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
“He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great” – Psalm 115:13
This is a word of cheer to those who are of humble station and mean estate. Our God has a very gracious consideration for those of small property, small talent, small influence, small weight. God careth for the small things in creation and even regards sparrows in their lighting upon the ground. Nothing is small to God, for He makes use of insignificant agents for the accomplishment of His purposes. Let the least among men seek of God a blessing upon his littleness, and he shall find his contracted sphere to be a happy one. Among those who fear the LORD there are little and great. Some are babes, and others are giants. But these are all blessed. Little faith is blessed faith. Trembling hope is blessed hope. Every grace of the Holy Spirit, even though it be only in the bud, bears a blessing within it. Moreover, the LORD Jesus bought both the small and the great with the same precious blood, and He has engaged to preserve the lambs as well as the full-grown sheep. No mother overlooks her child because it is little; nay, the smaller it is, the more tenderly does she nurse it. If there be any preference with the LORD, He does not arrange them as “great and small” but as “small and great.”
I have seen something else under the sun: The race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong, nor does food come to the wise or wealth to the brilliant or favor to the learned; but time and chance happen to them all.
Ecclesiastes 9:11
Many of us have had experiences that confirm the truth of this verse. All our carefully laid plans have fallen apart; all our dreams that we had what it took to succeed in some particular area of life crumbled, and we could not understand why. We had to learn, as this text says, the race is not to the swift or the battle to the strong. That is true, even in sports. In the early part of this century Jim Thorpe, the famous Native American athlete, won many gold medals at the Olympic games. He stood before the King of Sweden and was publicly acknowledged as the greatest athlete of his time. Yet all those medals and honors had to be given back when it was learned that as a boy he had played professional baseball for five dollars a season, which rendered him no longer an amateur.
It is not always the strong, the mighty, the able, and the gifted that win in politics. We have seen candidates whom everybody thought a cinch to win public office defeated, unable to fulfill their dreams. The battle [is not always] to the strong, and this principle rings true even for the awards and prizes of the world. The Nobel Prize was given to a little woman in India, Mother Teresa, who ministered fully to the needs of the poor around her. Even in Hollywood the battle is not always won by those with the strength of typical movie glitz and glamour; in 1982, the Academy Award for Best Picture went to the movie Chariots of Fire, the story of Eric Liddell, a Christian Olympic runner who later became a missionary to China. The Searcher clearly tells us that natural gifts of speed, strength, and intellect are never enough to guarantee ultimate triumph.
Other factors really make the difference. Time and chance happen to them all. What does he mean by that? We often say, You have to be the right person, at the right place, at the right time. In other words, there are elements of circumstance that have to fall together even before someone with great abilities can accomplish his or her goals. What the Searcher is saying, of course, is that life is not in our control. The illusion that the secular media presses upon us all the time is that we can handle our life by our choices. It’s your life! You can live it the way you please. But the Searcher says it cannot be done that way. Time and chance happen to them all. Just when you think you have something under control, it can all fall apart. Disasters come when we least expect them: As fish are caught in a cruel net, or birds are taken in a snare (Ecclesiastes 9:12). Everything can fall apart. Every one of us has had some experience of that.
Lord, thank You for this reminder that I am not in control; that I do not control the outcome of events, but You do.
Typically depicted with a turban and a thin and grave bearded face, Aphrahat is not high in most people’s list of Christian authors. Scholars, however, find him interesting for several reasons. For one, he lived in the Persian Empire where he faced different challenges than the most renowned church fathers. Besides, his writings, being in Syriac (a semitic language similar to the Aramaic spoken by Jesus), are considered free of the Greek influences that permeated western churches.
Aphrahat (a version of today’s name Farhad) was born around the year 270, most likely around ancient Niniveh, in today’s Iraq. The region, ruled by the Sassanian Emperor Shapur II, stood as a rival to the power of Rome.
Many Christians in that region endorsed an ascetic-monastic life, and Aphrahat was not different. He became known as “the Sage” for the wisdom of his teachings. Today, we have a collection of these teachings in 23 homilies, called Demonstrations. Little is known of his life. He was probably leading a monastery and might have been ordained bishop.
The Demonstrations are divided into subjects, such as faith, humility, love, prayer, monastic life, and wars. His language is simple and his writings are impregnated with Scriptures.
In the conclusion to his book, he describes himself as “a disciple of the Holy Scriptures.”[1]
The Unique Position of Christians in the Persian Empire
I first became interested in Aphrahat while reading Mark W. Graham’s 30 Key Moments in the History of Christianity. Graham sees Aphrarat as a representative of a key moment most church history books omit: the uncomfortable position of Christians in an empire where ties with western churches were viewed as treason. This position became more precarious when Emperor Constantine called himself as a patron of Christians everywhere, including those in the Persian Empire. This provoked a series of persecutions (particularly intense between the years 340 and 372) where many Persian Christians lost their lives.
First-hand records show that Christians in the Persian Empire were not always united in their political views and actions. The first and most famous Persian martyr, Simeon bar Sabbae, urged his flock to refrain from paying a tax meant to support Emperor Shapur’s war against Rome. Some Persian bishops were also implicated in the conveyance of crucial communications across the frontier. On the other hand, there is an account of a Persian Christian condemning this kind of behavior, and he was probably not the only one. The persecution ended with the death of Shapur II in 379.
In this context, Aphrahat wrote of the Roman Empire as the Kingdom of the Messiah and Shapur II as the last wicked king. He based his views on his interpretation of the Book of Daniel. Graham, however, points out that Aphrahat was humble, acknowledging that he might be wrong and that his writings were not the final word on this matter.
In fact, Aphrahat concludes his homily on wars with a warning: “Know that, as concerning the word of God no man has reached or will reach its end. …. But hear these things from me, and also enquire about them of our brethren, children of our faith.” In other words, compare different views.
“But whosoever shall mock at the words of his brother, even if he say, mine are wise, yet hearken not to his words. And concerning what I wrote to you about these forces that are being stirred up to war, it is not as though anything has been revealed to me that I have made known these things to you, but attend to the words at the head of the letter: ‘Every one who exalts himself shall be humbled.’”
Most importantly, he wanted his readers to remember: “For even if the forces shall go up and conquer, yet know that it is a chastisement of God; and though they conquer, they shall be condemned in a righteous judgment. But yet be assured of this, that the beast shall be slain at its (appointed) time. But, my brother, be earnest at this time in imploring mercy, that there may be peace upon the people of God.”[2]
Pastoral Writings
Most of Aphrahat’s writings aim at encouraging fellow believers. His collection aptly starts with a homily on faith, which Aphrahat sees as the starting point of the Christian life.
“Faith is composed of many things, and by many kinds is it brought to perfection. For it is like a building that is made up of many pieces of handicraft and rises to the top. And know, my beloved, that stones are laid in the foundations of the building, and resting upon these stones the whole building rises until it is perfected. In the same way, the true Stone, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the foundation of all our faith. And on Him, on this Stone faith is based. And resting on faith all the structure rises until it is completed. For it is the foundation that is the beginning of all the building. …. And this building cannot be shaken by the waves, nor can it be injured by the winds. By the stormy blasts it does not fall, because its structure is reared upon the rock of the true Stone.”[3]
For Aphrahat, faith is the first to rest on the Foundation, which is Christ. Obedience follows: “For first a man believes, and when he believes, he loves.”[4] Everything else, Aphrahat says, springs from faith: prayer, love, charity, meekness, humility, holiness, wisdom, hospitality, patience, and much more.
Aphrahat’s Demonstrations reflect his pastoral heart and his humble reverence of the Scriptures. While his language might not always have the theological precision we expect to find in this type of writings, it is direct and to the point. And he constantly reminds his readers that the Christian virtues they desire are solidly founded on Christ and never an end to themselves. They are, in fact, always checked with their higher goal of love for God and neighbor.
We must aggravate* our sins and take notice of those things which make them more heinous in the sight of God and more dangerous to ourselves.
I bewail before you all my iniquities, all my transgressions, and all my sins. Leviticus 16:21(ESV)
The more knowledge we have of good and evil, the greater is our sin.
I have known my Master’s will but have not done it, and therefore deserve a severe beating. Luke 12:47(ESV)
I have known the way of the LORD and the justice of my God, and yet have broken the yoke and burst the bonds. Jeremiah 5:4-5(ESV)
I have known God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, and yet have not only done them, but given approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:32(ESV)
I have taught others, and yet have not taught myself; Romans 2:21(ESV) and while I profess to know God, I have denied him by my works. Titus 1:16(ESV)
The greater profession we have made of religion, the greater has been our sin.
I call myself after the holy city and stay myself on the God of Israel and confess his name, but not in truth and in righteousness. Isaiah 48:1-2(ESV) For I have dishonored that worthy name by which I have been called, James 2:23(ESV) and given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme. 2 Samuel 12:14(ESV)
I have named the name of Christ, and yet have not departed from iniquity. 2 Timothy 2:19(ESV)
* The author means that we must look at our sins in the worst light, to see just how evil they are, taking into account the persons we have offended, the nature of the offense, the circumstances of our sin, etc. See The Westminster Larger Catechism, Questions 150 and 151. Editor.
When someone leaves the country of their birth and moves to a new country, they leave all that is familiar behind. They have to learn how to survive in an unfamiliar world. Often, they struggle to fit in. Their behavior signals to everyone that they “aren’t from around here.”When the apostle Peter wrote this letter, he urged his readers to take on the perspective of spiritual “foreigners and exiles” in their daily lives (v. 11). As the young Christian community began to grow, they were out of place because their values as Christians conflicted with the values of this world. They were trying to fight sin in their lives, but the world encouraged sinful behavior. What is more, the good things they valued were hated by the world so much that they were accused of wrongdoing (v. 12)!Peter’s exhortation is that they lean into living like people who have left the place of their birth and are living in a new home. This advice is true for us as well, living as Christ followers in a secular culture. We are to live in such a way that we do not conceal our true citizenship. People of God are to honor God by doing good, submitting to authorities, showing respect, loving other Christians, and honoring authority (vv. 12, 17). “For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people” (v. 15).Peter warns: “[D]o not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves” (v. 16). Like an accent that lingers, our behavior identifies Christians as different. This may cause suffering in our current life, but it is the kind of behavior that God promises to reward when Christ appears (v. 12).
Go Deeper Does your behavior identify you as a Christian? Do you stick out like someone who isn’t from around here? What specific challenges does Peter give that stand out to you? Extended Reading: 1 Peter 1-2
Pray with Us Dear Jesus, help us not to be too attached to the things of this world. But if that happens, remind us that we are citizens of Your kingdom, that our hearts belong to You.
1:8 “Oh my friends, we are loaded down with countless church activities, while the real work of the chruch, that of evangelizing the world and winning the lost, is almost entirely neglected!” Oswald J. Smith
Comfort, R. (2003). The Evidence Bible: Irrefutable Evidence for the Thinking Mind, Notes (K. Cameron, Ed.; p. 1393). Bridge-Logos.
1:8 Luke’s purpose in Acts was showcasing the empowerment by the Spirit that allowed believers to be Christ’s witnesses in Jerusalem first before expanding their reach “to the end of the earth”—the furthest extensions of the Roman Empire of the time (Rm 15:19; Col 1:6, 23).
Porter, S. E. (2017). Acts. In T. Cabal (Ed.), CSB Apologetics Study Bible (p. 1346). Holman Bible Publishers.
1:8 This is the key verse of the book, serving as an inspired outline of its contents. This passage sets forth briefly and carefully the agenda for Christians of all times. It is what all believers are commissioned to do until Jesus comes again. During the dawning of the Christian era, God poured out the Holy Spirit upon the church collectively, thereby giving formal confirmation that the church was the entity chosen by the Lord to spread the Good News through all the world. This gave formal recognition that the Holy Spirit was the Guide and Teacher who would help the church to implement the Great Commission (v. 8). This outpouring of the Spirit occurred for each of the three segments of the Great Commission: (1) The phrase “in Jerusalem” indicates where the Holy Spirit fell upon the church collectively on the Day of Pentecost, thereby establishing quite early the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the church. This phenomenon inaugurated the global mission of the church. (2) For the second segment of the Great Commission, “in all Judea and Samaria,” there were two outpourings of the Spirit upon these new believers collectively: (a) One occurred after the successful evangelism of Philip in Samaria. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the Samaritans had received the Word of God, apparently without the outpouring of the Spirit upon the believers collectively, Peter and John went down, “laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit” (8:17). (b) The other occurred in the house of Cornelius, where the Holy Spirit fell upon all gathered there as Peter spoke (10:44). (3) The outpouring connected with the third segment of the Great Commission took place in Ephesus during the second missionary journey of Paul, thereby placing divine approval upon this third segment of the missionary enterprise to the far corners of the earth. To implement the commission of Christ in Matt. 28:19 and accomplish this prediction of world evangelization here in 1:8 requires: (1) the authority of Christ, (2) the presence of Christ, (3) the power of the Spirit, and (4) obedient and available saints. It is not a command; it is a prediction. When believers are Spirit-filled, they are witnesses with power from on high. The record of their worldwide witnessing comprises the contents of the Book of Acts. Luke showed that disciples filled with the Spirit reached the “end” of the then-civilized world in one generation, or approximately 35 years. Nevertheless, in terms of the gospel reaching all peoples of the earth, the commission remains a very present mandate for every generation until the Lord returns.
Criswell, W. A., Patterson, P., Clendenen, E. R., Akin, D. L., Chamberlin, M., Patterson, D. K., & Pogue, J., eds. (1991). Believer’s Study Bible (electronic ed., Ac 1:8). Thomas Nelson.
1:8 Holy Spirit has come upon you. Jesus means that the Holy Spirit will show His control of their lives with visible manifestations: the blowing of a violent wind, the appearance of tongues of fire, and speaking in foreign languages (ch. 2).
my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. The Book of Acts follows this strategy. The Jerusalem witness (ch. 2) gives in miniature form God’s worldwide ministry: the “Jews … from every nation” (2:5) who heard and believed carried the message far and wide. In the rest of Acts the gospel spreads to Jerusalem (3:1–8:1), to Judea and Samaria, up to Antioch of Syria (8:1–12:25), and to the ends of the earth (13:1–28:31).
Sproul, R. C., ed. (2005). The Reformation Study Bible: English Standard Version (p. 1558). Ligonier Ministries.
1:8 The apostles’ mission of spreading the gospel was the major reason the Holy Spirit empowered them. This event dramatically altered world history, and the gospel message eventually reached all parts of the earth (Mt 28:19, 20). receive power. The apostles had already experienced the Holy Spirit’s saving, guiding, teaching, and miracle-working power. Soon they would receive His indwelling presence and a new dimension of power for witness (see notes on 2:4; 1Co 6:19, 20; Eph 3:16, 20). witnesses. People who tell the truth about Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 14:26; 1Pe 3:15). The Gr. word means “one who dies for his faith” because that was commonly the price of witnessing. Judea. The region in which Jerusalem was located. Samaria. The region immediately to the N of Judea (see note on 8:5).
MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ac 1:8). Thomas Nelson Publishers.
1:8 — “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” God calls us to be His ambassadors in this world, introducing people who don’t yet know Jesus to the love and grace of God available to them in Christ. We become effective witnesses only through the power of the Spirit.
Stanley, C. F. (2005). The Charles F. Stanley life principles Bible: New King James Version (Ac 1:8). Nelson Bibles.
1:8 Instead of being concerned about the date of Christ’s return, the disciples’ job was to carry His message throughout the world. you shall receive power: This does not refer to personal power for godly living, as demonstrated in the lives of OT saints (see Abraham in Gen. 22; Joseph in Gen. 39; Moses in Ex. 14; Daniel in Dan. 6). This was power for a new task—namely, to take the gospel to the ends of the earth. Be witnesses is Christ’s command to His disciples to tell others about Him regardless of the consequences. Church tradition tells us that all but one of the eleven apostles who heard this promise became martyrs (John died in exile). God empowered His disciples to be faithful witnesses even when they faced the most vehement opposition. That same power for witnessing is available to us today. Our task is not to convince people, but to testify of the truth of the gospel.
Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (p. 1366). T. Nelson Publishers.
1:8 Having suppressed their curiosity as to the future date of this kingdom, the Lord Jesus directed their attention to what was more immediate—the nature and sphere of their mission. As to its nature, they were to be witnesses; as to its sphere, they were to witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. But first they must receive power—the power of the Holy Spirit. This power is the grand indispensable of Christian witness. A man may be highly talented, intensively trained, and widely experienced, but without spiritual power he is ineffective. On the other hand, a man may be uneducated, unattractive, and unrefined, yet let him be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit and the world will turn out to see him burn for God. The fearful disciples needed power for witnessing, holy boldness for preaching the gospel. They would receive this power when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Their witness was to begin in Jerusalem, a meaningful prearrangement of the grace of God. The very city where our Lord was crucified was first to receive the call to repentance and faith in Him. Then Judea, the southern section of Palestine with its strong Jewish population, and with Jerusalem as its chief city. Then Samaria, the region in the center of Palestine, with its hated, half-breed population with whom the Jews had no dealings. Then the end of the then-known world—the Gentile countries which had hitherto been outside the pale as far as religious privilege was concerned. In this ever widening circle of witness, we have a general outline of the flow of history in Acts. 1. The witness in Jerusalem (Chaps. 1–7) 2. The witness in Judea and Samaria (8:1–9:31) 3. The witness to the end of the earth (9:32–28:31)
MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments (A. Farstad, Ed.; pp. 1578–1579). Thomas Nelson.
I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her. (Hosea 2:14)
The goodness of God sees us allured by sin, and it resolves to try upon us the more powerful allurements of love. Do we not remember when the Lover of our souls first cast a spell upon us and charmed us away from the fascinations of the world! He will do this again and again whenever He sees us likely to be ensnared by evil.
He promises to draw us apart, for there He can best deal with us, and this separated place is not to be a paradise, but a wilderness, since in such a place there will be nothing to take of our attention from our God. In the deserts of affliction the presence of the Lord becomes everything to us, and we prize His company beyond any value which we set upon it when we sat under our own vine and fig tree in the society of our fellows. Solitude and affliction bring more to themselves and to their heavenly Father than any other means.
When thus allured and secluded the Lord has choice things to say to us for our comfort. He “speaks to our heart,” as the original has it. Oh, that at this we may have this promise explained in our experience! Allured by love, separated by trial, and comforted by the Spirit of truth, may we know the Lord and sing for joy!
In this episode of the Cold-Case Christianity Podcast, J. Warner Wallace draws from real cases, Scripture, and everyday suffering to show how different worldviews interpret trauma—and why your view of God, eternity, and justice will either magnify your wounds or transform them with hope. ✝️
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
There have been many guesses about what may have occasioned Christ’s parable of the vine and its branches, which extends over the first half of John 15, but it is impossible to be certain of the cause. Since the preceding chapter concludes with the words, “Come now; let us leave,” it would seem that the Lord and his disciples left the upper room at this point and began that quiet walk across the city of Jerusalem down into the Kidron Valley that brought them to the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. If that is the case, they may have passed the great golden vine that decorated the door to the Holy Place of the temple or else the vines that grew close to the great walls of the city and stretched along it. This is not certain, however, for the party may have lingered in the upper room even after Christ’s statement. Some, who have felt this way for other reasons, have suggested that the vine on the temple may have been visible through a window of the room or that a real vine may have been nearby. As I say, we do not know the occasion for this parable. We only know that vines were visible everywhere in Judea and that the image of the vine had already been widely used in reference to Israel. “I am the true vine,” Jesus said. He then went on to teach about the nature of the church and its fruitfulness, which was to be the result, not of any human achievement, but of its spiritual union with himself. “In me … in me … in me!” That is the theme of this parable and of the great “I am” saying with which it is launched.
The True Vine
The first point of this parable is the “I am” saying itself, and the obvious emphasis is upon the word “true.” “I am the true vine,” says Jesus. This does not mean that he is true as opposed to that which is false but, rather, that he is the one, perfect, essential and enduring vine before which all other vines are but shadows. The word is used in precisely this sense elsewhere where Jesus is declared to be the “true light” (1:9), the “true bread” (6:32), and the “true tabernacle” (Heb. 8:2). But there is an even more immediate reference, which almost certainly would not have escaped the disciples. The vine is the preeminent symbol of Israel. Thus, over and over again in the Old Testament Israel is portrayed as God’s choice vine or God’s vineyard. Isaiah had written, “I will sing for the one I love a song about his vineyard: My loved one had a vineyard on a fertile hillside. He dug it up and cleared it of stones and planted it with the choicest vines. He built a watchtower in it and cut out a winepress as well. Then he looked for a crop of good grapes, but it yielded only bad fruit.… The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress” (Isa. 5:1–2, 7). In a similar vein, Jeremiah recorded, “I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?” (Jer. 2:21). Ezekiel 15 compares Israel to a vine also, as does Ezekiel 19, “Your mother was like a vine …: it was fruitful and full of branches” (v. 10). Hosea wrote, “Israel was a spreading vine; he brought forth fruit for himself” (10:1). One of the best-known passages is from the Psalms: “You brought a vine out of Egypt; you drove out the nations and planted it. You cleared the ground for it, and it took root and filled the land. The mountains were covered with its shade, the mighty cedars with its branches” (Ps. 80:8–10). The vine was well known, then, as a symbol of Israel. Indeed, a bunch of grapes from the vine is a symbol seen in Israel even today. But the truly extraordinary thing about the use of this image in the Old Testament is that it is always brought forward as a symbol of Israel’s degeneration, rather than her fruitfulness. The point of Isaiah’s reference is that the vine has run wild, producing sour grapes. “What could have been done more to my vineyard, than I have not done in it?” God asks. Yet it brought forth “wild grapes” (v. 4). Jeremiah terms Israel a “degenerate” and “strange” vine. Hosea calls her “empty,” that is, run to leaves. The eightieth psalm is set in the context of a plea for God’s renewed favor after the vine has been burned and the hedges broken down. So here is a vine planted by God to be fruitful but which is not fruitful. And here also, by contrast, is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the true vine. He came from dry ground, but still he grew up before the Lord as “a tender plant” (Isa. 53:2). He was despised of men, but he was perfect and beloved of the Father who, indeed, declared him to be his “beloved Son” in whom he was “well pleased” (Matt. 3:17; 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:35). Jesus is the One who, by his very nature as the true vine, brings forth fruit unto the Father.
The Gardener
There are two things that the Father is said to do in his care of the vine. First, he is said to “cut off” every branch that does not bear fruit. Generally this has been understood to be a purging away of dead branches in precisely the same sense that branches are said to be “thrown into the fire” and “burned” in verse 6, but I am convinced that most translators have missed the true meaning of the term “cut off” in this instance. Undoubtedly, their translation has been made to conform to what they know or believe is coming in verse 6, but the translation is not the best or even the most general meaning of the Greek word airo which lies behind it. The word airo has four basic meanings, which are, proceeding from the most fundamental to the most figurative: (1) to lift up or pick up, (2) to lift up figuratively, as in lifting up one’s eyes or voice, (3) to lift up with the added thought of lifting up in order to carry away, and (4) to remove. In translating this word by the verb “cut off” the majority of translators have obviously chosen the fourth of these meanings, for the reason suggested above. But the verse makes better sense and the sequence of verbs is better if the first and primary meaning of the word is taken. In that case the sentence would read, “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he lifts up,” that is, to keep it from trailing on the ground. This translation makes better sense of the passage in every way, and in addition it is much better theology. First, the emphasis of this opening section of the parable is, quite rightly, upon the care of the vine by the Father. It would be strange, granting this emphasis, if the first thing mentioned is the carrying away of unproductive branches. But it is not at all strange to emphasize that the gardener first lifts the branches up so that they may be better exposed to the sun and so the fruit will develop properly. Second, this lifting up is precisely what is first done with vines, as any one who has watched them being cared for knows. Grapes are not like squash or pumpkins that develop quite well while lying on the ground. They must hang free. Consequently, any branch that trails on the ground is unproductive. It would be a strange gardener who immediately cuts off such a branch without even giving it a chance to develop properly. But it would be wise and customary for him to stretch the vine on an arbor or use some other means of raising it to the air and sun. This is, of course, precisely what vineyards look like, for the vines are always strung from pole to pole on wires. Third, to translate the word airo by “lifts up” gives a proper sequence to the Father’s care of the vineyard, indicated by the verb that follows. Thus, he first of all lifts the vines up. Then he cuts off the unproductive elements, carefully cleansing the vine of insects, moss, or parasites that otherwise would hinder the growth of the plant. This last item would have been the ancient equivalent of using insecticides, as is done today. For these reasons the translation “lifts up” should be preferred. And if this is the case, then the first thing the Father is said to do is to lift the Christian closer to himself. To translate that into spiritual terms, it means that the Father first creates a sense of true devotion in the Christian.
Pruning
The second thing the Father is said to do in his care of the vine is to purge it or prune it. In Greek this word is katharizo, which means to cleanse, make clean, or purify. It has given us our English word catharsis. Normally this word would indicate the act of cleansing the vine of anything harmful to it—insects, moss, and so on. But since it is being used of a vine and its branches, it is hard to escape the feeling that pruning is probably also in view. At all events, here the Father is said to be doing a work of removal, removing everything that would prove detrimental to the most fruitful harvest. In spiritual terms this obviously refers to God’s work in removing that which is spiritually detrimental from a given Christian’s life. It means to have our bad habits stripped away. It means to have our priorities reordered, our values changed. At times it may mean the removal of friends who are hindering rather than advancing our spiritual growth. The order of these two activities of the Father are most important, because the reverse only produces hypocrisy. What happens when we go about lopping off so-called unspiritual practices without first being drawn closer to God in true devotion is that we imagine ourselves to be quite saintly, when actually we are not. We begin to look down on others who have not made the same denials. We consider them to be worldly and ourselves spiritual. Moreover, having eliminated these elements ourselves without first having our lives filled with Christ, we discover that we have a vacuum within and that it is easy for something else not at all Christian to fill it. We are like the man in Christ’s story who threw one demon out of his house but then suffered greater loss when that demon and seven of his friends returned to repossess him. What should happen is that we first of all draw near to God and become productive. After that, as the harmful things begin to be cut away, we hardly feel their going. It is a case of maturing, similar to a girl’s giving up dolls. No one ever asks a girl to give up playing with dolls. When she is young she plays with them. But as she grows older she becomes interested in a young man, and after this the dolls are just “kid’s stuff.” The girl does not “give up” dolls. The dolls give her up, because she has grown into a higher sphere of experience. In the same way, as we grow close to the Lord Jesus Christ the dead wood and parasites fall away. There is one more point connected with the matter of cleansing. It concerns the means by which we are cleansed—the Word of God. Unless we see that the Word must cleanse us, our ideas of purity are man-made and not of God’s origin at all. What is more, they are ineffective. David asked the question, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” He answered, “By living according to your word” (Ps. 119:9). Similarly, Jesus says to his disciples, “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). Nothing will keep sin from us but a careful attention to and application of God’s Word. Nothing else will cleanse us.
Remain in Me
The third point in Christ’s parable of the vine and the branches is the secret of fruitfulness, which is abiding in Christ. Here Jesus says, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (vv. 4–5). The key sentence in these two verses can mean one of three things. It can be a simple declarative, with the sense, “You must remain in me, and I must remain in you.” It can be a promise: “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.” Or it can be a command meaning, “Remain in me and, thus, see to it that I for my part also remain in you.” Probably, as Leon Morris points out, it is the third of these that should be preferred. “Jesus means that the disciples should live such lives that He will continue to abide in them. The two ‘abidings’ cannot be separated, and ‘abiding’ is the necessary prerequisite of fruitfulness. No branch bears fruit in isolation. It must have vital connection with the vine. So to abide in Christ is the necessary prerequisite of fruitfulness for the Christian.” I am not a horticulturist, but I am told by those who know such things that a vine needs to be cultivated at least three years before being allowed to produce fruit at all. That is, it must be trimmed and allowed to grow, then be trimmed and allowed to grow again, and so on for a considerable length of time. Only after this does it become useful for bearing fruit. Similarly, there are times in our lives when we seem to go on for considerable periods, undergoing rather radical treatment at the hands of the Father and seeing little fruit come from it. In such times we doubt if there will ever be fruit. But that is only because we cannot see as God sees. We do not have his perspective. Do not get discouraged if that has happened to you. Instead, remember that Jesus promises fruit in due time if we truly remain in him in a close way. We can give our witness, live the Christian life, and, in a sense, refuse to be concerned about the outcome; for, ultimately, God is the One responsible for the vineyard.
You Can Do Nothing
The last sentence of this section introduces a warning, lest in our budding enthusiasm for bearing fruit for God we forget that it cannot be done without him. “Apart from me you can do nothing,” says Jesus. This statement may be applied in two ways. On the one hand, it may be applied to Christians; and if that is done, we have the following: (1) great work to be done, (2) the possibility of attempting to do it, but without Christ, and (3) the inevitable failure that must result from such effort. Spurgeon, who preached a marvelous sermon on just these words, observed, “Without Jesus you can talk any quantity; but without him you can do nothing. The most eloquent discourse without him will be all a bottle of smoke. You shall lay your plans, and arrange your machinery, and start your schemes; but without the Lord you will do nothing. Immeasurable cloudland of proposals and not a spot of solid doing large enough for a dove’s foot to rest on—such shall be the end of all!” It is good that it is so, for if it were not so, I am afraid that we would try to do it all without him. Nothing is what shall come of our efforts, if it is not Christ working. On the other hand, there is also encouragement in this verse when we realize that it may be applied to those who are yet Christ’s enemies. “Without Christ we can do nothing.” That is humbling. But if that is true for those who are united to Christ by faith, in whom he nevertheless dwells, how much truer it is of those who are not at all united to him. They may try to do something against the gospel. They may try to destroy Christ’s work. But all their efforts will come to nothing, for only the hand of man (and not that of God) is in them.
Boice, J. M. (2005). The Gospel of John: an expositional commentary (pp. 1159–1164). Baker Books.
Abide in me, and I (will abide) in you. In the process of bringing salvation to the hearts of men God is ever first! See on 3:3, 5. By his Spirit he invades the heart of the sinner. Thus the sinner, who has now become, in principle, a saint, has received power to abide in Christ. The more he does so, the more will he experience Christ’s loving-presence (see also on 14:21). That is the promise. Hence, the words, “Abide in me,” do not constitute a condition which man must fulfill in his own power before Christ will do his part. Far from it. It is sovereign grace from start to finish, but the responsibility of abiding in Christ is placed squarely upon man’s shoulders, exactly where it belongs. Without exertion there is no salvation. But the power to exert oneself and to persevere is God-given! What is meant by abiding in Christ is explained in verses 7 and 9. This precept, even if it had been intended only for the eleven, is by no means in conflict with the assurance given in 10:28, to the effect that the sheep will never perish. On the contrary, there is beautiful harmony, for exactly by means of obedience to this “command” the promise of 10:28 is fulfilled! The admonition, “Abide in me,” is in agreement with numerous exhortations addressed to believers, warning them against apostasy and bidding them to abide in the faith. These warnings regard the matter from the side of man. They move on the plane of human responsibility (Col. 1:23; Heb. 2:1; 3:14; etc.). It is certainly true that once a man is truly saved, he remains saved forever; yet, God does not keep a man on the way of salvation without exertion, diligence, and watchfulness on man’s part. And the strength thus to persevere in the faith is ever from God, from him alone! By way of illustration, one might point to an incident in the life of Paul. In connection with a storm and shipwreck in which Paul was involved God had given him the definite promise, “There will be no loss of life among you” (Acts 27:22). Nevertheless, Paul says to the centurion and to the soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you cannot be saved” (Acts 27:31). The word of warning did not in any way contradict the certainty that the men would actually be saved. The men heeded the warning and no life was lost. But on the basis of 14:21 (notice the very general character of this declaration) and 17:20 we may believe that the words spoken that night were meant not only for these eleven men, but also for many others who would follow them, in fact for all those who would be brought into close contact with Christ and the Gospel. And among these many there would also be several who would turn away from Christ. Hence, from every point of view the warning was altogether timely and necessary. Judas, let it be remembered, had turned away already!
Just as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. One cannot enter the kingdom without birth from above (see on 3:3, 5). Once in the kingdom, one cannot bear fruit unless he remains in Christ, the vine. These are laws that allow no exceptions. To expect that fruit-bearing would be possible for the man who does not remain in Christ is even more foolish than to expect that a branch that has been severed from the vine can bring forth grapes! See also verse 5 (last clause).
I am the vine, you are the branches. First 15:1 is repeated: Jesus is the vine. Next, the thought already clearly implied in 15:2–4, is expressly stated, namely, “You are the branches.” A word is used for branch which literally means vine-branch or vine-twig (κλῆμα).
He who abides in me, with me abiding in him (literally, “He who abides in me, and I in him,” but this is hardly good English), he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. Note: more fruit (verse 2), much fruit (verses 5 and 8). The vitality of the vine, Jesus Christ, is stressed. This vine enables those who remain in him to produce fruit not only but much fruit. For the character of this fruit see on 15:1, 2. On the other hand, those who are out of relation to Christ can do literally nothing, nothing whatever (οὐ … οὐδέν). That holds not only for the drunkard, the thief, the murderer, the immoral person, but also for the poet, the scientist, and the philosopher who has not embraced Christ with a living faith. He can render no work that is acceptable before God. Then why is it that some—even among those who like to pass as Christians and who seek the place of leadership in the church—are ever engaged in ascribing the highest possible honors to such “outsiders,” as if one could better afford to do without Paul than without Plato? The passage certainly teaches the inability of man to do that which is good in the sight of God. It is entirely in line with Rom. 14:23, just as the preceding clause (“He who abides in me.… he it is that bears much fruit”) is entirely in line with Phil. 4:13.—Pelagianism and semi-Pelagianism of every description stands condemned here!
Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953–2001). Exposition of the Gospel According to John (Vol. 2, pp. 299–300). Baker Book House.
ECHOES OF EXCEPTIONALISM: General Washington’s Valley Forge Prayer The story begins in December 1777, after British forces seized Philadelphia. Following a string of demoralizing defeats, Washington led 12,000 Continental soldiers to the wooded hills of Valley Forge, 20 miles northwest of the city. The winter that followed tested whether a nation conceived in liberty could survive. Supply lines collapsed. Local farmers hoarded food for British gold. Rations dwindled to fire-cakes of flour and water. Disease – typhus, dysentery, pneumonia – swept the crude log huts. Between 1,700 and 2,500 perished. Others left bloody footprints in the snow, marching without shoes. On February 16, 1778, Washington wrote bluntly: “Naked and starving as they are, we cannot enough admire the incomparable patience and fidelity of the soldiery…”
Trump’s tariff revenues hit record highs as Supreme Court deals major blow Tariff collections surged to historic highs under President Donald Trump, advancing his trade agenda before the Supreme Court stepped in on Friday to limit the power behind many of the levies. Tariffs have been a defining feature of Trump’s economic agenda since his return to office, and revenue from the duties has risen roughly 300%. In January alone, duties brought in $30.4 billion — up 275% from a year earlier. For the fiscal year to date, collections have reached $124 billion, an increase of about 300% over the same period last year.
Trump gives Iran 10-day ultimatum, but experts signal talks may be buying time for strike On Thursday, he gave Tehran another clock, saying the Islamic Republic has 10 to 15 days to come to the negotiating table or face consequences. The compressed timeline now sits at the center of a new round of high-stakes nuclear diplomacy. But with Trump, deadlines can serve as both warning and weapon.
Pete Hegseth delivers powerful pro-life, anti-woke, ‘Christ is King’ speech ‘I commit to you that I and we should never allow any group, no matter how large or small, to silence us from speaking the capital-T Truth: Christ is King,’ declared Hegseth. Hegesth offered his remarks at the National Religious Broadcasters’ “International Christian Media Convention.” “Under the leadership of President Trump, the military once again supports and trains our troops and tends to their spiritual health,” explained Hegseth. “We train our troops—we no longer trans our troops.”
War Secretary Pete Hegseth electrifies 3,000 Evangelicals at NRB – but makes no mention of possible imminent war with Iran As the keynote speaker at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Convention, the U.S. Secretary of War received so many standing ovations that I lost count. A devout and unabashed Christian and former Fox News broadcaster, Hegseth brought his 3,000 fellow Christian media professionals, journalists, podcasters, and influencers to their feet time and time again by recounting the Christian history of America’s founding 250 years ago. Never comments on biggest U.S. military buildup in Middle East since 2003
Current situation with Iran: Where is it placed in the book of Revelation? Current events regarding Iran have prompted the question, where is this situation placed in the book of Revelation? Bible prophecy is important because it is practical to us today; it should be viewed as a practical guide. Indeed, that’s what the Bible is, and much of the Bible, the word of God, is prophecy. If we are to be good stewards of God’s word, then we must be good stewards of its prophetic content. When it comes to prophecy and current events, many people are oblivious.
A Pre-Purim Earthquake in Iran Bears a Powerful Biblical Message A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck southern Iran on February 19, 2026, at 7:13 a.m. local time, with its epicenter 35 kilometers southwest of Mohr in Fars province. The quake hit at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, sending strong shakes through rural villages and key natural gas fields like Tabnak, Homa, Shanol, and Varavi that fuel Iran’s economy and its support for terrorist groups. Seismologists from the German Research Centre for Geosciences and the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the details, noting no immediate casualties or widespread destruction, though the event disrupted operations at the nearby Parsian Gas Refinery. This tremor erupted from the ancient core of Persia, the very region where Cyrus the Great launched his empire in 559 BCE,
Pope Leo Snubs Trump’s Board of Peace, Citing UN Concerns — But Vatican’s Anti-Israel Record Speaks for Itself The Vatican has a long memory when it comes to blocking American-led peace initiatives — and a short one when it comes to recognizing Jewish rights in the Land of Israel. When Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s Secretary of State, announced Tuesday that Pope Leo would not be joining U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, he framed the decision in procedural language about the United Nations. But for anyone who has watched the Holy See’s decades-long pattern of hostility toward Israeli sovereignty, the refusal carries a familiar echo. Parolin made the announcement on the sidelines of a bilateral meeting with the Italian government in Rome, at the Palazzo Borromeo — the seat of the Italian Embassy to the Holy See — on the anniversary of the signing of the Lateran Pacts. “The Holy See will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature,
High Court orders gov’t to upgrade Western Wall egalitarian prayer plaza The Israeli Supreme Court, sitting as the High Court of Justice, on Thursday instructed the government to move forward with plans to upgrade an egalitarian prayer section at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, setting deadlines for state authorities to complete long-delayed bureaucratic procedures. The justices ordered the state and the Jerusalem Municipality to provide a status update within 90 days, saying that no additional approvals were required to proceed.
WATCH: Iranian crown prince warns Europe — Follow Iran’s fate if you don’t act Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi warned that unless radical Islam and unchecked immigration are curbed, they will ultimately take over Europe — just as they took over Iran, enslaved its people, and exported terrorism across the globe.
IDF kills three Hezbollah commanders in Baalbek, Lebanon, after strike on command center The IDF killed three Hezbollah commanders in its latest attack in Baalbek, Lebanon, on Friday, according to a report by Saudi media outlet al-Hadath. The commanders killed in the Baalbek strike were Ali Zeid al-Moussawi, Muhammad Ibrahim al-Moussawi, and Hussein Yaghi, according to the Arab language newspaper. The report also mentioned that the strike targeted a commander meeting, while initial reports said that there was a possibility that an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander was targeted in the strike.
As Trump escalates threats, Pentagon prepares for prolonged Iran conflict Trump continues to issue threats as reports say US forces are being evacuated from bases in Qatar and Bahrain; the Pentagon is preparing for a possible conflict, weighing options from targeted killings to regime change, while US officials warn Trump’s ambiguity could provoke a harsh retaliation
Enormous Firepower: Trump Is Establishing Deterrence By Demonstration Of Force Over the past week, the US has transported an enormous amount of firepower to the Middle East. The Air Force has sent AWACS, mid-air refueling tankers, B-52 Stratofortress bombers, and more than 50 fighter jets from all up and down the classification list. Naval assets include two carrier groups, between 7-9 Arleigh-Burke class destroyers, a whole list of support ships, and, if the rumor is accurate, the USS Georgia, a nuclear submarine armed with 154 Tomahawk missiles.
Israel Reviews Wartime Hospital Readiness As Iran Retaliation Fears Mount Iran has warned that if it gets attacked again, it will consider both the United States and Israel to be aggressors, since the two allies work in concert to undermine the Islamic Republic. One major hospital, for example, already suffered damage during the 12-day June conflict, and wants to take no chances amid reports of looming new war: Soroka Medical Center has begun preparing for conflict with Iran, with hospital management and emergency teams updating procedures, checking readiness, and running simulations for wartime scenarios.
Steven Spielberg Flees California Amid Raging Wealth Tax Battle In today’s episode of modern hypocrisy, Steven Spielberg, director of blockbuster hits like Jaws, E.T., Poltergeist and Saving Private Ryan, has moved to Manhattan, according to the Los Angeles Times. A spokesperson for one of Hollywood’s most reliable Democrat Party donors was quick to insist the relocation has nothing to do with California’s highly controversial wealth tax proposal. California is now seriously considering a new wealth tax targeting billionaires, including a levy on unrealized gains. The idea has already spooked investors and contributed to several high-profile tech figures running for the exits. It’s a familiar pattern when progressive policies finally start to bite, a surprising number of billionaires discover a sudden deep affection for Florida, Texas, or even New York.
“Hubris Generally Precedes Cluster …. Does It Smell Like Victory? The Islamic Republic suddenly looks like Rock-and-Hard-Place-Land. Everybody and his uncle are trying to figure out the calculus in play, World War Three or a happy ending? You’re seeing the most significant US military build-up over there in memory. Smells a little bit like first Gulf War, 1991 . Mr. Trump (via Marco Rubio) has read Euroland out on this one. We are in a cold war with those birds, in case you haven’t noticed. The UK, France, Germany & Co.? They are as crazy as the ladies of The View and their millions of Cluster-B followers. Euroland is yet in thrall to the climate nutters, the farm-and-industry-destroyers, the one-worlders, the Jihad-migrationists, the floundering banksters, and the Klaus Schwab wannabes.
Florida Lawmakers Approve Renaming Palm Beach Airport After Trump The measure, now awaiting Gov. Ron DeSantis’s signature, comes at the same time as the Trump family’s recent federal trademark filings for airport names incorporating the president’s identity. The Trump Organization says it will see no financial gain from the Palm Beach site. The Florida Senate passed SB 706 in a 25–11 vote. The legislation is sponsored by state Sen. Debbie Mayfield, a Republican from Melbourne. The vote came days after the House approved a companion bill, HB 919, 81–30. “President Trump is the first president that Florida has had in our history, and I think it’s very appropriate for us to be naming one of the other icons in Palm Beach after him,” Mayfield told Politico in January.
‘There is a plan, but challenges are immense,’ Tony Blair speaks to i24NEWS on Gaza at the first Board of Peace summit in Washington, former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair outlines the challenges and opportunities for Gaza stabilization. Blair, who was originally considered to lead the Board of Peace before procedural complications led to a different appointment, offered a measured assessment of the summit and its challenges. According to Blair, the “big thing right now is the disarmament of Hamas,” emphasizing that the success of any plan depends on dismantling militant capabilities and ensuring governance authority through a technocratic committee. “There is a plan. It depends crucially on demilitarization of Gaza and ensuring that this new technocratic committee can govern with authority. And we just have to try and make it work,” Blair said.
Ted Cruz says it is ‘Entirely possible’ that Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba regimes will fall in next 6 months U.S. politics may be intersecting with prophetic tremors on the global stage in ways that command attention from those watching end-times dynamics. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) recently stated that it’s “entirely possible” the existing regimes in Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba could fall within the next six months — potentially replaced by governments more aligned with the United States — in what he described as one of the most consequential geopolitical shifts since the end of the Cold War.
Earth’s natural ‘humming’ vibration experiences a series of unusual spikes in recent weeks leaving experts baffled A striking report from the Daily Mail recently highlighted a series of unusual, sharp spikes in Earth’s natural electromagnetic rhythm — often described in science and New Age circles as the planet’s “heartbeat” — coupled with claims that these anomalies are affecting human cognition, perception, and even brain activity. monitors tracking these resonances recently recorded an exceptionally large spike, one that cut vertically through spectral plots in a way believers characterize as an unprecedented “anomaly” in the Earth’s electromagnetic signature. The idea that Earth’s electromagnetic rhythms could influence human physiology tends to gain traction in circles that emphasize heart-brain connections, circadian rhythms, and energetic resonance between living beings and planetary systems. the cosmic signs in Joel and Revelation lead many believers to consider whether changes in Earth’s behavior — regardless of the mechanism — are part of the “birth pains” that Jesus said would characterize the last days.
NYC’s Socialist Mayor Mamdani Dumps Millions on DEI Grifters While Axing 5,000 Cops Brian Kilmeade and former NYPD Chief John Chell raised concerns about New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s budget allocations, questioning whether diversity and equity programs are being prioritized over public safety as the city debates spending levels and potential property tax increases.
Supreme Court blocks Trump tariffs in major test of executive branch powers The Supreme Court on Friday blocked President Trump’s use of an emergency law to unilaterally impose sweeping tariffs on most U.S. trading partners, delivering a blow to the president in a case centered on one of his signature economic policies — one he characterized as “life or death” for the U.S. economy.
Trump considering limited strikes to force Iran to make nuclear deal – report President Trump is considering launching limited strikes on Iran to force it to accept his demands for a nuclear agreement. Citing people familiar with the matter, the Journal said preliminary US strikes on Iran could begin within days, targeting some military or government sites but stopping short of a full-scale assault that could trigger a major Iranian response.
Trump gets billions in pledges from nine countries at ‘Board of Peace’ meeting They pledged $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package, and five countries agreed to deploy troops as part of an international stabilization force. The dollars promised represent a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the territory decimated after two years of war between Israel and Hamas. And Trump faces the unresolved challenge of disarming Hamas.
Democrats’ Absurd Objections to the SAVE Act The SAVE Act would require proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections; a valid photo ID before casting a ballot; and instead of states automatically sending vote-by-mail ballots to every voter, a registered voter must request one. It would require states to purge voter rolls every 30 days, keeping them up to date. Dems oppose these requirements.
Police statement in full as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor arrested Prince Andrew was arrested on his 66th birthday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Thames Valley Police confirmed the arrest on Thursday following allegations made against the former prince after the release of millions of pages of files related to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew is the first senior royal in modern history to be arrested.
The Evolving Battle Over Vaccine Mandates and Informed Consent in America Florida’s Surgeon Gen. Dr. Ladapo announced the state’s intention to eliminate all vaccine mandates. This policy shift, initially proposed in Sept 2025 by Gov. DeSantis (R) and Ladapo, aims to dismantle mandates for schools, nursing homes, etc. If enacted by the Legislature, it could start a ripple effect, as more people are waking up to the truth about vaccines.
Supreme Court Strikes Down Trump’s Tariffs Nate Jackson In dissent, Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote, “The tariffs at issue here may or may not be wise policy. But as a matter of text, history, and precedent, they are clearly lawful.”
Will the Gender Cult Implode? Mark Alexander Violence by those suffering from gender confusion pathology is on the rise, but the damage being perpetrated by the leftist gender cult agenda on millions of vulnerable souls is incalculable.
Hillary Clinton Stands by Her Man Again Samantha Koch Her “women’s rights” panel featured Tim “Sarah” McBride, the Democrat congressman from Delaware, who expressed his views on women’s rights.
Duffy Gets Rid of Deadly DEI Douglas Andrews The Trump administration continues to focus on merit, this time in an industry that has suffered deadly consequences from its fetish for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
Democrats, Your Name Is Mud Thomas Gallatin Whether people vote Democrat or Republican, the American public holds an increasingly negative view of the donkey party.
Homan ‘Saved the Day’ Brian Mark Weber Border Czar Tom Homan has done outstanding work to calm the situation in Minneapolis and refocus ICE on doing the hard job of deportation.
Enforcement Without Efficiency Is Not Enforcement Gregory Lyakhov Immigration enforcement is not strengthened by turning one contested case — like that of Kilmar Abrego Garcia — into a national spectacle.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s Unsatisfactory Arrest Emmy Griffin The brother of King Charles III was apprehended for allegedly giving away trade secrets to Jeffrey Epstein. Is this a hopeful sign, or evidence of a scapegoat?
With SNAP Limits, Prices Drop Michael Swartz Deflationary pressure has come from an unusual source: As states limit the items food stamps can buy, prices for some of those items fall.
Rubio Talks Europe Off the Ledge Nate Jackson “We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West’s managed decline.”
The U.S. Presidency Jack DeVine It’s a brutal job. Sure, the perks are great, but the world is watching, the pressures are incessant, and the future of our nation rides on your every decision.
Ruminating on Ruemmler Michael Smith Uncle Jeffrey’s “niece” has been in and around some pretty nasty stuff. She wasn’t an observer; she was a participant.
Reflecting on Jesse Jackson Thomas Gallatin The former civil rights leader may have marched with Martin Luther King Jr., but he never lived up to MLK’s legacy.
Trump Touts Affordability in GA Douglas Andrews Our multitasking president continued his nationwide economic tour yesterday, stopping by the Peach State to endorse an outstanding congressional candidate.
Profiles of Valor: Chaplain CAPT Joseph O’Callahan (USN) Mark Alexander “Serving with courage, fortitude, and deep spiritual strength, [he] inspired the gallant officers and men of the Franklin to fight heroically and with profound faith in the face of almost certain death.”
QUOTES Nailed It! “Um, you know, I think that this is such a, you know, I think that this is a um — this is, of course, a, um, very long-standing, um, policy of the United States and I think what we are hoping for is that we want to make sure that we never get to that point, and we want to make sure that we are moving in all of our economic research and our global positions to avoid any such confrontation — and for that question to even arise.” —Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) when asked if the U.S. should commit troops to defend Taiwan Who Wants to Tell Her? “[Nicolás Maduro] canceled elections. He was an anti-democratic leader. That doesn’t mean that we can kidnap a head of state and engage in acts of war just because the nation is below the equator.” —Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who evidently needs a map Lack of Self-Awareness Awards “When I was president of the United States, I suppose I could have simply unilaterally ordered the military to go into some red state and harass and intimidate a governor there or cut off funding for states that didn’t vote for me. … But that is contrary to how I think our democracy is supposed to work.” —Barack “Sue the Nuns” Obama “The other side does the mean, angry, exclusive, us/them, divisive politics. That’s their home court. Our court is coming together.” —Barack “Bitter Clingers” Obama Hot Air “Doug Burgum, he’s the interior secretary. Listen to this. … He said CO2, carbon, was never a pollutant. He said when we breathe, we emit CO2. Okay, Doug, you know what? Let’s try this little experiment. Tonight, when you get home, go in the garage, close the door, turn the car on, and let’s see if carbon is a pollutant, okay?” —political pundit Bill Maher conflating carbon dioxide, upon which life and nature depend, and carbon monoxide, which will literally kill you “This climate crisis is continuing to get much worse. … Mother Nature is staging an intervention. … We don’t have much time left to wake up and start taking action. … Our very civilization is at stake.” —former Vice President Al Gore, who wrongly predicted that sea ice would be gone by now A Trip Down Memory Lane “Let’s admit the truth. Everywhere people go, they’re asked for a Social Security card. In fact, one way to prove you’re a bona fide person who can have a job is to ask for a driver’s license and a Social Security card. This is an anti-fraud amendment.” —Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who’s anti-SAVE Act, in 1996 regarding the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act The BIG Lies “Are you one of nearly 70 million American women who changed their names when they got married? Republicans in Congress want to make it harder for you to vote.” —Hillary Clinton “We have this bloated agency now … that’s dedicated to just taking people off our streets without any cause.” —New York Gov. Kathy Hochul regarding ICE Make It Make Sense “FEMA is incredibly important and, I will admit, is operating pretty well under this president. … But ICE is out of control.” —Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear explaining his support for a government shutdown Dezinformatsiya “I know Tom Homan has been big on this ‘lost children’ thing. But the idea that these children were lost or missing has never been true. … His characterization of them as being lost has never been accurate.” —CNN’s Abby Phillip Can’t Fix Stupid Q: “Where or when does the president believe he’s been falsely called racist?” —CBS News’s Ed O’Keefe A: “You’re kidding, right?” —White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt after a stunned pause Race Bait “What’s so interesting about the MAGA regime to me is they’re all white nationalists, even the brown-skinned ones, even the Latinos.” —podcaster Jennifer Welch Democrat Infighting “We did receive information suggesting that the federal government did not shut down this segment. … It is our understanding that either Mr. Colbert or CBS decided that they just didn’t want to air it. And this was because of a fear that the FCC may say something to him and that there may have been advice to just have me on.” —Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) suggesting that the Democrat establishment collaborated to support her Texas Senate primary opponent Non Compos Mentis “For 50 years, the religious Right, a political movement — that is the perfect description for it — they convinced a lot of our fellow Christians that the most important issues were abortion and gay marriage. Two issues that aren’t mentioned in the Bible. Two issues that Jesus never talked about.” —Senate candidate James Talarico (D-TX), who falsely claims to be a devout Christian “At the end of the day, transphobia, homophobia, misogyny, and sexism are all rooted in the same prejudice. … And it’s why threats toward trans people are threats toward all women.” —Congressman “Sarah” (Tim) McBride When They Tell You Who They Are, Believe Them “Given the recent departure of our medical director, coupled with the current regulatory environment, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our Transgender Youth Health Program.” —NYU Langone Health senior director Steve Ritea explaining that the threat of government action mandated their decision, not the proven harm they were causing children Spin Doctor “Ted Cruz calling a dyslexic person illiterate is a new low, even for him.” —California Gov. Gavin Newsom after Senator Cruz called him “historically illiterate,” which has nothing to do with dyslexia Village Idiot “Is it not obvious to everyone by now that Trump is acting on Putin’s orders, and that this is a form [of] treachery towards the United States?” —actor John Cleese Shot/Chaser Q: “I notice that when you urge people to action, you often include the word ‘peacefully.’ Is that to avoid another Jan. 6-type incident?” —CNN reporter A: “With all due respect, it’s to avoid people like you guys saying that I’m anything but.” —right-wing activist Scott Presler For more insightful quotes, see our Short Cuts.
Biased Bloodshed “Israel continues bloodshed in Gaza,” the media reports, generally ignoring the Israeli claim that Hamas continues to violate the truce. You and I don’t know the full extent of this story, but they’re asking us to cave to the Palestinians and retaliate against Israel. without any regard for Israel … or God’s Word (e.g., Gen 15:18-21; Gen 17:7-8; Exo 22:21; Isa 1:17; Rom 11:11-24; Psa 122:6). That, of course, is the bias of the world … attacking God’s chosen people.
Tech Talk, Tech Talk The search for Nancy Guthrie continues. They found DNA evidence on a glove found near her home. Testing, they say, typically takes 24 hours. Note that this is not the five minutes shown on typical TV cop shows nor the typical “three day floor” generally accepted as the minimum time nor the general several weeks to several months for normal DNA analysis. Now … I happen to know there is at least one device out there that can do the test in 2 hours (my name is on the patent), but … 24 hours in this case is remarkably fast. I guess high profile cases improve technology? Or … something.
Guilty By Association Polling ranks Melania Trump as “second least popular” of recent first ladies (ironically just ahead of Hillary). Why? Oddly, not primarily because of what she’s done. It’s firstly about her “lack of visibility” … what she hasn’t done. And, of course, there is no doubt that simply being tied to “Trump” makes her “bad” all on her own to a whole lot of dunderheads. I have no feelings about the first lady specifically because she hasn’t done anything positive or negative. I don’t know her … in any sense. And I’m not going to commit the extremely common fallacy of “guilty by association” even if I do have reasons to not be pleased with her husband.
Come On, Man Now the president is giving ICE the authority to detain … legal refugees? When the president “cracks down” on legal immigration, it’s quite clear that he’s anti-immigration … for reasons that aren’t at all clear to me. He doesn’t want to “strain American communities”? We all know that one of the reasons God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah was that they were inhospitable (Ezek 16:49-50). I can almost hear God saying, “Don’t MAKE Me come down there, Donald.”
Your Best Source for Fake News I guess it’s primarily because I just mentioned this text twice in the past couple weeks, but I got a kick out of this story. Recently deceased Tiffany Smith stood before the Great White Throne of Judgment and told Jesus, “You know, the Bible says you shouldn’t judge people.” She goes on to correct Him further. “We have to love each other, and loving means not judging.” Thanks, Tiff. Then, in the wake of Melania’s “poor ratings,” Trump boasts that he now has the highest approval rating of any current U.S. president. Well? He does! Of course … and the lowest … so … there’s that. Finally, ICE is leaving Minneapolis (actual story). The Bee is reporting they’re going to focus on actual American cities now. What next? A border wall … around Minneapolis?
Dalton filled in for Jim Schneider and here’s a sample of important news stories that were presented:
–In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump exceeded his powers with his expanded use of tariffs. President Trump says that he will use alternatives to replace those that the court, he believes, incorrectly rejected.
–President Trump went to Truth Social to honor civil rights leader Jesse Jackson who passed away this past Tuesday.
–Forlesia Cook, a Washington, D.C. grandmother who lost her grandson to gun violence, stood strong for President Trump at a Black History Month event at the White House.
–White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered a reporter who sought examples that President Trump has been falsely accused of being a racist.
–Democratic congressional leaders sent Republicans and the White House a counter offer on immigration enforcement provisions that they want in exchange for their votes to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
–In a major development that could reshape the future of federal election law in the U.S., Senator Susan Collins of Maine has officially announced her support for the Save America Act.
–Over one million Iranians rallied across Europe, North America and Australia last weekend in response to a call by exiled Prince Pahlavi, while nighttime chants echoed from rooftops and apartment blocks inside Iran in a coordinated show of solidarity.
–Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei alleges that his military has weapons capable of sending a U.S. aircraft carrier to the bottom of the sea and that they will use them if President Trump orders new strikes against Iran’s illegal nuclear weapons program.
President Trump said he will bump up the temporary global tariff on imported goods he announced Friday from 10% to 15%, a day after the U.S. Supreme Court largely struck down his sweeping duties.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner has announced a proposed rule aimed at closing a longstanding loophole that allows illegal aliens to benefit from taxpayer-funded public housing.
The measure, part of the Trump administration’s broader immigration enforcement efforts, seeks to ensure that only qualified American citizens and eligible noncitizens receive HUD assistance.
The rule change will target “mixed-status households,” where illegal aliens live with family members who qualify for subsidies.
Under current regulations, subsidies are prorated based on eligible members, but the new proposal would require proof of eligibility for each household member, effectively barring those without legal status.
Turner emphasized that this change would prioritize American taxpayers, telling Breitbart News:
“There is a decades-old loophole in our regulation right now called mixed-status household that we’re closing with our new proposed rule of qualified citizens, we will guarantee that the people that receive HUD-funded housing are American people.”
In a Washington Post op-ed published the day before the announcement, Turner highlighted the scale of the issue, noting that approximately 24,000 ineligible noncitizens currently reside in HUD-subsidized housing.
He described the policy as ending the “era of illegal aliens and other ineligible noncitizens exploiting public housing resources,” arguing that limited funding and long waitlists make it unfair for Americans to subsidize those here illegally.
The proposal revives a similar initiative from Trump’s first term and requires local housing authorities to report ineligible tenants to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Critics, including housing advocates, warn that it could lead to evictions for tens of thousands, including U.S. citizen children in mixed families, potentially causing family separations or homelessness.
Turner and supporters maintain it’s a necessary step to enforce existing laws under Section 214 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1980.
In his Post op-ed, Turner explained:
HUD’s proposed rule enforcing Section 214 is part of our broader campaign to crack down on illegal and ineligible aliens siphoning public assistance from the American people. We terminated access to FHA-insured mortgages for individuals who do not meet lawful residency requirements. We announced a crime hotline for residents in HUD-funded housing to report illegal aliens and other criminals. And we have strengthened law-enforcement coordination with DHS to stop the flow of funds to illegals.
President Donald Trump promised welfare reform to restore common sense, and that is exactly what HUD is doing.
If you had to choose just three things that matter most in life, what would they be?
Across the U.S., UK, and Germany, family and health dominate. But after that, national differences emerge. Germans lean toward security and stability. Americans stand out for money, growth, and faith. In the UK, work-life balance comes into the fold as a top priority.
The data for this visualization comes from Statista Consumer Insights. Over 1,000 adults per country were surveyed in January 2026 and asked to select up to three personal values that matter most in their lives.
Family Comes First
Family life ranks as the most important value in all three countries.
In the UK, 51% of respondents selected family as a top priority, the highest share among the three nations. Germany follows at 43%, while 42% of Americans say family matters most.
Because respondents could choose multiple answers, percentages do not sum to 100%.
Health and Security Stand Out in Germany
Germans place a particularly strong emphasis on health, with 49% identifying it as a top value.
Safety and security (30%) and freedom/independence (27%) also rank highly in Germany. Friendships, at 26%, further suggest a focus on stability and social cohesion.
Money, Growth, and Faith in the U.S.
In the United States, making money ranks relatively high at 26%, slightly above the UK (25%).
Americans are also more likely to prioritize personal growth (24%) and faith or spirituality (21%), categories that did not rank among the top responses in the UK or Germany.
Work-life balance, cited by 24% in the UK, stands out as a distinctly British priority in this comparison.
Truth2Freedom's Blog 