chavez had not been targeted, nor had it been destroyed. What this incident demonstrates is the reality of AI’s impact on people’s perception of significant events in real time. It raises the specter of narrative-controlled propaganda that can easily manipulate people into believing false reports, using videos and images that are not easily recognized as fake.
GOP congressman dies: One of California’s increasingly rare Republican congressmen has died following a medical emergency on Monday night. Doug LaMalfa, 65, a seven-term congressman, was hailed by colleagues as a stalwart conservative and “a genuinely kind, decent man.” President Trump remembered LaMalfa in a speech at the House GOP retreat as a friend who was “with me 100% of the time.” Details on LaMalfa’s death have not been released, but he is survived by his wife, Jill, and their children. For the Republican-controlled House, his death means the margin of control has been reduced to just 218-213.
Georgia sets special election to replace MTG: On Tuesday, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced that the special election for the state’s 14th Congressional District to fill the seat of Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has been set for March 10. The northwestern Georgia district heavily favors Republicans and is considered safe for the GOP. MTG announced her resignation in November, and her last day in office was January 5. Formerly a leading MAGA firebrand supporter of Donald Trump, she has increasingly become a loud critic of the president, most recently blasting him over his decision to arrest and extradite Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. She opposed the action, deriding the hours-long police action as another instance of the U.S. instigating and involving itself in another “forever war.” Hopefully, MTG’s seat will be filled by someone principled and committed to conservatism, not to their own brand.
Military recruitment soars while Pentagon considers role of women: Secretary of War Pete Hegseth noted in his speech at an Armed Forces swearing-in ceremony on Monday that military recruitment is already exceeding last year’s recruiting surge. “We’re setting new records at the War Department of historic recruitment of men and women wanting to join the ranks, and you’re a part of that. So, congratulations,” Hegseth declared. He also highlighted the importance of “mission readiness” in his remarks, and part of that “readiness” includes whether or not women should serve in combat roles. Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson announced in a statement on Tuesday that the Department has made steps in that effort: “The Institute for Defense Analyses is reviewing the effectiveness of having women in ground combat roles to ensure standards are met, and the United States maintains the most lethal military.”
Minneapolis gets federal visitors: It was too much for Minnesota Democrats to hope that Tim Walz’s bowing out of the governor’s race would grant them any breathing room, and the Department of Homeland Security isn’t giving an inch. Hundreds of DHS agents are being deployed to Minneapolis following scandalous fraud stories that never seemed to end. The crackdown, which will include fraud investigations and immigration roundups, may culminate in as many as 2,000 agents in the Twin Cities area during a 30-day surge. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino, who oversaw roundups in Chicago, Charlotte, and New Orleans, will help lead the action, which will also include as many as 600 Homeland Security Investigations agents, rivaling the total HSI workforce in the state of Arizona.
Experts warn criminals exploiting aid programs in every state: A fraud-prevention firm, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, which advises upwards of 9,000 federal, state, and local agencies, has warned of extortion of state aid programs since the start of COVID. CEO Haywood Talcove said, “The level of fraudulent activity is varied by program, as well as some states.” Haywood elaborated that every state has some form of “leakage” due to fraud, but that some states, like California, New York, and Massachusetts, are worse because they are “forward” on their benefit programs and state officials ignore the issue. It generally involves federal dollars, not state dollars, so there’s hardly any impact on the state. Talcove said that criminals trade “state hit lists,” which rank states according to weakest ID checks, fastest payouts, and lowest audit risk. It’s no surprise that Minnesota has been on that list for some time.
People still fleeing the formerly Golden State: The nation’s most populated state is seeing the continuation of a trend that began roughly a decade ago. California is losing people, as more and more residents are moving out of the Democrat-dominated state. California isn’t the only blue state witnessing this migration pattern, but it’s leading the pack. A growing number of residents in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut, and Rhode Island are packing up the U-Haul and moving to the greener, freer, more tax-friendly red states. Three of the top states attracting new residents are Texas, Florida, and Tennessee. All three also happen to have no state income tax. Meanwhile, California has the nation’s highest personal income tax rate of 13.3%.
Headlines
Aldrich Ames, CIA officer who spied for Russia, dead at 84 (Fox News)
Hilton drops Minneapolis hotel that lied about immigration agent ban (NY Post)
Appeals court revives California’s ban on disclosing students’ gender identity to parents (Washington Times)
Purdue becomes first U.S. university to impose AI graduation requirements (Washington Times)
Paris court finds 10 people guilty of cyberbullying Brigitte Macron over trans conspiracy (CN)
Humor: Awkward: Biden forced to pay Trump the $25 million bounty for capturing Maduro (Babylon Bee)
Donald Trump was reelected president for many reasons, chief among them to clean up the colossal messes created by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the economy and the border. Yet foreign policy was often overlooked as a facet of Trump’s vision, and he has focused on it more than many might have predicted. Biden’s retreat from Afghanistan caused cascading chaos worldwide, but America’s standing in the world has been declining, and Trump is on a mission to change that.
So, Greenland is back in the news.
It began with a conversation Trump had with reporters after his stunningly successful mission to extradite Venezuela’s thug/criminal/illegitimate dictator Nicolás Maduro. Riding high on his triumph, Trump once again brought up his desire to acquire Greenland from Denmark. The latter’s control, after all, violates the Monroe Doctrine, which opposes European influence and control in the Western Hemisphere.
“I will say this about Greenland: We need Greenland from a national security situation,” the president said. “It’s so strategic. Right now, Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place.” He dismissed Denmark’s security efforts as having merely “added one more dog sled.”
Countering Chinese and Russian influence is also a motivator in Venezuela. The Golden Dome could be a key aspect of the Greenland play, but Trump is also right to be interested in the massive and sparsely populated island for its resources — namely rare-earth minerals.
Denmark and Greenland have steadfastly rebutted any notion of parting with this territory in the North Atlantic. “Our country is not an object of superpower rhetoric,” Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen wrote in reply to Trump. “Threats, pressure, and talk of annexation do not belong anywhere between friends.”
Mette Frederiksen, the prime minister of Denmark, issued a similar joint statement with other European leaders. They called the U.S. “an essential partner” and “NATO ally,” but insisted, “Greenland belongs to its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
Most of the kerfuffle, however, is arguably Leftmedia-generated. As is their habit, reporters tried to get Trump to agree to a red line. They wanted to know that military action is off the table, but as usual, Team Trump wouldn’t take the bait and be boxed in by ruling anything out.
“There’s no need to even think or talk about this in the context that you’re asking, of a military operation,” argued White House adviser Stephen Miller. “Nobody’s going to fight the United States militarily over the future of Greenland.”
“The president and his team are discussing a range of options to pursue this important foreign policy goal,” noted White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, “and of course, utilizing the U.S. military is always an option at the commander-in-chief’s disposal.”
Yet Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized buying the island when he spoke to lawmakers Monday, downplaying the notion of using the military. Lawmakers from both parties called on the U.S. to “respect the sovereignty” of Denmark and Greenland, noting that Greenland has welcomed a friendly U.S. military presence on the island since World War II. Pituffik Space Base, formerly Thule Air Base, has been there since the early 1950s.
Naturally, military action would have serious consequences within NATO. “The world’s strongest defensive alliance … would collapse if one NATO country chose to attack another,” warned Frederiksen.
If I were a betting man, I’d wager that the stuff about the military is twofold: Don’t, as I mentioned, take the Leftmedia bait, and ratchet up the negotiations for a peaceful sale. That’s usually how Trump’s Art of the Deal works. In this case, it means convincing the other players that Trump wants Greenland more than Denmark does, and that it’s worth making a deal. On top of that, getting the rest of NATO to pull its own weight has been another long-term project for Trump. Threatening a nation with whom we have defense treaty obligations is arguably unwise and could backfire, but this is chess, not checkers.
As evidence that negotiation is the real aim, Denmark and Greenland requested a meeting with Rubio to discuss the situation.
Much more broadly, President Trump views American foreign policy as in need of an overhaul. He’s tired of “losing” all over the place, and he wants to “win.” We’ll see just how far he’s willing to push for a “win” in Greenland.
Emmy Griffin: Goodbye, Tim Walz — It’s not a resignation, but the Left’s favorite Midwestern dad is at least dropping out of the Minnesota governor’s race due to an epic fraud scandal under his watch.
Samantha Koch: Hilton Hotel Causes ICE Storm — The backlash after a hotel’s apparent ban against DHS agents staying there reveals the sometimes high cost of political posturing.
Michael Swartz: The Palisades Fire One Year Later — Now that we’re a full year beyond the disastrous wildfire in Southern California, not much has changed for struggling residents.
Sophie Starkova: California’s One-Party Government Isn’t Aging Well — It wasn’t that long ago that the Golden State was viewed as a model of the future for the rest of the country. That’s changing rapidly.
Thomas Gallatin: Is Scott Adams Finding Jesus? — The popular Dilbert cartoonist is dying of terminal cancer, but has recently announced he is embracing the Christian theory.
Gary Bauer: The Anti-American Left — Time and time again, Democrats rally around our enemies, foreign and domestic, that are trying to bring America down.
The Debt Crisis No One’s Talking About — Sir Niall Ferguson is a Scottish historian, author, and public intellectual known for his work on economic history, empire, and global politics.
The Inconvenient Truth About Reparations and the Slave Trade — Winston Marshall sits down with moral philosopher and theologian Lord Nigel Biggar for a rigorous conversation on slavery, reparations, British history, and the moral limits of historical guilt.
SHORT CUTS
Can’t Fix Stupid
“I’m never going to back down from these guys. I’m going to continue to speak out. I’m going to continue to do my job and — as much as I can — highlight how wrong these people are and how outrageous this is and how dangerous. So I’m not going away.” —seditionist Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ)
Delusions of Grandeur
“I’m accountable for this [fraud]. And because of that accountability, I’m not running for office again. But I have a year to continue to improve on a record that I think will stand up against anybody’s. A record that has made Minnesota better.” —Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz
America First
“We want what’s best for the Venezuelan people. But more importantly than that, by a factor of 100, we want what’s best for the American people. And whoever the leader of that country is is going to have to play ball with the United States.” —Vice President JD Vance
Food for Thought
“Imagine being in Venezuela with renewed hope for freedom and seeing reports of leftist protesters in America demanding Trump return your tyrant oppressor to power.” —Patriot Post publisher Mark Alexander
Iran Next?
“The United States could do many things short of military action — which is probably not off the table — to aid Iranian protestors against the regime. … Would these actions be enough? Only the one ‘who brings princes to nothing’ (Isaiah 40:23) knows for certain. But a certain former Venezuelan dictator might advise Ayatollah Ali Khamenei not to underestimate President Trump.” —Joshua Arnold
Political Futures
“Go ahead Democrats and try to make the case that Maduro should have remained in power and continued to kill Americans and his own people. That won’t benefit your electoral prospects in the next election.” —Cal Thomas
“Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as mayor of New York City on New Year’s Day. His inaugural address was shocking in its anti-Americanism. … The danger here is not just that Mamdani is mayor of New York City. The danger is that he represents the rising wing of the Democrat Party. This is who they are — socialists and Marxists.” —Gary Bauer
“The Democrats’ problem isn’t with the way their candidates look or sound — it’s what they believe and do. And there won’t be a Democrat who can match the appeal of Republican populism until there’s a Democrat who dares take the populist side on immigration and cultural norms.” —Daniel McCarthy
Insight
“Anything that’s in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and just a natural part of the way the world works. Anything that’s invented when you’re between 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. Anything invented after you’re 35 is against the natural order of things.” —author and humorist Douglas Adams (1952-2001)
ON THIS DAY in 1789, American citizens voted in the first presidential election, choosing the electors who would go on to elect George Washington to be the nation’s first president under the new Constitution.
Iranians keep up their protests against the Islamic regime, as many can’t afford food or life-saving medicines; how President Trump’s removal of Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela could severely hit both Iran and Hezbollah in the pocketbook; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a top priority along with Trump is keeping a lid on Iran’s nuclear program; the concerns over rising antisemitism with the new Mayor of New York City, Zohran Mamdani, taking office; Chris Mitchell talks about the Israeli government’s view of the protests in Iran, what would happen in the Middle East if the Iranian government did fall and the ongoing Christian revival in Iran; how the fall of Maduro hurts Iran and Hezbollah; the possibility of another strike on Iran’s nuclear program; and Israeli concerns over rising antisemitism; Trump’s plans for other countries in the Western Hemisphere after the military operation in Venezuela; and our Studio 5 conversation with Charley Humbard about his future, after he stepped away from UP Entertainment, which he founded.
Laura Ingraham, Jesse Watters, Sean Hannity and Greg Gutfeld bring Fox News viewers their fresh takes on the top news of the day. #fox #media #breakingnews #us #usa #new #news #breaking #foxnews #politics #political #politicalnews #government #opinion #analysis #commentary #currentevents #ingraham #lauraingraham #watters #jessewatters #hannity #seanhannity #gutfeld #greggutfeld
A major goal of the “whole food framework” will be “reducing health care costs,” as the US has seen surging rates of obesity, Type 2 Diabetes and other chronic diseases.
The Somali Fraud scandal has engulfed the internet and driven the Trump administration to righteous action. Additionally, it has torpedoed Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and his reelection ambitions, as he has announced he is no longer seeking reelection in 2026. That Somalis in the United States woiuld go to great lengths to avoid working, instead scamming America’s welfare apparatus is a most foreseeable phenomenon. And one local pastor was a clapping seal all along the way: John Piper.
In 2012, John Piper would laud the Somalis in his neighborhood voting.
While in line to, presumably, vote for Barack Obama, John Piper takes the time to post on social media his celebration for the influx of Muslim hordes replacing Americans in his neighborhood.
In a sane America, Somalis would not be voting, let alone imported. But this is consistent with John Piper’s character. John Piper, opposing private gun ownership and defending his own wife from attack, supports importing third-world Muslims, who make likely the possibility that people will suffer violent, often sexual, crime. This is coherent for liberals who hate America, but it’s wickedness coming from a professing Christian, let alone one of the largest preachers in America.
The evil tree that John Piper’s tears of Christian hedonist joy watered bore evil fruit. Billions were looted from Americans to enrich the lazy Somalian. Crime increased. And Americans were replaced in their neighborhoods.
All of this John Piper supports, while denouncing nationalism. Of course, John Piper hates nationalism. He supports the replacement, ethnic cleansing of Americans from their homeland.
Deadly clashes have erupted in Iran as demonstrations sparked by anger over the rising cost of living entered their second week. Unlike those in past years, these protests are seeking regime change and taking down regime symbols, posters, and statues.
At least 285 locations in ninety-two cities have witnessed protest gatherings. At this writing, more than two thousand citizens have been arrested, and at least thirty-four protesters have been killed. If Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s forces fail to quell dissent, he has reportedly made plans to flee to Moscow.
I am old enough to remember the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis vividly. I have written often about Iran’s horrific jihadist ideology and have called its leaders “the world’s most dangerous regime.” It would be in the best interest of Iran, Israel, the Middle East, and the world for them to fall and flee.
But while I believe I have reacted to this news with the right analysis, I have done so in the wrong spirit. The same has been true with regard to recent events in Venezuela.
Let me explain.
The alliance of transcendence and immanence
Religions across human history have focused on transcendence or imminence, but not both. To the Greeks and Romans, the gods lived atop Mt. Olympus and used humans for their personal, often nefarious ends. To Muslims, Allah is remote and removed from the human condition. To Hindus and Buddhists, by contrast, there is no personal Ultimate Being; the focus is on personal enlightenment and oneness with reality. The mystery religions of the Greco-Roman world similarly centered on rites and rituals intended to lead to personal empowerment.
Then came the prophetic declaration fulfilled by the birth of Christ: “‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:23, fulfilling Isaiah 7:14). This transcendent God who was with us became immanently one of us.
In one sense, his earthly life could not have been more lowly:
He was born to a peasant teenage girl and adopted by a peasant carpenter father.
His birth was attended by field hands so ritually unclean that they could not attend synagogue or temple services.
He grew up in a town so obscure that it is not mentioned even once in the Old Testament.
He was baptized among sinners.
He experienced temptation, hunger, thirst, weariness, and pain.
He lived in a friend’s home because he had “nowhere to lay his head” (Luke 9:58).
He died a criminal’s death between condemned prisoners.
He was buried in a borrowed tomb.
In another sense, however, his life could not have been more exalted:
His birth was celebrated by angels.
His baptism was marked by the Spirit’s descent and the Father’s affirmation (Matthew 3:16–17).
He regularly demonstrated divine omniscience, omnibenevolence, and omnipotence.
His death was marked by “darkness over all the land,” the rending of the temple curtain, a violent earthquake, and the opening of tombs (Matthew 27:45–53).
His burial led to his glorious resurrection and ascension to heaven.
Across his ministry, he interacted with every dimension of the cultural spectrum:
He befriended tax collectors and “sinners” (cf. Matthew 9:11).
He touched lepers and healed demoniacs.
He engaged with Gentiles, Samaritans, and Jews.
He ministered to a Roman centurion, taught a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, and witnessed to the highest officials in the country.
Now he continues his earthly ministry as he prays for us (Romans 8:34) while his Spirit dwells within us (1 Corinthians 3:16) and empowers us as the “body of Christ” in the world today (1 Corinthians 12:27).
No other religion in history has conceived of such an astounding combination of immanence and transcendence—all of it for us.
“Sons of your Father in heaven”
Now there is no temptation we cannot trust to our Savior, knowing that he has been “tempted as we are” and will empower our victory over our common enemy (Hebrews 4:15). There is no problem we cannot bring to him, knowing that we can “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace” where we will “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (v. 16).
And there is no soul on earth with whom we should not stand in compassion and solidarity.
Jesus loves even Ali Khamenei and Nicolás Maduro. Our Savior would have died just for them. The more they and others like them reject God’s word and will, the more they need our intercession, witness, and ministry. And the more we pay forward the grace we have received, the more we give our broken world what it can find nowhere else.
Jesus assured us that when we “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” we demonstrate that we are “sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:44–45). Then, though we live “in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,” we “shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15–16).
“The goal of a materialistic Utopia”
By contrast, our broken culture can claim neither divine transcendence nor immanence. Secular society has no God who is for us, much less a God who lives in us and works through us.
George Orwell’s 1937 book The Road to Wigan Pierdescribes socialists in a way that is just as true of secularists today: “With their eyes glued to economic facts, [they] have proceeded on the assumption that man has no soul, and explicitly or implicitly they have set up the goal of a materialistic Utopia.”
You and I know better. We know that a “materialistic Utopia” is a contradiction in terms. We know that man not only has a soul but is a soul. We know that God’s love can change any heart in this world for the next.
But we also know that such love has to be incarnated to be believed, first in Christ and now in “Christ in you” (Colossians 1:27).
You may not have the chance to be the presence of Christ to world leaders, though you can and should pray for them to follow Jesus. But you can demonstrate the grace of Christ today to someone you are tempted to reject but called to love.
Philip Yancey noted,
“Grace, like water, flows to the lowest part.”
So should we.
Quote for the day:
“‘Tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.” —John Newton
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