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
English Reformer and martyr John Bradford (1510–1555) wrote in a letter nearly five hundred years ago,
Let us long for our happy life, our laughing life, our joyful life; which we shall enjoy and then have in very deed, when we depart by death out of this dangerous state. . . . Therefore let us prepare ourselves accordingly, and, in misery and sorrow, be glad through hope. Now we are dispersed; but we shall be gathered together again there, where we shall never part, but [always] be together in joy eternal.
Bradford’s phrase “our laughing life” sings to me. Jesus said, “How happy are you who weep now, for you are going to laugh!” (Luke 6:21, Phillips).
There’s weeping in the present world, and there’s also laughter. But there’s a major difference. For believers, the first is temporary; the second is eternal. We’re told that God will make our weeping end (see Revelation 21:4). But our laughter will never end.
Henry Martyn (1781–1812) was a brilliant English scholar who went to India as a missionary. On August 10, 1805, he sailed from his homeland knowing he wouldn’t see it again. Martyn appreciated his home in England, but his longing for his home in Heaven was even greater. The sermon he preached on board that day was based on Hebrews 11:16:
“They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one” (NIV).
Martyn wrote this in his journal:
In prayer I soon launched sweetly into eternity, and found joy unspeakable in thinking of my future rest, and of the boundless love and joy I should ever taste in Christ’s beloved presence hereafter. I found no difficulty in stirring myself up to the contemplation of heaven; my soul through grace realized it, and I delighted to dwell by faith on those blissful scenes.
Henry Martyn became like those described in the text he preached on that day:
All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. . . . They were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Hebrews 11:13-14, 16, NIV)
The “country of their own” spoken of here is a real country, with a real capital city, the New Jerusalem. It’s an actual place where these “foreigners and strangers on earth” will ultimately live in actual bodies. If the promises God made to them were promises regarding Earth (and they were), then the heavenly “country of their own” must ultimately include Earth. The fulfillment of these prophecies requires exactly what Scripture elsewhere promises—a resurrection of God’s people and God’s Earth.
What thrilled these expectant believers was not that God would rule in Heaven—He already did. They dreamed of the time that He would rule here on Earth, removing sin, death, suffering, poverty, and heartache. They trusted that the Messiah would come and bring Heaven with Him. The early Christians believed that God would answer what has since become the most frequently prayed prayer in human history: that once and forever, God’s will would be done on Earth as it is in Heaven (see Matthew 6:10).
Jonathan Edwards said of God’s people, “They are not only invited to go with Christ, and to dwell with him, but to inherit a kingdom with him; to sit down with him on his throne, and to receive the honour and happiness of a heavenly kingdom. . . . God made heaven on purpose for them, and fitted it for their delight and happiness.”
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1
We now have come to the third chapter, which describes the combination of opposites in our experience. Throughout this chapter the idea is propounded that there is an appropriate time for all of life’s experiences.
There is an appropriate time for everything, the unpleasant as well as pleasant experiences. This is not merely a description of what happens in life; it is a description of what God sends. Many of us are familiar with the Four Spiritual Laws, the first of which is, God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. That is the plan that is set forth here. All along, the Searcher is saying that God desires to bring joy into human experience. Many people think Ecclesiastes is a book of gloom and pessimism because of the findings based on the writer’s limited view of those things under the sun, the visible things of life. But that is not the message of the book. God intends us to have joy, and His program to bring it about includes all these opposites.
If you look carefully, you will see that these eight opening verses gather around three major divisions that correspond, amazingly enough, to the divisions of our humanity: body, soul, and spirit.
The first four pairs deal with the body: a time to be born and a time to die (Ecclesiastes 3:2). Notice how this applies to the physical life. None of us asked to be born; it was something done to us, apart from us. None of us asks to die; it is something God determines. So this is the way we should view this list of opposites, as a list of what God thinks we ought to have. It begins by pairing birth and death as the boundaries of life under the sun.
Then the Searcher moves into the realm of the soul with its functions of thinking, feeling, and choosing—the social areas—and all the interrelationships of life that flow from that. Verse 4 tells us there is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance. All these things follow closely, and they are all appropriate. No one is going to escape the hurts and sorrows of life is what he is saying here. God chose them for us. In a fallen world it is right that there will be times of hurt, of sorrow and weeping. The last six of these opposites relate to the spirit, to the inner decisions, the deep commitments. There is a time to search [for work, marriage, new friends] and a time to give up (Ecclesiastes 3:6). There comes a time in life when we should curtail certain friendships or change our jobs, for instance, and lose what we had in the past. It is proper and appropriate that these times should come.
All of this is God’s wonderful plan for your life. The problem, of course, is that it is not our plan for our life. If we were given the right to plan our lives we would have no unpleasantness at all. But that would ruin us. God knows that people who are protected from everything almost invariably end up being impossible to live with; they are selfish, cruel, vicious, shallow, and unprincipled. God sends these things in order that we might be taught. There is a time for everything, the Searcher says.
Father, thank You for all the experiences of life that You have planned for me, so that I might be conformed to the image of Your Son.
Of the Second Part of Prayer, which is Confession of Sin, Complaints Regarding Ourselves, and Humble Professions of Repentance Having ascribed glory to God, which is his due, Psalm 29:2(ESV) we must next take shame to ourselves, which is our due, and humble ourselves before him in the sense of our own sinfulness and vileness; and herein also we must give glory to him,Joshua 7:19(ESV) as our Judge, by whom we deserve to be condemned, and yet hope, through Christ, to be acquitted and absolved.
In this part of our work,
We must acknowledge the great reason we have to lie very low before God and to be ashamed of ourselves when we come into his presence and to be afraid of his wrath, having made ourselves both odious to his holiness and obnoxious to his justice.
O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for my iniquities have risen higher than my head, and my guilt has mounted up to the heavens. Ezra 9:6(ESV)
To me belongs open shame, because I have sinned against you. Daniel 9:8(ESV)
Behold I am of small account, what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth, Job 40:4(ESV) and put my mouth in the dust, for there may yet be hope, Lamentations 3:29(ESV) crying with the convicted leper under the law, “Unclean, unclean.” Leviticus 13:45(ESV)
You put no trust in your holy ones, and the heavens are not pure in your sight. How much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks injustice like water! Job 15:15-16(ESV)
When my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts, I have reason to cry out, “Woe is me, for I am lost!” Isaiah 6:5(ESV)
Dominion and fear are with you; you make peace in your high heaven: Is there any number to your armies? Upon whom does your light not arise? How then can man be in the right before God? How can he who is born of woman be pure? Job 25:2-4(ESV)
But you, you are to be feared! Who can stand before you when once your anger is roused? Psalm 76:7(ESV) You, my God, are a consuming fire; Hebrews 12:29(ESV) and who considers the power of your anger? Psalm 90:11(ESV)
If I claimed to be in the right, my own mouth would condemn me; if I said, “I am blameless,” you would prove me perverse; Job 9:20(ESV) for if you contend with me, I could not answer you once in a thousand times. Job 9:3(ESV)
If I was not aware of anything against myself, yet I am not thereby acquitted, for he who judges me is the Lord, 1 Corinthians 4:4(ESV) who is greater than my heart and knows everything. 1 John 3:20(ESV) But I myself know that I have sinned, Father, against heaven and before you, and am no longer worthy to be called your child. Luke 15:21(ESV)
John 11:25 In this week’s lessons we look at what it means for Jesus to be the resurrection and the life.
Theme
Present and Future Resurrection
Now what did Jesus teach these women? He taught that He is the resurrection and the life. The statement is in John 11:25, and it contains two thoughts. First, in Jesus the resurrection is present, for Jesus Himself is life. Martha was thinking in terms of a resurrection at the end of time, a bodily resurrection. Jesus taught that the real resurrection, the one that makes all the difference between real life and real death, is the resurrection that takes place in the individual when he comes face to face with Himself. He is the resurrection. Where He is, there is life.
If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you have experienced this resurrection in your life. You were dead in trespasses and sins, and God brought forth life in you by His power as you came in contact with Christ. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die” (vv. 25-26). He meant that belief in Himself results in a spiritual resurrection, what He elsewhere called the new birth or entrance into everlasting life.
The second great teaching in these verses is that the resurrection at the end of time is also a reality and is also related to one’s relationship with Him. Jesus said, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” Do you believe that? Do you believe in Christ? Do you have the assurance that His promise brings? If so, you may take courage from the fact that Jesus came, not only to save your spirit, not only to save your soul and to guide you in this life, but also to give you a new body that you might live with Him forever, redeemed in body, soul, and spirit, participating in the perfect fullness of the final resurrection.
The story now moves to a dramatic conclusion. And this is a foretaste, an illustration if you will, of what Christ was promising. Jesus came to the tomb. The people were standing around to see what would happen. The stone is rolled away. Jesus speaks with authority, “Lazarus, come forth” (v. 43). And Lazarus comes forth bound in the grave clothes.
The second command is to the people that stand by: “Loose him, and let him go” (v. 44). It is done. The grave clothes are removed. And Lazarus is again with his family. Do you see the force of this great illustration? It is proof of Christ’s power over death, certainly. But it is also something more. This is a picture of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ. Apart from Him we are dead in our sins. We are dead men living among dead men. But Christ’s voice calls us, bringing life out of death. We hear Him. We emerge from the tomb of a spiritually dead life. Our grave clothes are loosened. And we are sent forth to engage in profitable work for Him.
Study Questions
What is the first idea found in John 11:25-26? How is this seen in the person who receives it?
What is the second theme found in these verses?
How does Jesus’ raising of Lazarus illustrate or serve as a foretaste to what Jesus has been teaching?
Application
Reflection: How does knowing that you have been made alive in Christ Jesus, and that you are awaiting His promise of eternal resurrection life with Him, motivate you to serve the Lord wholeheartedly?
Key Point: Apart from Him we are dead in our sins. We are dead men living among dead men. But Christ’s voice calls us, bringing life out of death. We hear Him. We emerge from the tomb of a spiritually dead life. Our grave clothes are loosened. And we are sent forth to engage in profitable work for Him.
For Further Study: Download for free and listen to James Boice’s message, “With Jesus Forever.” (Discount will be applied at checkout.)
Epic adventures often involve multiple story lines. While the main characters are consumed with the central conflict, along the way we see seemingly lesser characters face challenges and trials. Keeping track of multiple storylines can be difficult, but a master storyteller can keep a reader’s interest until the time is right, finally revealing how all these threads weave together into a dramatic conclusion.As the Apostle Paul opens the book of Romans, he takes a moment to explain how God has woven the overarching story of salvation into a conclusion beyond comprehension.The Apostle Paul begins by acknowledging the part he plays—as one “set apart for the gospel” (v. 1). But the message of the gospel did not originate with Paul. This gospel was promised long ago by God through the prophets (v. 2). The Scriptures were written “through his prophets” for later generations (including us) to read, pointing to Jesus, a descendant of David (vv. 2–3). Jesus was born a human but revealed to be the Son of God at the resurrection (v. 4). The story of salvation is an epic one that stretches from before God made the world to the moment we find ourselves in His presence forever. God has woven the thread of your life and countless others into something wonderful and powerful.Paul explains how he was made an apostle for a specific purpose, to call Gentiles to obedience to the Lordship of Christ (v. 6). He is “eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome” (v. 15). There is a sense of community in this calling; our stories are intertwined. Paul desires “that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (v. 12). We are to declare the gospel, “the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes” (v. 16).
Go Deeper What is your salvation story? Who was instrumental in leading you to Jesus? What role have you played in pointing others to salvation? Extended Reading:Romans 1–2
Pray with Us Lord, we are thankful for the example Paul gives us of how to preach the gospel with courage and conviction. May we with the same boldness point people to Jesus, to receive grace and freedom.
And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. (3:12–13)
In 3:5–9a, Paul told believers what to put off, while in 3:9–11 he describes the believer’s new identity in Christ. In 3:12, Paul begins to tell believers what to put on. In 3:9–11, Paul describes what God has done for the believer. In 3:12–17 he describes what God expects of the believer in response. A righteous identity must issue in righteous behavior. Such behavior is the outward manifestation of the inward transformation, and it is the only sure proof that such transformation has taken place. No one becomes a Christian solely by their own choice. Rather, believers are those who have been chosen of God. The truth of divine election is clearly taught in Scripture. Ephesians 1:4 says that God “chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world.” Paul was confident of God’s choice of the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 1:4) and thanked Him for it: “We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). God did not call us because of our good works, “but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). Believers’ names have been written in the book of life from before the foundation of the world (cf. Rev. 13:8; 17:8). Underlying our response to God’s free, sovereign grace is His plan and initiative. Because of God’s election, believers are holy and beloved. Hagios (holy) means “set apart,” or “separate.” God chose believers out of the mainstream of mankind and drew them to Himself. They are different from the world. When believers fail to act differently from the world, they violate the very purpose of their calling. That believers are beloved of God means they are objects of His special love. Election is not a cold, fatalistic doctrine. On the contrary, it is based in God’s incomprehensible love for His elect: “In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (Eph. 1:4–5). Chosen (Deut. 7:6; 14:2; 1 Chron. 16:13; Ps. 105:43; 135:4; Isa. 41:8; 44:1; 45:4), holy (Ex. 19:6; Lev. 19:2; Jer. 2:3), and beloved (1 Kings 10:9; 2 Chron. 9:8; Hos. 11:1) are all used of Israel in the Old Testament. A change has taken place in the economy of God. What was once true of the elect nation is now true of all who come to faith in Christ. Israel has been temporarily set aside and Gentiles grafted in (cf. Rom. 9–11). The saved in the church are chosen by God. We are called “the chosen” (cf. John 15:16; Rom. 8:33; 2 Tim. 2:10; Titus 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:1). Acts 13:46–48 speaks of those ordained by God to eternal life:
Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; since you repudiate it, and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles. For thus the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have placed You as a light for the Gentiles, that You should bring salvation to the end of the earth.’ ” And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.
Romans 9:13–16, 19–22 expresses God’s sovereignty in choosing whom He will:
Just as it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.
You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?
Romans 11:4–5 speaks of “God’s gracious choice.” Ephesians 1:4 affirms that believers were “[chosen] in Him before the foundation of the world.” The Thessalonians were “chosen from the beginning for salvation” (2 Thess. 2:13). Perhaps 2 Timothy 1:8–9 sums it up as well as any text: “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity.” The doctrine of election crushes human pride, exalts God, produces joy and gratitude to the Lord, grants eternal privileges and assurance, promotes holiness, and makes one bold and courageous, for one who has been chosen by God for eternal life has no need to fear anything or anyone. Put on is from enduō, which means “to put on clothes,” or “envelope in.” The qualities that follow are to cover the new man. A heart of compassion is the first character trait that is to mark the new man. Heart translates splanchna, a Hebraism that literally refers to the inward parts of the human body (heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, etc.). As already noted in the discussion of 2:2, however, it is often used in the New Testament to speak figuratively of the seat of the emotions. That is its use here. Oiktirmos (compassion) means “pity,” “mercy,” “sympathy,” or “compassion.” Taken together, the phrase could be translated, “put on heartfelt compassion,” or “have a deep, gut-level feeling of compassion.” That divine quality (Luke 6:36; James 5:11), so perfectly exhibited by Jesus (Matt. 9:36), was sorely needed in the ancient world. For example, sick, injured, or elderly people were often left to fend for themselves. As a result, many died. Believers must not be indifferent to suffering, but should be concerned to meet people’s needs. Kindness is closely related to compassion. The Greek term refers to the grace that pervades the whole person, mellowing all that might be harsh. Jesus used the word when he said, “My yoke is easy” (Matt. 11:30), not harsh or hard to bear. The kind person is as concerned about his neighbor’s good as he is about his own. God is kind, even to ungrateful and evil people (Luke 6:35). In fact, it was His kindness that led us to repentance (Rom. 2:4; cf. Titus 3:4). Jesus’ kindness was expressed in His invitation to “take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light” (Matt. 11:29–30). Kindness was epitomized by the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37), whose example we should follow. Tapeinophrosunē (humility) and its related words always have a negative connotation in classical Greek (cf. H. H. Esser, “tapeinos,” in Colin Brown, ed., The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology [Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1977], 2:259). It took Christianity to elevate humility to a virtue. It is the antidote for the self-love that poisons relationships. Paul advocates genuine humility, in contrast to the false humility of the false teachers (cf. 2:18, 23). Humility characterized Jesus (Matt. 11:29), and it is the most cherished Christian virtue (Eph. 4:2; Phil. 2:3ff.; 1 Pet. 5:5). Prautēs (gentleness) is closely related to humility. It is not weakness or spinelessness, but rather the willingness to suffer injury instead of inflicting it. The gentle person knows he is a sinner among sinners and is willing to suffer the burdens others’ sin may impose on him. This gentleness can only be produced by the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal. 5:22–23) and should mark the Christian’s behavior at all times, even when restoring a sinning brother (Gal. 6:1), or defending the faith against attacks from unbelievers (2 Tim. 2:25; 1 Pet. 3:15). Patience translates makrothumia. The patient person does not get angry at others. William Barclay writes, “This is the spirit which never loses its patience with its fellow-men. Their foolishness and their unteachability never drive it to cynicism or despair; their insults and their ill-treatment never drive it to bitterness or wrath” (The Letters to the Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians [Louisville: Westminster, 1975], p. 158). Patience is the opposite of resentment and revenge. It was a characteristic of Jesus Christ. Paul wrote to Timothy, “For this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life” (1 Tim. 1:16). Were it not for God’s patience, no one would ever be saved (2 Pet. 3:15). Bearing with one another means “to endure, to hold out in spite of persecution, threats, injury, indifference, or complaints and not retaliate.” It characterized Paul, who told the Corinthians, “when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure” (1 Cor. 4:12). It did not characterize the Corinthians, who were actually taking each other to court. Paul exclaims, “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded?” (1 Cor. 6:7). Believers are to exhibit forbearance (Eph. 4:2). Such were the Thessalonians, of whom Paul wrote, “We ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure [anexomai, the same term used here in 3:13]” (2 Thess. 1:4). Believers are to be marked not only by endurance, but also by forgiving each other. The Greek charizomenoi literally means “to be gracious” and the text uses a reflexive pronoun, so it literally reads, “forgiving yourselves.” The church as a whole is to be a gracious, mutually forgiving fellowship. By including the phrase just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you Paul makes Christ the model of forgiveness. Because He has forgiven us, so also must we forgive others (Eph. 4:32; cf. Matt. 18:21–35). The phrase whoever has a complaint against anyone refers to times when someone is at fault because of sin, error, or debt. The Lord Jesus is our pattern for forgiveness, because He forgave all our sins, errors, and debts. He is also the model for the rest of the virtues discussed in this section.
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1992). Colossians (pp. 153–157). Moody Press.
12, 13. Put on, therefore, as God’s elect, holy and beloved. “Put on” is repeated from verse 10. And the word “therefore” means (amplified), “Since you have in principle taken Christ into your hearts, therefore actually be in practice—yes, be fully—what you have professed to be, and what I, Paul, actually believe you have begun to be.” Be this “as God’s elect.” For a twelve-point summary of the doctrine of election in the epistles of Paul see N.T.C. on I and II Thess., pp. 48–50. Note especially the following statements, taken from points 7, 10, and 12: “Election affects life in all its phases, is not abstract. Although it belongs to God’s decree from eternity, it becomes a dynamic force in the hearts and lives of God’s children. It produces fruits. It is an election not only unto salvation but definitely also (as a link in the chain) unto service. It has as its final aim God’s glory, and is the work of his delight” (Eph. 1:4–6). In apposition with the expression “God’s elect” are the ascriptions “holy and beloved.” As God’s chosen ones, these people, both individually and collectively as far as they are true believers, are holy, that is, “set apart” for the Lord and for his work. They have been cleansed by the blood of Christ from the guilt of their sins, and are being delivered, more and more, from sin’s pollution, and renewed according to the image of God (see on verse 10 above). They are, moreover, “beloved,” and this especially by God (1 Thess. 1:4; cf. 2 Thess. 3:13). Thus, the qualifying designations of honor that were formerly applied to the ancient covenant people of Israel (see 1 Peter 2:9; then Isa. 5:1; Hos. 2:23; cf. Rom. 9:25) are here used in connection with the members of the church of the new dispensation. The church is the new Israel. Paul continues. (Put on) a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, meekness, longsuffering. It is immediately evident that these qualities overlap. A person with “a compassionate heart” will also be “kind.” One who is lowly or humble in disposition will also be “meek,” etc. Hence, not
but
and so for the others. The expression heart of compassion indicates a very deep feeling, “a yearning with the deeply-felt affection of Christ Jesus” (Phil. 1:8). As to the depth of this feeling one thinks of the reaction of Joseph upon seeing Benjamin (Gen. 43:30), or in revealing himself to his brothers (Gen. 45:1–4). Another example would be the tender relationship between David and Jonathan (1 Sam. 18:1; 20:4, 17). The next quality is kindness. This is Spirit-imparted goodness of heart, the very opposite of the malice or badness mentioned in verse 8. The early Christians by means of kindness commended themselves to others (2 Cor. 6:6). God, too, is kind (Rom. 2:4; cf. 11:22), and we are admonished to become like him in this respect (Luke 6:35). Examples of human kindness would be the same persons already mentioned in connection with “heart of compassion.” To avoid repetition, let us add the Good Samaritan of the well-known parable (Luke 10:25–37), Barnabas (Acts 4:36, 37; 15:37), and the apostle Paul himself (1 Thess. 2:7–12). Lowliness or humility—a virtue despised by the heathen (as noted earlier)—is also mentioned as a quality which believers should more and more strive to acquire. The person who is kind to others generally does not have too high an estimate of himself. A happy condition arises when in a church each member counts the other to be better than himself (Phil. 2:3). Of course, there is also such a thing as “feigned humility” (see on 2:18, 23). Good examples of true humility would be the centurion who said, “I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof” (Luke 7:6), and the publican who, in a striking parable, pours out his heart by sighing, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner” (Luke 18:13). According to the entire context, however, it is modest self-appraisal in relation to the neighbors, especially to fellow-believers, that Paul has in mind. Of course, these two—humility toward God and the same disposition toward men—far from being mutually exclusive, belong together. Meekness, mentioned next, is definitely not weakness or spinelessness, the characteristic of the person who is ready to bow before every breeze. It is submissiveness under provocation, the willingness rather to suffer injury than to inflict it. A striking example is Moses (Num. 12:3). For longsuffering see on 1:11. What a longsuffering hero was Jeremiah during his lengthy period of prophetic activity. Think also of Hosea who, instead of rejecting his unfaithful wife, slips away to the haunt of shame, redeems Gomer with fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley, and mercifully restores her to her position of honor! Continued: enduring one another. The Colossians are urged to bear with one another in love (cf. Eph. 4:2). Paul was able to say, “Being persecuted we endure” (Cor. 4:12). The example of Job comes to mind (James 5:11). Paul adds, and forgiving each other if anyone have a complaint against anyone. Just as the Lord133 has forgiven you, so do you also. For the divine forgiveness see on 2:13. Christ, while on earth, had taught his disciples to pray, “Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt. 6:12). It is possible that the expression “Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so do you also” is a conscious echo of the just quoted petition of the Lord’s Prayer, showing that Paul knew that prayer. Anyway, it is identical in spirit and meaning. Jesus had also instructed Peter to forgive “not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times” (Matt. 18:22), and had added a touching parable ending with the words, “So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from the heart” (Matt. 18:35; cf. Mark 11:25). Moreover, the Lord had underscored these precepts with his own example. While being crucified he had implored, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). When Stephen, while he was being stoned to death, prayed “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” he was following the example of Christ. This would seem to be the proper place to point out that Paul here links his admonitions to Christ’s person and work, as has been indicated also in connection with Col. 1:28. See the three columns there. The qualities which, according to Paul’s teaching here, mark the new man are also ascribed to Christ. For his “heart of compassion” and his kindness see Matt. 9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 20:34. His lowliness and meekness are exemplified in Matt. 11:29; 21:5; John 13:1–15; Phil. 2:8; his longsuffering and endurance or forbearance, in Matt. 17:17; John 14:9; 1 Peter 2:23; and his forgiving spirit, in Matt. 9:2; Luke 7:47; 23:34. Accordingly, when a believer manifests these virtues in his association with his fellow-men he has “put on” Christ (Rom. 13:l4). And it is comforting to know that he who has seen Christ has seen the Father (John 14:9; cf. 1:18), and that he who is an imitator of Christ (1 Cor. 11:1; 1 Thess. 1:6) is also an imitator of God (Eph. 5:1).
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of Colossians and Philemon (Vol. 6, pp. 155–158). Baker Book House.
And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee? (Judges 6:14)
What a look was that which the Lord gave to Gideon! He looked him out of his discouragement into a holy bravery. If our look to the Lord saves us, what will not His look at us do? Lord, look on me this day and nerve me for its duties and conflicts.
What a word was this which Jehovah spoke to Gideon! “Go.” He must not hesitate. He might have answered, “What, go in all this weakness?” But the Lord put that word out of court by saying, “Go in this thy might.” The Lord had looked might into him, and he had now nothing to do but to use it and save Israel by smiting the Midianites. It may be that the Lord has more to do by me than I ever dreamed of. If He has looked upon me, He has made me strong. Let me by faith exercise the power with which He has entrusted me. He never bids me “idle away my time in this my might.” Far from it. I must “go” because He strengthens me. What a question is that which the Lord puts to me even as He put it to Gideon! “Have not I sent thee!” Yes, Lord, Thou hast sent me, and I will go in Thy strength. At Thy command I go, and, going, I am assured that Thou wilt conquer by me.
Angels are innumerable, powerful, nonhuman beings created by God to serve His ordered purposes. Scripture portrays them as named, hierarchical spirits who worship, judge, minister, and wage warfare. Some rebelled and became demons. Angelology, the study of angels, is legitimate but requires biblical caution and careful discernment of sources.
Angel
Aren’t we fascinated with Angels! They appear in art, literature, drama, and of course, the Bible. They are first mentioned in Genesis 2:1 where it is written,
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.
Host is another name for the angel army. Since God finished His work and called it all good, why does there need to be an army, which fights in warfare? Warfare isn’t good. Matthew Henry explains,
The creatures made both in heaven and earth are the hosts or armies of them, which denotes them to be numerous, but marshalled, disciplined, and under command.” (Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible)
So the Angel host is a troop deployed under a Commander to execute His directives, and also to demonstrate His hierarchy of beings, that He is sole leader.
Other names for angel besides host or heavenly host is sons of God, Morning Stars, Principalities, Rulers and Authorities, and Watchers. Because the Heavenly Host of angels is an army, some of their divisions or classes are also named, Seraphim, Cherubim, and Archangel. Also possibly Rulers, Authorities, Powers and Forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12).
Some angels’ names are given. They are Gabriel, Michael, Lucifer and Apollyon/Abaddon. Though, Lucifer might be simply a title and not an individual name. Wormwood is also another possible name for a specific angel. (Revelation 8:11). In any case we learn from the names Gabriel and Michael that angels have names, and thus are individual beings with a personality and a will. The number of angels is innumerable.
Angels are a class of beings that are not human and not part of the Trinity. They have superior power and abilities than humans, but are not human. When humans die, they do not turn into angels. We should stop saying things like “Heaven gained another angel with the death of…”
A personal peeve of mine is the continual depiction of angels as babies with wings. In Italian Renaissance art (where they became ubiquitous) these beings are called putti and that morphed into what we think of as cherubs or cherubim. However, this is a gross distortion of the actual cherubim, who are extremely powerful and magnificent, as are all angels. They are not flying babies! In 2 Peter 2:11 they are referred to as “angelic majesties”, beings whom the false prophets are unafraid to rebuke, and this is written as a negative. (So don’t go around “rebuking satan” who is an angel, albeit an unholy one).
Angels roam between the three heavens. When God completed Creation week, we learn that the angels were present in the universe and “the heavenly host sang together [gave a ringing cry] and all the sons of God shouted for joy” (Job 38:7). Angels appear in the throne room of heaven, (Isaiah 6:2) and they roam the earth. (Job 1:7). Some angels are even under the earth AKA in the abyss, chained up and waiting for the day of judgment. (Jude 1:6). Angels are everywhere!
When Lucifer rebelled, he convinced a third of the host to ally with him. They sinned, and thus they fell. These unholy angels are now the demons. They oppose God, His people, and His plan. Though they fell morally, they still have access to the heavenly throne room. (Job 2:1). The unholy angels still retain the power and strength they were created with. So be careful, they can deceive and masquerade as holy angels and they do it well!
In the end of the End Time, the door to the throne room will be shut against the unholy angels and they will no longer have access. This enrages Lucifer, called Satan (which means adversary) and his wrath ramps up against God’s people into high gear. He takes his anger out on the remaining earth population. (Revelation 12:7-9, 13-17). Angels who rebelled will not be redeemed. Their condemnation is fixed. (Matthew 25:41).
If you notice in Revelation, it is the angels who perform the judgments at God’s command. They carry it out. All through the Bible you begin to notice angels performing the commands of judgment God wants: slaying Israel in a plague and about to render wrath on Jerusalem (2 Samuel 24:16), and the Passover angel, destroying Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim and so on. They were also present at the creation, at the giving of the Law (Deuteronomy 33:2; Galatians 3:19).
Angels are spirit beings (Hebrews 1:14) but sometimes when they appear to humans they appear as flesh and blood men (the Bible always refers to angels as men, there are no female angels). We don’t know how they change to flesh and blood looking men when they appear on earth but suffice it to say that part of it is a mystery. Angels have personal will (otherwise Lucifer & Co. would not have fallen). They also have intelligence and emotions.
They holy angels praise God, perform His will, minister to humans (remember the angel helping Elijah in 1 Kings 19:5-7), render His judgments, learn (“angels long to look into these things” 1 Peter 1:12), and so much more!
In fact there is an entire niche of study called Angelology. Different areas of Biblical study include,
Theology Proper (Doctrine of God) Angelology (Doctrine of angels & demons) Anthropology (doctrine of man) Bibliology (origin of the Bible) Christology (Doctrine of Jesus) Ecclesiology (Doctrine of the Church) Eschatology (Doctrine of The End Times, or Last Things) Hamartiology (Doctrine of the Holy Sin) Pneumatology (Doctrine of the Holy Spirit) Soteriology (Doctrine of Salvation) Prayers & Worship
So rest assured if you want to study the topic of Angels it is a legitimate field of study. They are certainly fascinating beings. Caution is warranted, however. Though the field of study is legitimate, many people who write about angels are not. There is a glut of less than credible resources out there.
Martyn Lloyd Jones did a sermon on Good Angels, here. Though the sermon for Jones’s companion to Good Angels sermon, called The Devil and Fallen Angels is lost, but the transcription of that sermon is here.
S. Lewis Johnson has a sermon series on the nature of angels’ work, here
RC Sproul has a couple of teaching series at Ligonier. This one on angels is two parts and can be listened to for free. This one on Angels & Demons is 4 parts and just the first lecture can be heard for free.
Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. (Jeremiah 33:3)
God encourages us to pray. They tell us that prayer is a pious exercise which has no influence except upon the mind engaged in it. We know better. Our experience gives the lie a thousand times over to this infidel assertion. Here Jehovah, the living God, distinctly promises to answer the prayer of His servant. Let us call upon Him again and admit no doubt upon the question of His hearing us and answering us. He that made the ear, shall He not hear? He that gave parents a love to their children, will He not listen to the cries of His own sons and daughters!
God will answer His pleading people in their anguish. He has wonders in store for them. What they have never seen, heard of, or dreamed of, He will do for them. He will invent new blessings if needful. He will ransack sea and land to feed them: He will send every angel out of heaven to succor them if their distress requires it. He will astound us with His grace and make us feel that it was never before done in this fashion. All He asks of us is that we will call upon Him. He cannot ask less of us. Let us cheerfully render Him our prayers at once.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.
One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.
For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.
And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the Lord.
Hear, O Lord, when I cry with my voice: have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.
Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up.
Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies.
Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty.
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord.
Many believers know the truth but struggle to live it out consistently. Libby Glosson unpacks what it means to walk worthy of the Lord without falling into performance or guilt. This teaching reframes Christian growth as grace-fueled movement, not self-made effort.
Verse 3.—“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolves doubts as the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not be put out, know that your time for believing always is. There are times when some graces may be out of use, but there is no time wherein faith can be said to be so. Wherefore faith must be always in exercise. Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and one of these is of use all the day long. Faith is to see, to receive, to work, or to eat; and a Christian should be seeing or receiving, or working, or feeding all day long. Let it rain, let it blow, let it thunder, let it lighten, a Christian must still believe. “At what time,” said the good man, “I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”—John Bunyan. Verse 3.—“What time I am afraid,” etc. A divine spark may live in a smoke of doubts without a speedy rising into a flame. When grace is at the bottom of doubting, there will be reliance on Christ and lively petitions to him. Peter’s faith staggers when he began to sink, but he casts a look and sends forth a cry to his Saviour, acknowledging his sufficiency; Matt. 14:30, “Lord, save me.” Sometimes those doubtings strengthen our trust and make us take hold faster on God. Ps. 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” This was a fear of himself or others, rather than a jealousy of God. Had he had unworthy suspicions of him, he would not have trusted him; he would not have run for remedy to the object of his fear. The waverings where faith is, are like the tossings of a ship fast at anchor (still there is a relying upon God), not like a boat carried by the waves of the sea to be dashed against a rock. If the heart stay on Christ in the midst of those doubtings, it is not an evil heart of unbelief. Such doubtings consist with the indwelling of the Spirit, who is in the heart, to perform the office of a Comforter against such fears and to expel those thick fumes of nature.—Stephen Charnock. Verse 3.—“What time I am afraid,” etc. I know not what to do, but I’ll try my old way, ‘tis good for me to draw near still; I’ll do so still as I use to do; I’ll cast myself down upon the free grace of Christ in the promises; I’ll lay the weight of my sinking spirit there, I’ll renew my hold, life, expectation there; this is my old path, I’ll never be turned or beaten out here. This Christian in his strength may challenge all the gates of hell. This was David’s course (Ps. 71:5), “Thou art my trust from my youth,” etc. Thence was it that he could say, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee:” his shield and sword was always in his hand, therefore he could make use of it when fear and inward trouble offered themselves. “Afraid!” alas, who is not? but what course will you take then? Even what course you used to take, i.e., believe; use faith always; and have it now.—Elias Pledger (–1676), in “Morning Exercises.” Verse 3.—“What time,” etc. Literally, “What day.” As “Man daily oppresseth me” (ver. 1), so “Every day, when I am afraid, I trust in thee.”—A. R. Fausset. Verse 3.—It is a good maxim with which to go into a world of danger; a good maxim to go to sea with; a good maxim in a storm; a good maxim when in danger on the land; a good maxim when we are sick; a good maxim when we think of death and the judgment—“What time I am afraid, I WILL TRUST IN THEE.”—Albert Barnes. Verse 3.—“I will trust in thee.” Faith and fear stand together; and so fear and love.—John Richardson, 1654.
Spurgeon, C. H. (n.d.). The treasury of David: Psalms 27-57 (Vol. 2, pp. 468–469). Marshall Brothers.
† 56:3 — Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. The psalmist does not say, “if something ever scares me,” he says, “whenever I am afraid.” Fear is a natural human reaction to danger. God does not tell us to ignore our fears, but to bring them to Him.
Stanley, C. F. (2005). The Charles F. Stanley life principles Bible: New King James Version (Ps 56:3). Nelson Bibles.
“The best means of forming a manly, virtuous, and happy people will be found in the right education of youth. Without this foundation, every other means, in my opinion, must fail.” —George Washington (1784)
TrumpRx launches: Americans can now visit TrumpRx.gov to search for discounts on some of the most popular and overpriced prescription drugs. The government website allows consumers to print a discount coupon for Ozempic, for instance, offering 66-81% off, which can be redeemed at a local pharmacy. This is the result of President Donald Trump’s negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to secure most-favored-nation pricing for Americans. Since U.S. pharmaceutical companies produce most innovative new drugs on the market, it is perhaps surprising that foreign countries have been getting better deals on those drugs. Americans with good health insurance likely already have better deals than what TrumpRx offers, but for those with bare-minimum plans or no coverage at all, the website offers a significant improvement.
Jobs report: The official January jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics has been postponed to February 11 due to the recent government shutdown. However, a survey conducted by the firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas found that employers cut 108,435 jobs last month. That total is the highest number of jobs cut in January since 2009. Furthermore, compared to last year, roughly 50,000 jobs were cut. While these numbers look concerning, JPMorgan suggested that the totals were misleading, noting that “this January was much more similar to recent January values than it was to 2009.” A report from ADP Research estimates that just 22,000 jobs were added to the private sector last month, yet Evercore ISI estimates that payroll employment increased by 75,000. A clearer economic picture should be known next week.
Harris rebrands: Former Vice President and failed 2024 Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris is launching her new digital “Headquarters” in an effort to rebrand herself following her dismal performance against Donald Trump. Harris has partnered with People for the American Way to reach the “next-generation” of voters ahead of the 2026 midterms. Harris, infamous for her word salad non-answers to questions, coupled with a maniacal laugh, would seem to be more of a political liability to Democrats’ electoral ambitions than an asset. She desperately wants to play a role in the American political landscape, but it may end up being little more than that of a clown.
Illegal truckers kill four more Americans: Kyrgyzstani illegal immigrant Bekzhan Beishekeev killed four Amish men when he crossed into the left lane and struck the van they were riding in on Tuesday. A father, two of his sons, and a family friend are dead, and more are injured because of the incredible number of illegals with commercial driver’s licenses plaguing American roads. Beishekeev was arrested on the scene under a bench warrant related to an ICE detainer. This stretch of rural Indiana state road has seen a significant increase in semi-traffic in recent months, likely to evade a nearby weigh station. Truckers used to avoid weigh stations if their haul was sketchy, but now the drivers, and even their companies, are illegitimate. Chameleon carriers are a network of trucking companies run by Kyrgyzstani drivers that use magnetic logos and bogus DOT numbers to evade authorities and continue driving after crashes.
Dem Senate candidate insists his hands are clean in Iryna Zarutska case: Just because DeCarlos Brown Jr., the monster caught on video stabbing Iryna Zarutska to death on a train in North Carolina, was given a lenient judgment at the same time that then-Gov. Roy Cooper released thousands of criminals onto the streets due to COVID-19 does not mean that Cooper is to blame for Zarutska’s death, insists Cooper’s Senate campaign. In September 2020, Brown was released from custody and sentenced to a year of supervision before being arrested again in February 2021. That month, a hearing officer decided to allow supervision to continue rather than return him to prison. That same day was also the cutoff date for 3,500 violent and nonviolent prisoners set to be released. Cooper insists these matters are unrelated and that since Brown completed minimum sentence after minimum sentence, justice demanded his release.
Karen Bass hijacked Palisades report: The disaster of the preventable Pacific Palisades fire, now a year past, should have cost Los Angeles Democrat Mayor Karen Bass her job. Bass’s incompetent leadership was exposed to the world, yet she’s still living in the mayor’s mansion. Indeed, Bass has focused her efforts on directing others to conceal her incompetence and missteps. This is evidenced by recent remarks from LA Fire Chief Jaimie Moore, who admitted, “It is now clear that multiple drafts [of the report] were edited to soften language and reduce explicit criticism of the department leadership in that final report.” While Bass has denied any involvement in altering the Palisades fire report, two sources within the mayor’s office dispute her claim.
Medal of Honor awarded: Having sacrificed himself to shield and save others, Army Staff Sgt. Michael Ollis is finally being awarded the Medal of Honor. Ollis was 24 when he was killed by a suicide bombing in Afghanistan in 2013, using his body to protect a Polish army officer and other American officers who were on the base. The soldier’s sister, Kimberly Ollis-Losciavo, has been seeking recognition for her brother’s brave action but was denied by both the Obama and Biden administrations. President Trump reopened the case and called Ollis’s parents with the news of their son’s award. Kimberly responded to the recognition as “bittersweet validation … after 13 years of really not being validated by the federal government,” but noted that they are “thrilled.” Following Ollis’s death, the family worked to raise money for military-related causes and was also able to get a Staten Island ferry named after Ollis.
Imani Kelif admits that he has XY chromosomes: “I have never felt a punch like this,” said an Italian Olympic female boxer after spending 46 seconds in the ring with Imane Khelif. Readers may remember the controversy over the “transgender” boxer in the 2024 Olympics; of course, it’s only now, as the 2026 Winter Olympics begin, that the truth comes out. Not only has Khelif now admitted in an interview to having a Y chromosome, but also the SRY gene carried by that chromosome that triggers male sexual development. Despite Leftmedia and the Algerian government’s insistence that Khelif was a woman — labeling anyone suggesting otherwise a transphobic bigot — it turns out our eyes weren’t lying. Khelif was born with a rare condition, and doctors likely declared Khelif a girl due to malformed genitalia. However, with the onset of puberty, Khelif developed as a typical male.
OPM readies new rule making firing federal workers easier: The Office of Personnel Management has now made it easier for President Trump to fire federal workers at will. On Thursday, OPM finalized a new rule that creates a new category of career federal employees whose positions are directly policy-related. OPM Director Scott Kupor explained, “This rule preserves merit-based hiring, veterans’ preference, and whistleblower protections while ensuring senior career officials responsible for advancing President Trump’s agenda can be held to the same performance expectations that exist throughout much of the American workforce.” This new rule will apply to roughly 50,000 federal workers. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt welcomed the new rule, stating, “I think if people aren’t doing their jobs, if they aren’t showing up for work, if they’re not working on behalf of this president, they’re not welcome to work for him at all.”
Headlines
Key participant in 2012 Benghazi attack that killed four Americans is in custody (The Hill)
Self-identified Antifa member arrested after allegedly threatening ICE agents (Fox News)
Man accused of operating illegal biolab in Las Vegas tied to CCP (Washington Times)
11 charged in “marriage fraud” scheme for allegedly paying U.S. service members to wed Chinese nationals (CBS News)
The cultural protections for the diabolical practice of “gender-affirming care” are starting to crumble. This week, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) issued a position statement against gender affirmation for minors. The timing is fascinating, because Fox Varian — a detransitioner — recently won a $2 million malpractice lawsuit against her psychologist and surgeon.
You’d think that as representatives of plastic surgeons, the ASPS would only disavow the part they usually deal with: gender mutilation surgery. But no — the group also came out against cross-sex hormones for gender-confused kids.
ASPS concludes there is insufficient evidence demonstrating a favorable risk-benefit ratio for the pathway of gender-related endocrine and surgical interventions in children and adolescents. ASPS recommends that surgeons delay gender-related breast/chest, genital, and facial surgery until a patient is at least 19 years old.
It also added this caveat, which concerns the fact that it believes minors are not in a position to understand the life-long consequences of what they are asking for:
ASPS acknowledges that many plastic surgical clinical recommendations and standards rely on lower levels of evidence compared to those of other medical specialties. However, ethical decision-making in medicine does not depend on evidence quality alone, but on the relationship between evidence uncertainty, anticipated benefit, potential harm, and patient vulnerability.
This very clear and firm stance against the brutal and barbaric practice of “gender-affirming care” for children won the praise of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “We commend the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for standing up to the overmedicalization lobby and defending sound science,” Kennedy triumphantly said. “By taking this stand, they are helping protect future generations of American children from irreversible harm.”
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz also applauded ASPS’s move. “When the medical ethics textbooks of the future are written, they’ll look back on sex-rejecting procedures for minors the way we look back on lobotomies,” Oz stated. “I applaud the American Society of Plastic Surgeons for placing itself on the right side of history by opposing these dangerous, unscientific experiments.”
The ASPS isn’t alone in opposing pediatric gender medicine. The American Medical Association, which hasn’t entirely capitulated, nevertheless told National Review, “The AMA agrees with ASPS that surgical interventions in minors should be generally deferred to adulthood.”
For the AMA, this is a major concession. It was originally pro-“gender affirmation,” including surgical interventions, until five seconds ago. As The Daily Wire pointed out, the AMA stated after the Supreme Court’s United States v. Skrmetti decision last June that it was “disappointed” because it “opens the door to further intrusion into patient care.” That SCOTUS ruling essentially green-lighted state bans on child gender mutilation surgery.
Children’s Minnesota Hospital has also announced that it will no longer be providing pediatric gender care, though its reasoning isn’t as altruistic as ASPS’s. CMH decided to discontinue giving kids cross-sex hormones, puberty blockers, and gender mutilation surgeries because of “threats from the federal government.” Whatever makes these people actually do the right thing, I guess.
Whether doctors are doing the right thing out of fear of lawsuits, threats from the federal government, or simply out of ethical inclination, it’s a major victory in the fight for sanity.
The fight is far from over, however. Author J.K. Rowling had a poignant response to the Fox Varian verdict, posting:
This will go down in history as one of the worst medical scandals of all time. Adults inside and outside the medical profession sold troubled young people like Varian the idea that all of their complex trauma would be resolved by removing healthy body parts.
As more and more detransitioners arrive in court, the public will learn the full extent of the harm done to kids in the name of an ideology. Clinicians performing these ‘treatments’ will go down in history as barbarous activists who betrayed a sacred oath: to do no harm. But we should never forget how many people outside the medical profession urged these young people on, gleefully assuring them that anyone advising caution was an evil bigot. There are people in elitist professions like publishing and academia, not to mention politicians and celebrities with young fan bases, who did all they could to champion the idea of gender identity, and kept pushing it even as the evidence of harm mounted. They’re just as culpable as the clinicians. Too lazy to think more deeply than the fashionable mantras that got them social media likes, too arrogant to look at evidence from anyone outside their political bubble, they’ve slurred whistleblowers and attacked anyone with valid questions. In doing so, they’ve created a cultural climate without which this appalling tragedy could not have taken place.
Never forget, because only by learning the lesson can we stop this happening again.
Other detransitioners have also pointed out that while these victories are palpable, they didn’t come soon enough to save them.
Unfortunately, other important medical bodies have actually doubled down on their endorsement of this experimental, damaging, and irreversible method of treating gender pathology. The American Academy of Pediatrics stated, “The A.A.P. continues to hold to the principle that patients, their families and their physicians — not politicians — should be the ones to make decisions together about what care is best for them.”
The hubris of these medical professionals continuing to align themselves with the “transing the kids” lobby is ultimately going to prove their undoing. Detransitioners will be the key to bringing down their pseudoscientific experimentation on kids.
Thomas Gallatin: Leftmedia Frets Over Whiteness at Winter Olympics — The Associated Press is concerned that there are not enough brown faces amongst European nations’ Winter Olympic National teams.
Douglas Andrews: He Feared a ‘Fascist Takeover’ — Donald Trump’s OMB director, Russell Vought, narrowly avoided being gunned down at his suburban DC home by a Trump-deranged leftist.
Nate Jackson: Justice Jackson’s Grammy for Partisan Hackery — “There are serious questions regarding [her] participation in such a brazenly political, anti-law enforcement event and her ability to remain an impartial member of the Supreme Court.”
Brian Mark Weber: The President Pitches Trump Accounts — “Decades from now, I believe the Trump Accounts will be remembered as one of the most transformative policy innovations of all time.”
Gary Bauer: Democrats Demand Amnesty for Illegals — Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries just released a list of dozens of demands that would destroy illegal immigration enforcement.
Mark Alexander: Profiles of Valor: The Immortal Chaplains — “Chaplains have been a strong, steady, and courageous presence in every major conflict beginning with the Revolutionary War, and today we continue building spiritual readiness so that our soldiers can endure in any future fight.”
Ron Helle: Rebranding — There is nothing wrong with branding. But when rebranding hits the church of Jesus Christ, we may have gone a bridge too far.
Bessent Obliterates House Dems — Ben Shapiro reacts to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent schooling Democrats during a hearing.
SHORT CUTS
Godwin’s Law
“Out-of-control ICE agents are terrorizing our communities. … They’re tearing people out of their homes, out of the windows of their cars, and illegally detaining people who have brown skin. This is fascism, pure and simple.” —Rep. Emily Randall (D-WA)
“When the Americans liberated Dachau after World War II, after the Holocaust, Dwight D. Eisenhower said, ‘Take pictures of these concentration camps, because years will go by and people will not believe this happened.’ So, this administration does not really like somebody like Don Lemon who has a camera, who has a position like we do in a way to speak to the people and tell them what really is going on.” —”The View” co-host Joy Behar
Dumb & Dumber
“I bet you there are a lot of people that voted for Trump that wish that Kamala Harris is in the White House.” —”The View” co-host Sunny Hostin
“The Clintons are playing chess while everybody else is playing checkers.” —Sunny Hostin
Truth Bomb
“Cisgender is a made-up word. … That means nothing. Do not call me cisgender. I am a woman.” —Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-WY)
For the Record
“Americans are divided on whether enforcement should target only criminal illegal immigrants or extend more broadly. But the overwhelming consensus is clear: Targeting criminal illegal immigrants is popular. That is precisely why Democrats are attempting to blur the distinction.” —Ben Shapiro
“Yet again, the Left’s worldview is on full display. The ‘enemy’ is not gang members or drug pushers. It’s parents. Just like the ‘enemy’ is not criminal illegal aliens, but American citizens and law enforcement.” —Gary Bauer
“A nation that shrugs at repeated incursions invites more. America must respond with clarity, enforcement, and consequences before normalization becomes negligence.” —Armstrong Williams
Belly Laugh of the Day
“I’m black. I’m American. I have a DD-214. I have a law degree. I own a company. I’m running for Congress. But dadgumit, I cannot seem to figure out how to obtain a valid ID to save my life. Pass the SAVE ACT!” —Texas congressional candidate Sholdon Daniels making fun of the soft bigotry of low expectations
And Last…
“Democracy may die in darkness, but the Washington Post is dying in the light of day. RIP.” —Laura Ingraham
ON THIS DAY in 1911, Ronald Reagan was born in Tampico, Illinois. In 1981, he took office as our nation’s 40th president, the greatest of the 20th century. Our motivation in our humble shop can be summed up in the final lines of Reagan’s Farewell Address: “We did it. We weren’t just marking time. We made a difference. We made the city stronger, we made the city freer, and we left her in good hands.”
Jesse Watters 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 #jessewatters #watters #greggutfeld #gutfeld #politics #political #politicalnews #government #mediaanalysis #commentary #currentevents #headlines
After having lived in California the past four years, I can attest to the near-insanity of progressive politics in this state, yet California’s very progressive governor, Gavin Newsom, is considered a front-runner for the Democratic Party’s nomination for president in 2028. Given how the Trump administration has helped to tank the economy through its tariffs, inflation, and outright regime uncertainty, there is a real possibility that Newsom can make California governance a reality for the entire country.
In other words, politically speaking, there seems to be no ceiling for the damage that progressive politicians in California can do with no objections from their constituents. Thanks to the state’s governance, the cost of living here is well above the national average, even though there is no reason as to why that should be the case. The highly-abstract worldview from which progressives draw their governing ethos continues to claim victims, but Democrats — who make up the overwhelming voter bloc in this state—do not care about the damage being done, since they can always blame Republicans and capitalism just like Big Brother blamed Goldstein.
The latest legislative caper is a wealth tax on the state’s 200 or so billionaires that is so onerous that, should voters approve it in November of this year, will drive businesses and their owners out of the state altogether. However, California’s mostly-Democratic voters have signaled they are more than willing to approve the tax even though they know it will cause economic harm.
Each day more and more people are starting to realize/notice there are elements of the United States intelligence apparatus that are targeting Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard. The need for control is a reaction to fear, and Tulsi Gabbard has the DC Intelligence Community very worried.
What you will read below is something that was written back in 2024 about the potential for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), if President Trump were to win the election. Subsequently, he did win; and while we are not saying this is the exact ODNI script that is being followed, we are certainly not disputing that either.
Read the roadmap below –Written in 2024– compare it to current events and decide for yourself if this is something that rings a bell and may explain the IC apoplexy.
The ODNI was created as an outcome of the 9-11 Commission recommendations. In the era shortly after 9/11, the DC national security apparatus was constructed to preserve continuity of government and simultaneously view all Americans as potential threats.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) were created specifically for this purpose.
Washington DC created the modern national security apparatus immediately and hurriedly after 9/11/01. DHS came along in 2002, and within the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 the ODNI was formed.
When Barack Obama and Eric Holder arrived a few years later, those newly formed institutions were viewed as opportunities to create a very specific national security apparatus that would focus almost exclusively against their political opposition.
Here is the weird part. The ODNI was formed in 2004, with the intent for the office to be the pivot point of a national security radar. The DNI was intended to provide information to domestic agencies about foreign terror networks that would prevent something like 9-11 from happening again. However, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has never, not for one day, operated on this intent. This is why they are such a critical position from my perspective.
The office was new, not established yet as a functioning silo, when Barack Obama and Eric Holder arrived in 2009. They quickly dispatched an idiot, James Clapper, into the operation so they could weaponize around the offices’ fulcrum point.
Prior to the DNI office existing, the CIA radar would sweep externally and then report to the Office of the President. The DNI was intended to take external radar sweep (CIA) and make it a full 360° circle, adding a sweep inside the USA that would be handled by the Dept of Homeland Security.
The DHS sweep and the CIA sweep would then be combined into a central collection hub called the ODNI. Everyone with responsibility for “national security” could access the ODNI material. Essentially and presumably, post 9-11 nothing like jihadists practicing to fly airplanes would be missed again; at least that was the intent.
The weird part is that because the DNI was immediately weaponized, the office has never functioned to the purpose of its intent.
No one truly knows what the office possibilities consist of because no one has ever seen anyone try to functionally control the hub. If you think I’m joking about the intent of Obama and John Brennan using the DNI watch this video. This is before Brennan became CIA Director, this is when Brennan was helping Barack Obama put the pillars into place.
For the intents of this outline the takeaway is how the DNI office has never been used for good. In a strategic way, that can be used to our advantage if you are talking about leveraging silos against each other.
Example: The DNI can assemble material from any silo. Meaning the DNI can reach into any IC silo and extract anything they want. Under the original authorities given to the DNI, this authority exists. So, let’s spread the wings on this office and do exactly what it is permitted to do, only this time extract for the purpose of showing the President what is happening in every silo.
In essence, the DNI *CAN BE* deployed like a super strong cross-silo inspector general’s office. Force the other IC silos to comply with the demands of the DNI. This has never been done. But the DNI has this unique power.
The DNI can make the FBI, DOJ, DOJ-NSD, DoD, DoS and CIA provide anything and everything they demand. Instead of the other silos using blocks and threats against the office of the President, use the authority of the DNI to get them without confrontation. Then use the DNI to declassify the documents (if requested by potus), instead of the originating silo.
Can you see how the DNI office can be repurposed to be a seriously strong weapon in the toolbox of the President, against the schemes of those inside the various IC silos.
The DNI becomes much more important than the CIA Director, NSA Director, FBI Director, Attorney General, etc, because the DNI can just show up and say, “give me this.” That’s the functional purpose of the DNI office that has never been exerted; let’s flippin’ use it.
Let’s use the office of the DNI as the central information hub that takes information from inside the corrupt silos, then provides that information to the President who puts sunlight upon it. Each corrupt silo penetrated with disinfectant. This could begin a process to pull down the shadow operations and let the American public see what has been happening inside our IC apparatus.
To accomplish this approach the National Security Advisor to the President (NSA) [currently Marco Rubio], would be the person who tells the DNI what they are looking for. How does the NSA know what to look for? Because the National Security Advisor is the head of the National Security Council (NSC).
Let the NSC monitor the silos with specific intent, perhaps with assistance from open-source research, then provide Trump’s NatSec Advisor with details on what appears to be happening and where. With the approval of the President, the NSA [Rubio], then turns to the DNI [Gabbard] and says, “POTUS wants this, go get this.”
Raw, unfiltered, unredacted information. The silo administrators end up in a fight with the ODNI, not the office of President Trump. President Trump then uses the power of his office to support the demands of the DNI.
Under this approach the DNI has a lot more power; yet funnily, it’s power they already have – yet have never utilized.
Does any of that track with what we are currently experiencing?
With DNI Tulsi Gabbard putting strategic pressure from the inside, and We The People putting accountability pressure from the outside, this Deep State intelligence nut just might begin to crack.
In fact, I might even argue that cracking is exactly what we are starting to see.
Ariane de Rothschild, Jeffrey Epstein, and Børge Brende: the late pedophile had valuable contacts in the super elites.
Epstein and the planet overlords.
For years, it’s been known how late pedophile Jeffrey Epstein had valuable contacts not only among politicians and royal family members, but also among the real planet overlords, the members of the super elite whose name is not even known to the population at large.
Now, with the new 3-million-plus documents released by the US DOJ, the extent to which Epstein was capable of articulating with these powerful figures is being laid bare.
To begin with, we have none less than Ariane de Rothschild, head of the family-owned Edmond de Rothschild Swiss private bank. Her name appears more than 4,400 times in the Justice Department’s online search.
The member of the über powerful family has been found to have exchanged dozens of emails with the disgraced financier, having also agreed to multiple meetings during a period of about five years before his 2019 arrest and jailing.
Ariane de Rothschild, French banker & (from Rothschild’s family) shared with Epstein that her family supported Hitler in mass destruction to gain more power
“The documents, released by the U.S. Justice Department on Friday, do not appear to contain any sign of criminal wrongdoing. But they raise questions about an earlier characterization by the bank of their relationship, cited by the Wall Street Journal in 2023, which said she met with Epstein as part of her normal duties at the bank.”
Epstein tells Ariane De Rothschild not to put any Africans on her advisory board and to prioritise Jews.
“The disclosure of the previously unknown familiarity between the late financier and the banking executive adds de Rothschild to the growing list of prominent figures revealed to have been in Epstein’s social circle, following the release of documents under pressure from victims and members of Congress.”
[…] De Rothschild had no knowledge of Epstein’s conduct and ‘unequivocally condemns his behavior and the crimes which he committed’, the [Rothschild] spokesperson said in an emailed statement, without responding to several requests for comment on specific exchanges between the two.”
Jeffrey Epstein and Ariane de Rothschild were ecstatic about buying up cheap Ukrainian assets after the CIA/MI6/Soros funded coup in 2014. pic.twitter.com/0rtrInK6fm
At the same time, news arise that the World Economic Forum is investigating its president and CEO, Børge Brende, after the new Epstein files revealed his close relationship with Epstein.
WEF CEO Borge Brende plotting with Jeffrey Epstein to position WEF as the global governance structure
“Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, dined with Epstein three times in 2018 and 2019, and the two exchanged texts and emails. As recently as November, Brende denied having any contact with Epstein — but has now admitted to knowing him after their relationship came to light in the latest document release by the U.S. Justice Department.”
The WEF is conducting an independent review into the relationship.
“Brende said he had been ‘completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities’ and would have declined any invitations or communication had he known. ‘I recognize that I could have conducted a more thorough investigation into Epstein’s history, and I regret not doing so’, he said.
The first dinner, with diplomats and business leaders at Epstein’s New York townhouse, took place in 2018. Ahead of the meeting the two exchanged views on the future of Davos, with Epstein saying the elite gathering in Switzerland ‘can really replace the UN’. The pair also dined together in June 2019, weeks before Epstein was arrested.”
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