Quote from Theodore Roosevelt

“There has never yet been a man in our history who led a life of ease whose name is worth remembering.” Theodore Roosevelt

Sacrifice

Sacrifice by Dr. D. James Kennedy “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34 Have you ever noticed how virtually all of the people we call heroes have made great sacrifices in one way or another? To achieve the ends they deemed worthwhile, these people sacrificed their time, their finances, their health, even their lives. And because they willingly relinquished any claims to these things (which we take for granted), we view these people as heroes, worthy of honor and emulation. Throughout the centuries, God has used sacrifice as the marble from which He carves greatness. Here are some people we call heroes for the sacrifices they made: • the apostles who gave their lives at stakes, on crosses, and in other torturous ways; • the early Christians in the Colosseum of Rome, who watched iron grates rise and famished lions charge; • Christians who were tied to stakes and watched as torches ignited kindling beneath them; • the Pilgrims who, in the dead of winter, sailed across tumultuous seas to the inhospitable coasts of New England; • George Washington and his brave soldiers at Valley Forge, who left bloody footprints in the snow as they departed; and • Jesus Christ, who made the ultimate sacrifice, His life, at Calvary. What sacrifice can you offer to God this day? What material will you give Him so that He can carve greatness from your life?

All Things for Our Good

All Things For Our Good by Dr. D. James Kennedy “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 Have you ever looked back on a difficult time in your life and been amazed at how, in an entirely unforeseen way, it turned out positively? As we go through life, God operates behind the scenes, working everything for good on behalf of those who love Him. We may not recognize it in this lifetime, but when we get to Heaven and God replays the pictures of our lives, we’ll discover the positive end to each trial we’ve endured. I hope you’ll claim this truth today. I hope you know God has everything under His control, even the chaotic times in your life. He has a plan for everything you undergo. You may face an avalanche of trial, trouble, and tribulation. Maybe you face it even today. Anyone in that situation would feel discouraged. I have often found myself in the deep, dark pit of despair and discouragement, wondering how I’d ever get out. But in those times God encourages me by reminding me of His promise: He works everything for good. We must view everything that comes our way, even the most difficult situations, through the filter of God’s love. I invite you to do that today, whatever trial you face. Remember that God has a perspective on your problems that you can’t see as a limited human being here on earth. Be encouraged that God can see the big picture and that He’ll put the pieces of your life together to an end far beyond your wildest dreams.

Abort GOD Movement

Abort GOD Movement by Bill Wilson The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances (FACE) Act, makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with anyone because that person is a provider of “reproductive health care.” The Biden Administration sent the FBI in full SWAT gear to arrest Catholic activist Mark Houck, pointing guns at him, his wife and children. In January, a jury found Houck not guilty and acquitted him. This is an example of the clash between a powerful federal government at odds with religious doctrine. A pro-abortion activist accosted Houck’s son while he was praying outside an abortion clinic. The FBI, however, is not so concerned when pro-lifers are attacked, as is the case in Ohio. In Bowling Green, Ohio on April 15, a pro-life pregnancy center was vandalized by the radical group called “Jane’s Revenge,” whose members spray painted on the clinic “Abort God,” among other pro-death slogans. Jane’s Revenge is a militant extremist group that encourages and claims responsibility for vandalizing and firebombing crisis pregnancy centers and churches. Since the Supreme Court decision overturning the federal “right” to an abortion, Jane’s Revenge has been allegedly responsibility for attacking some 20 crisis pregnancy centers and pro-life offices. In June 2022, Kyle Shideler, a senior analyst for Homeland Security and Terrorism at the Center for Security Policy told the Catholic News Agency that there was a “very poor” federal response and such groups were treated as a local law enforcement problem. Ohio Right to Life’s Chief Executive Officer Peter Range said in a statement, “In the broader context, though, there have been well over 100 attacks against pro-life pregnancy centers and pro-life organizations since last year. Everyone in this state and nation, no matter their political affiliation or stance on abortion, should support centers and organizations that help mothers. I pray local officials, statewide elected members, and national leaders will all rise to the moment and speak out against these attacks to put an end to these senseless attacks once and for all.” Let’s take an inventory: The FBI makes a big show about arresting somebody who is praying outside an abortion clinic, but leaves firebombing a pro-life crisis pregnancy center to local police. In Bowling Green, the local police say they are “investigating” the incident. As in Isaiah 59:14, “Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.” “Abort God,” really? It is very hard to imagine that the FBI, with all of its high-tech tracking ability, cannot find these Jane’s Revenge terrorists. There have been a lot of examples lately where the Biden Administration and the FBI, in particular, have been using their power to crack down on those who disagree with them politically. In many cases now, and in the future, the clash between religious beliefs and political ideology will become even more harsh. Being pro-life, also meaning God-fearing, is becoming more and more dangerous in this “one nation under God,” especially among those who wish to “abort God.”

Bells of Praise

Ring The Bells by Dr. D. James Kennedy “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.” Psalm 103:1 Think for just a moment of two things. First, when was the last time you asked God to give you something? Got it in mind? Now, when was the last time you praised God just because of Who He is? So often we get on our knees and pray, “O Lord, bless my soul.” We constantly ask God to touch our lives. In contrast, the psalmist who wrote Psalm 103 got on his knees and said, “O my soul, bless the Lord.” A complete antithesis. Why? Because the psalmist was in the “graduate school” of prayer. He had risen to that elevated atmosphere of praise and adoration. As we read the rest of the Psalms we find everywhere the same note of praise: “Praise the Lord.” “Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good.” Do your prayers begin in a similar fashion? Such an element of praise and adoration, I believe, can change our lives completely. How? First, it will make a difference because we will become much more pleasing to our Father . . . and that will be the beginning of some wonderful things. Second, we should ring the bells of praise not only for God’s sake but also for the sake of others. Praise draws people to God, even as ringing church bells filter over the community and draw people to hear the Gospel. We need to become a steeple set with bells. We need to ring out the happy bells of thanksgiving, the golden bells of praise, until the whole world abounds with the echoes of that sound. What praise can you “ring” to God today? Unbelievers yearn for real joy and praise, and when we express gratitude and praise to God, those unbelievers will be drawn to Christ. So today ring the bells of praise.

Governor Takes Gospel Behind Bars

B Governor's Own Cash Helps Take the Gospel behind Bars by Shawn A. Akers "I pledged to serve without accepting a salary to support Virginians in every way I can. This administration continues to respect the law and those inside the criminal justice system with increase access to mental health services, best practices for trade skill acquisition and by maintaining excellence in the restoration of rights process, among other priorities." -Governor Glenn Youngkin [Charisma News.com] A Christian politician, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is changing the lives of multitudes of his constituents within his state. That now even includes those who are incarcerated. (Screengrab image) This past week, Youngkin announced that he plans to donate his first-quarter salary for 2023 to Good News Jail & Prison Ministry, an organization dedicated to supplying faith-based resources for jails and prisons in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and worldwide. Youngkin presented the Henrico, Virginia-based ministry this week with a check for $43,750. He receives an annual salary of $175,000. "I pledged to serve without accepting a salary to support Virginians in every way I can," Youngkin said in a statement. "This administration continues to respect the law and those inside the criminal justice system with increase access to mental health services, best practices for trade skill acquisition and by maintaining excellence in the restoration of rights process, among other priorities." Second Corinthians 9:7-8 reads, "Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. God is able to make all grace abound toward you, so that you, always having enough of everything, may abound to every good work." Gov. Youngkin said he selected the faith-based organization because of the way it exemplifies "the heart and spirit of Virginia" by providing hope, resources and transformational opportunities for incarcerated Virginians. Earlier this year, ...Joe Biden proclaimed April 2023 as Second Chance Month In honor of Second Chance Month, Youngkin and his wife, First Lady Suzanne Youngkin, praised the life-changing mission of Good News Jail & Prison Ministry. "We firmly believe that every Virginian deserves an opportunity to flourish and we are grateful for this opportunity to support great and Godly works." Good News Jail and Prison Ministry accepted the check with deep gratitude. "Thank you, Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Suzanne, for your gift to bring the Gospel to inmates in over 350 jails and prisons worldwide," the organization posted on Facebook. The organization seeks to raise $150,000 to support chaplains who seek to share the Gospel with thousands of inmates a year and thereby give them a "second chance at a new beginning in Christ." President Jon Evans says Good News' Life Learning Program is "a structured approach to teaching inmates the truth of God's Word." "As they grasp what God has done for them in Christ, a flame of hope for their future is ignited and many begin to believe for the first time that their lives matter." Gov. Youngkin also continues to fight for the interests of his state, including helping to pass legislation to "protect our agriculture from acquisition by entities owned by the Chinese Communist Party." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here "We were able to ban TikTok and WeChat. And listen, at the end of the day, I'm just going to make sure that Virginia isn't using taxpayer money in order to facilitate games by companies that are benefiting the Chinese Communist Party," Youngkin told Hugh Hewitt on "The Hugh Hewitt Podcast."

Re-election Announcement

Biden Announces Campaign for Re-election Joe Biden announced Tuesday morning that he’s running for re-election. His three-minute campaign video came on the four-year anniversary of when he declared for the White House in 2019 with a promise to heal the “soul of the nation.” “I said we are in a battle for the soul of America, and we still are,” Biden said yesterday. His religious language should not surprise us: 90 percent of Congress identifies as Christian, contrasted with 65.4 percent of US adults. Less than 4 percent of Congress members say they’re unaffiliated with religion, compared with nearly 27 percent of the general public. This is just one disparity between our lawmakers and the people who elected them, an issue that reveals a vital fact about our culture and our future as a democracy. How to be nominated for president Prior to 1968, presidential primaries were testing grounds for a candidate’s popularity, but the party’s national convention made its nomination based on the person most likely to be elected. However, after the 1968 Democratic National Convention ignored primary results and nominated Hubert Humphrey for president, the party adopted new rules giving more power to primary elections in selecting a nominee. The Republican Party then rewrote its rules in a similar way. As a result, to win the White House, a candidate must win the primaries. However, less than half of those who vote in the general election also participate in the primaries; in 2020, around a third of eligible voters selected the candidates who won their party’s nomination. In the vast majority of the states, a candidate need only win a plurality to win that state’s delegates to the national convention. In these states, you might only receive 20 percent of the total, but if that’s the highest percentage of any candidate, you win all of that state’s delegates. In addition, early primaries are typically crucial for building momentum and thus winning a party’s nomination. All this to say, a small number of Americans—those who vote for the most popular candidate (though not necessarily the majority winner) in the early primaries—select the nominees between whom we choose when we vote for president. (President Biden is facing no primary opposition so far for reelection, but he was nominated in 2016 through the same process.) Should Biden and Trump run again? This unusual process is significant not only for our governance but also for our faith in our governance. A new poll found that 70 percent of Americans, including 51 percent of Democrats, say Mr. Biden shouldn’t run for president again. In the same poll, 60 percent of Americans, including a third of Republicans, said Donald Trump should not run again, even though he has widened his lead over his rivals for the 2024 Republican nomination. Add the fact that 49 percent of Americans now consider themselves to be independents—the highest percentage in the history of Gallup’s polling on the question—and they are split evenly in the party to which they “lean” (43 percent for Republicans and 43 percent for Democrats). It seems clear that many Americans are less than committed to America’s two political parties and their leading candidates for our highest office. Here’s why this will matter long after the 2024 elections are over: it’s hard to be confident in your leaders if you’re not confident in the process that elected them. Accordingly, per Gallup, only 23 percent of Americans have a “great deal” or “quite a lot” of confidence in the presidency, the lowest percentage since 1975. Only 7 percent of us have confidence in Congress. In a system of governance that depends on its participants’ faith in the system, this is a foundational problem. The Only Thing Worse Than Democracy Paradoxically, the less we trust our elected leaders, the more we need elections to hold them accountable to those who elect them. In his essay “Equality,” C. S. Lewis notes: “A great deal of democratic enthusiasm descends from the ideas of people like Rousseau, who believed in democracy because they thought mankind so wise and good that everyone deserved a share in the government.” According to Lewis, “The danger of defending democracy on those grounds is that they’re not true.” He cites himself as proof: “I don’t deserve a share in governing a hen-roost, much less a nation.” As a result, “The real reason for democracy is just the reverse. Mankind is so fallen that no man can be trusted with unchecked power over his fellows.” This is why Churchill was right to label democracy “the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” The only thing worse than living in a country led by people and parties for whom we did not vote is living in a country where we have no vote at all. Having traveled widely in such countries, I can testify personally that I am grateful to live in our democracy. Here's the problem: our system of governance, while it holds our leaders accountable to the people they serve, has no ability to produce the character our leaders and people need most. The Path to Our Best Future The path to our best future lies not through the voting booth or the Oval Office but at the “throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16). Only Jesus can forgive our sins, save our souls, and transform our lives. Only He can make fallen people holy. But because He honors the freedom He gave us, He waits to be invited onto the throne of our hearts. To elect Christ your king, pray these words: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Pray them right now. Mean them as you pray them—whatever He asks, whatever it takes, whatever the cost. Then take your next step of obedience to your king. Jesus can empower Americans and thus America to be a nation God can bless. Can He start with you?

The Weaker Brother

The Weaker Brother by Dr. D. James Kennedy “But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak.” 1 Corinthians 8:9 God has given us tremendous liberty. He has freed us from all sin. Yet our liberty doesn’t come without limits. According to Scripture we have three classes of actions: those commanded by God, those forbidden by God, and those which God neither commands nor forbids—“things indifferent.” To these “things indifferent,” we must apply our liberty carefully. If we, in our liberty, choose an action that causes a weak brother or sister to stumble in the faith, then we become responsible for his or her downfall. In Corinthians, Paul addresses a “thing indifferent,” an issue that the Corinthians had hotly debated: whether or not to eat meat offered to idols. We can’t relate to this issue since we don’t sacrifice meat to idols these days, but we can consider it in the same light as the issue of whether or not to drink alcohol. In the Corinthian’s situation, it appears that the stronger brethren wrote to Paul, and since Paul championed liberty, the brethren expected him to say they could eat the meat. But instead, Paul told them that while nothing forbade them from eating it, they shouldn’t do anything that would cause their weaker brethren to stumble. This principle has become known as the “Royal Law of Love.” We must freely forsake our liberties for the sake of our more vulnerable brothers and sisters. In one sense, the weak always control our lives. Often the baby decides whether you go out or stay home. The sick child decides what you do in the evening. The sprained ankle decides the rest of your physical activity. In the same way, we must place the spiritual needs of our weaker brothers and sisters ahead of our desire to indulge our liberty. As our ultimate example of this, we can look to Jesus. Because of our liberty, we may feel we have rights to certain “things indifferent.” We may resent having to give up those rights for the sake of our weaker brethren. But for us, weak as we are, Jesus gave up His rights—the right to sit at the right hand of the father, the right to be adored, the right to be worshiped and ministered to by the angels. Today, thank the Lord for your liberty. And if you have a choice about doing something that would make a weaker brother or sister stumble, choose Christ’s Royal Law of Love and sacrifice your rights for that person’s spiritual well-being.

Isaiah 42:13

"The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man; He shall stir up His zeal like a man of war. He shall cry out, yes, shout aloud; He shall prevail against His enemies." Isaiah 42:13

TST Second Public Convention

Christian leaders are responding to The Satanic Temple’s (TST) announcement about its second public convention – “a weekend of blasphemy” – to be held in Boston, Massachusetts this upcoming weekend. The event known as “SatanCon 2023” will take place from April 28-30 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. It’s being advertised by the TST as the “largest Satanic gathering in history.” The official theme is “Hexennacht in Boston” or “Witches Night,” an ancient German holiday that occurs annually on April 30. In response, Christians are sounding alarms and planning to fight a spiritual battle to push back against the darkness. A Three-Day Christian Revival Is Scheduled for the Same Weekend In what’s been described as a spiritual “counter-offensive” to SatanCon 2023, revivalist Dr. Jaymz Sideras, co-founder of ReviveBoston, and his wife Pascale have scheduled a three-day revival in Boston the same weekend. Christian services will be held at 7:00 p.m. nightly on April 28-30 at the Revere Hotel Boston Common, 200 Stuart Street, which is less than a mile from the TST convention. A street evangelism campaign is also being planned by ReviveBoston to be held Saturday, April 29. “Now make no mistake friends, this is an all-out war between the kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of God for the soul of America,” Sideras said in a video trailer for ReviveBoston April 2023 posted to YouTube. ‘The Enemy Is No Longer Hiding’ Former Wiccan witch Jennie Weaver, who’s now a Christian worship artist and Bible teacher, warned in an email to CBN News that public events like Satancon mean “the enemy is no longer hiding.” “As someone who has come out of witchcraft, and the demonic realm, I can say for sure that the enemy is no longer hiding. What we are seeing is a massive spiritual battle and the enemy is waging an all-out war right in our faces!! I think he’s overplayed this one because now Christians who have been silent on issues before are saying, ‘Enough is enough’ – this is a SHOWDOWN!!!” “As Christians, we must raise up and take back the land for Christ!” Weaver added. “These people are spitting on the Biblical principles that our nation was founded on, and it’s time we take back the land.” (Faithwire) - Father God, we do not rejoice in the news of this event soon to take place in the City of Boston. Rather, we rejoice that the enemy's troops are now coming out of the darkness, that they may find Your light. We rejoice, too, that this action in Boston has served as a national wake up call, that the sleeping church can no longer ignore this evil in our land but instead must confront these souls with the never-failing forgiveness and love of our Messiah. Let us put on the full armor of God, and BIND the satanic forces that have enslaved these souls. Father God, we ask You to give us action plans and strategies so that we can overcome this evil with good. In Your Name, amen. - "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.…" (Ephesians 6:10-12) "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light." (Psalm 36:9)

Quote from Tucker Carlson

"...The very first thing you should do every single day is tell all the people you love that you love them—for two reasons: because you do and affirming things out loud makes them real. Words are the most important and most powerful thing that we have ... In the beginning was the Word. So, articulate. And that is also simultaneously an acknowledgement of a truth that we don't face, which is we don't know what's going to happen today, and we could die. That's the one thing that unites every person, is the certainty of death. And reminding yourself of that every single day will bring you, paradoxically, joy. 'I love you.' That's the most important thing." -Tucker Carlson

Post by Ben Johnson

[WashingtonStand.com] Fox News Channel announced it cut ties with the top-rated host in cable news, Tucker Carlson, on Monday, just days after he gave a widely praised speech imploring leaders to pray that God will preserve America from the progressive movement's "evil" agenda. (Image: Flickr-Gage Skidmore /Creative Commons / via The Washington Stand) Promoting transgender surgeries for minors and describing abortion as a good thing are "manifestations of some larger force" exerting its nefarious influence over us, he said over the weekend. Fox's announcement, which removed Carlson's reliably populist-conservative voice from the increasingly moderate network's schedule, caused the corporation's stock to tank by more than half-a-billion dollars. "FOX News Media and Tucker Carlson have agreed to part ways. We thank him for his service to the network as a host and prior to that as a contributor," said a press release from Fox News Channel. Neither the network nor Carlson disclosed the reason for the abrupt contract cancellation. The host did not get to give his audience a farewell broadcast. "Mr. Carlson's last program was Friday April 21st," said the release. Carlson's Friday episode discussed the Nashville shooter's still-unreleased manifesto, the longstanding Obama-Biden plan to establish permanent Democratic power by moving low-income people into suburbia, America's uncontrolled border with Mexico, and the mysterious meaning of the "plus" in "LGBTQIA+." Carlson closed the show by eating pizza with local hero Tyler Morrell, a delivery man who tripped a criminal suspect eluding police. "Tucker Carlson Tonight" ended its six-and-a-half-year run as the highest-rated show in all cable news with an average of 3.39 million viewers. Even in his departure, Carlson outperformed his competitors, as his exit from Fox News drew far more headlines than CNN's decision to fire low-rated 17-year host Don Lemon the same day. Carlson's eponymous primetime show has featured exclusive footage of the January 6 Capitol riot, reports from a Chinese whistleblower that COVID-19 originated inside China's Wuhan Institute of Virology, and proof that prisons released hundreds of violent criminals thanks to the First Step Act. He also invited guests who did not agree with his conservative views to discuss the transgender movement's grooming of children, oppose current or potential wars, and expose Deep State censorship. Carlson and frequent guest Jason Whitlock increasingly analyzed political problems through a spiritual lens. Earlier this month, Carlson said, "Transgenderism is this country's fastest growing religion." Transgender ideologues "believe that they themselves are God with the power to control nature" by changing their gender by taking careful thought. Tucker Carlson's analysis turned especially prophetic shortly after his last show Friday night, when he gave the keynote address at the Heritage Foundation's 50th anniversary gala. The political debate had shifted radically since 1991, when he got his first job as the copy editor of Heritage's quarterly publication, Policy Review, for $14,000 a year. At that time, think tanks engaged in fact-based debates over mutually shared goals: for instance, whether Keynesian or Austrian economics created maximum prosperity. "I don't think we're watching a debate over how to get to the best outcome," he said. Today, the progressive political movement promotes laws allowing surgeons to "sexually mutilate children ... I don't think anyone could defend that as a positive outcome, but the weight of the government and a lot of corporate interests are behind that," he said. Similarly, in the Clinton era, Democrats portrayed abortion as a necessary evil. "But if you're telling me abortion is a positive good, what are you saying? Well, you're arguing for child sacrifice, obviously," he said. "That's like an Aztec principle." "None of this makes sense in conventional political terms," he said. When political leaders embrace "destruction for its own sake ... what you're watching is not a political movement; it's evil." "Those ideas won't produce outcomes that any rational person would want under any circumstances. Those are manifestations of some larger force acting upon us," Carlson said. Carlson noted his spiritual insight is hampered by his background in the liberal Episcopal Church USA. "I'm an Episcopalian, so don't take any theological advice from me, because I don't have any. I grew up in the shallowest faith tradition ever invented," Carlson said. "It's not even a Christian religion at this point, I say with shame." Yet his views derive equally from the Christian tradition and classical Athenian notions of the good, the true, and the beautiful. "Good is characterized by order, calmness, tranquility, peace ... lack of conflict, cleanliness." Evil "is characterized by their opposites: violence, hate, disorder, division, disorganization, and filth." "If you are all in on the things that produce the latter basket of outcomes, what you're really advocating for is evil," Carlson said. "I'm not calling for a religious war, far from it. I'm merely calling for an acknowledgement of what we're watching." Carlson described the spiritual power that emanates from following God's commandments. "The truth is contagious," and "the second you decide to tell the truth about something, you are filled with this power from somewhere else," he said. "The more you tell the truth, the stronger you become." Entertaining lies, and "Drug and alcohol use are the same way: They make you weak and afraid." Carlson then hailed those who would not engage in the pageantry of sharing their pronouns for faith-based reasons. "I'm not doing that. It's a betrayal of what I think is true. It's a betrayal of my conscience, of my faith, of my sense of myself, of my dignity as a human being, of my autonomy." "I am not a slave. I am a free citizen, and I'm not doing that," Carlson said, likening their steadfast obedience to the Apostle "Paul on trial." In a heartfelt moment, Carlson shared how he "was overcome a little bit with emotion" during a prayer offered by Fr. Paul Scalia, the son of late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, which convicted him of an oversight in his patriotic duties. "I don't pray enough for the country, and I should," Carlson said. "We all should be." He closed his speech by exhorting his audience to set aside a substantial block of time to pray for the United States. "Maybe we should all take like 10 minutes a day to say a prayer about" America's future. "I'm saying that to you not as some kind of an evangelist. I'm literally saying that to you as an Episcopalian ... and even I have concluded it might be worth taking just 10 minutes out of your busy schedule to say a prayer for the future, and I hope you will," he concluded. Before the news of Carlson's departure from Fox broke, Christians hailed the spiritual content of Carlson's Heritage speech. "He is so spot on! God bless him for his clarity and his courage," said Christian talk show host Janet Parshall. "He understood we are in a war between good and evil—and dared to say so," noted evangelical Christian author and talk show host Eric Metaxas. During a question-and-answer session immediately after the speech, Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts told Carlson, "If things go South at Fox News, there's always a job for you at Heritage." It is not known whether Carlson's call to spiritual warfare preceded or followed his departure from the network, or whether it influenced the Monday morning announcement. FNC renamed Carlson's show "Fox News Tonight," which will be filled by a rotating series of guest hosts until the network names a permanent anchor—a decision that drew international condemnation. "Tucker Carlson is irreplaceable. This will hurt Fox News," predicted UK politician and Brexit leader Nigel Farage. The stock market soon confirmed his words. Within hours of the announcement, Fox Corp. stock tumbled by 5.4%, trimming approximately $1 billion from the company's value, before leveling out to 2.9%, for a $507 million loss. The plunge reportedly reduced 92-year-old executive chairman Rupert Murdoch's net worth by $182 million. But it cheered the hearts of Carlson's more implacable foes, including numerous Democratic elected officials who had called for the network, or the government, to suppress Carlson. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said "our democracy depends on" Murdoch deciding to "stop Tucker Carlson from going on" his network. Over the weekend his colleague, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), called for harsher "federal regulation in terms of what's allowed on air and what isn't," accusing "Tucker Carlson and some of these other folks on Fox" of unspecified "incitement of violence." FoxNews' rift with Tucker Carlson came four days after the network announced it had also parted ways with Dan Bongino—the latest in a number of lurches the network has made to the left since the ascension of Rupert Murdoch's son, Lachlan Murdoch, and especially after former Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (who once voted for the anti-conscience Employment Non-Discrimination Act) joined FoxNews' board of directors in 2019. The network has since platformed such social liberals as former Democratic campaign strategist Donna Brazile, UK presenter Piers Morgan, and former men's Olympic decathlon gold medalist Bruce Jenner, who now identifies as female and changed his name to Caitlin Jenner. The drift evidenced itself in Fox's news coverage, as well. As part of FoxNews' celebration of Pride Month last June, "America's Newsroom" anchor Dana Perino introduced a story on celebrating parents who began presenting their five-year-old daughter in public as a boy. The Whittington family showed "extraordinary courage" in transitioning their preschooler based on their "conservative faith," said reporter Bryan Llenas, adding, "People are afraid of what they do not understand." Fox News has also parroted pro-abortion rhetoric in its news coverage of late-term abortion. "For a while Fox News has been moving to become establishment media, and Tucker Carlson's removal is a big milestone in that effort," said rival Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy. Senators and members of Congress weighed in on the latest programming shake-up. "Could a new network emerge featuring (among others) @TuckerCarlson & @dbongino?" asked Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) on his personal Twitter account. Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) praised both men as "true trailblazers amid a period where American corporate media controls speech." Carlson has yet to speak publicly on the matter or announce his next steps. Glenn Beck, himself a former Fox News host, offered to pay Carlson "a bucketful of money" to take a job at The Blaze. "You won't miss a beat, and together, the two of us will tear it up," he promised. Carlson recently shared his increasingly critical view of the mainstream news media, which he said intentionally denied Americans access to the information necessary to become effective citizens. "The media are part of the control apparatus," Carlson told the "Full Send" podcast. "Their job is not to inform you. They are working for the small group of people who actually run the world. They're their servants and their Pretorian Guard, and we should treat them with maximum contempt, because they have earned it." Carlson's supporters hope he will return to another platform soon—and that Americans will take up his charge to pray for our country in the meantime. "We need to turn to God as a nation, in every way that we can, with everything in us," Metaxas added. "It is genuinely our only hope." Subscribe for free to Breaking Christian News here Jonathan Cahn, the author of "The Return of the Gods," did not immediately return this reporter's request for comment. Ben Johnson is senior reporter and editor at The Washington Stand.

Quote from Tucker Carlson

"Today, the progressive political movement promotes laws allowing surgeons to sexually mutilate children ... I don't think anyone could defend that as a positive outcome, but the weight of the government and a lot of corporate interests are behind that ... None of this makes sense in conventional political terms." When political leaders embrace "destruction for its own sake ... what you're watching is not a political movement; it's evil. Those ideas won't produce outcomes that any rational person would want under any circumstances. Those are manifestations of some larger force acting upon us." -Tucker Carlson

Quote from Isack Walton

“God has two dwellings: one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.” Izaak Walton

Christ in Your Heart

Christ In The Heart by Dr. D. James Kennedy “. . . that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith . . .” Ephesians 3:17 A five-year-old Christian boy was very ill, so ill that he required open-heart surgery. After a successful operation, the doctor checked on the little boy in his hospital room. With bright and eager eyes, the little boy asked, “Doctor, was He there?” The doctor asked, “Was who where?” The young lad replied, “Was He there? Did you see Jesus in my heart?” At that, the doctor suppressed a smile and replied, “Yes, son, He is there.” What does the Great Physician say about your heart today? Is Jesus there? For us to grow in grace, Christ must first dwell in our hearts. The apostle Paul prayed that Christ would dwell in our hearts through faith and that as we become rooted and grounded, we would know Christ’s love and be filled with God’s fullness. We must grasp the significance of that tremendous metaphor. Theologians say that Christ comes into our hearts, and by the continual supply of His grace and love, we grow spiritually. When Christ comes to dwell in a person’s heart, He digs the tree of that person’s life out of the bitter soil of the old nature, and He transplants it into the new, rich soil of His love. As we allow Jesus to do this, we flourish and bring forth the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Have you invited Christ to take up residence in your heart? If not, allow Him to transplant your life from your old nature into His immeasurable love. As you do, He will cause you to grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The Lord Is with You

The Lord Is with You by Bill Wilson Have you ever mourned? Did you ever feel down in the spirit? Have you been humbled? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Have you ever shown mercy? Do you have a pure heart? Have you ever made peace among your friends and family? Do you feel persecuted because of your stand for what’s right? Has anyone ever falsely accused you or spoken bad about you because of your belief and faith in Christ? Then you should be able to look at this dark and dying world and grab onto the promises of Christ for there is much blessing, inheritance and comfort ahead as you will see God and be called a child of God! Be encouraged this day for you have seen another dawn, another opportunity for life. It is not difficult to look around you and believe what you see. But it is in what you do not see are the blessings and strength and courage found in the Spirit of the Lord. As is written in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” Remember this, for your calling is higher and one that is not of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind. These dark and evil times wish to hold you captive, but instead are proving you opportunities to be the salt and light that pierces the darkness. As Christ said in Matthew 5:14, “You are the light of the world,” and in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” When darkness is hurled at you, you have the power to touch it and it will disappear because it cannot withstand the light which is in you. Indeed, we are living in perilous times where the things around us appear lost in many respects. But do you believe as I do that God works together all things for good to them that love God? Then as is asked in Romans 8:35, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" Romans 8 continues: “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” As the Lord said in Isaiah 42:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” The natural human instinct is to shrink back under the pressure we feel from government and society. Remember, though, the early Christians were under tremendous persecution from the Roman Empire. They found ways to stand and be courageous. They turned the world upside down. So can you.

Total Surrender

Total Surrender by Dr. D. James Kennedy “I beseech you therefore . . . that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1 Many Christians live their whole lives without ever fully grasping some of the great spiritual truths of God. Foremost among these truths is that God wants to bless our lives. Anything other than that is alien to Him, for God acts out His true nature when He blesses His children. He is a God of all grace who wants nothing more than to make His love known to us. He delights in opening the windows of Heaven and pouring blessings upon us, blessings far more wonderful than most of us have ever dreamed. Isn’t that an incredible truth to hang onto? But God has a basic condition for His blessings. The apostle James says, “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss.” Many times when we seek God’s blessings, we ask amiss because we do not meet God’s condition for the full outpouring of those blessings: total surrender to Him. That is what God demands. In numerous places, God says the same thing over and over: Yield yourselves to God; offer your bodies as living sacrifices; present yourselves to God as those who are alive from the dead; yield not your members as instruments of unrighteousness, but as instruments of righteousness unto God. Is there anything in your life that holds you back from fully enjoying God’s blessings? Anything you need to surrender to Him? God wants to bless our lives, but first He wants us to surrender. If we can do that, we’ll discover the blessings of Heaven in a way that is far beyond our dreams.

Forsake Not...

FORSAKE NOT THE ASSEMBLYING OF YOURSELVES TOGETHER! Go to church!

Healthy Vegetables

Not all the posted are actually "vegetables." 9 Healthiest Vegetables to Eat, According to RDs YAHOO.COM 9 Healthiest Vegetables to Eat, According to RDs

Entering the Promised Land

Entering The Promised Land by Dr. D. James Kennedy “So I swore in My wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest’” Hebrews 4:3 Have you ever had a relationship with someone who didn’t have faith in you? If so, how did you feel, knowing you would never fail that person yet that person failed to trust you? God feels the same way when we don’t believe in His power or desire to bless us. God feels pleased when we have faith in Him, and He feels angry when we don’t. In fact, our unbelief often short-circuits the blessings He has in store for us. Consider, if you will, this tremendous lesson from the Old Testament. God promised to deliver the Israelites into the Promised Land. To get them there, He gave them straightforward directions: Go directly to the mount, receive the Ten Commandments, proceed to Kadesh Barnea, enter the Promised Land, and occupy it. Moses sent twelve spies to scope out the land in advance, to determine the obstacles that would have to be overcome before taking possession of the land. When the twelve spies returned, ten of them reported that the giants and walled cities were greater than the Israelites could conquer. Because of the Israelites’ reliance upon themselves and unbelief in God, God condemned them to wander for forty years in the wilderness. God said, “So I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter My rest.’” The Israelites did not place their trust in God; instead, they trusted in their own plans. And because they did, they delayed their entrance into the Promised Land. Their unbelief kept them from experiencing God’s perfect will for their lives. God’s plan is perfect, and we need to submit to it. Otherwise we may find our hearts and souls in the midst of a vast wilderness, wandering because of our inability to trust Him. I encourage you to pray that God would give you the will to trust Him and His perfect plan. As you believe in His ability and desire to care for you, He will surely lead you to the Promised Land. He’ll lead you there even if you make the tiniest step of faith toward him by praying as the doubting man in Mark 9 did—“Lord, I do believe; help thou my unbelief.” If you’ve missed God’s perfect will for you in the past because you’ve lacked faith, don’t be discouraged. You can still experience His will for you as you believe in Him. Trust in Him today, for He is faithful.

He Didn't Lift Us Up to Let Us Down

He Didn’t Lift Us Up To Let Us Down by Dr. D. James Kennedy “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.” Matthew 25:29 Does this text seem fair to you? After all, why would someone who has an abundance get more? And shouldn’t the person with nothing receive something? Jesus described the principle of this passage on five separate occasions in different forms. This verse is the basis for the principle of use: “Use it or lose it.” We see this principle at work in a variety of contexts. For example, in the physical realm, the arm of the blacksmith or the body of the football player becomes more and more muscular through exercise. In the work world, the person who has the ability and desire for a job usually finds more opportunities to work and improve his or her skills. As for moral conscience, our character develops in proportion to the Bible-based choices we make day after day. And, of course, this principle applies to the spiritual realm. Charles Spurgeon spoke of two great principles of grace. The first one is that God gives grace to the empty, needy, poor, and humble. The second one is that to those to whom God has granted His grace, He continues to grant more. The more grace we need, the more grace He makes available to us. To receive more grace from God, we must use the grace He has already given us. Some people are like the little boy riding the rocking horse . . . they exhibit a lot of motion but little progress. These people keep bustling with activity in hopes of earning salvation, but they haven’t taken advantage of the grace God has already freely given. Others may resemble a grapevine that doesn’t grow because, instead of being planted in deep soil, its roots dangle into an empty well. Instead of growing in grace, some people wither spiritually because they haven’t planted themselves in God’s grace from the start. And others are like a sailboat with sails full of wind yet unable to move because it is still anchored to the ocean floor. Instead of moving forward in God’s grace, people like this let sin weigh them down. Have you received the grace God makes available to us all? Determine today that you will use to the fullest all the grace God has given you. Then watch as He gives you more! What “little foxes” do you need to attend to today? Commit yourself to addressing these “minor” issues, and watch how your conscientiousness affects the grander scheme of your life.

Little Things

Little Things by Dr. D. James Kennedy “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” Song of Solomon 2:15 In the Song of Solomon, we read of little foxes that ruin the vineyards. What are “little foxes”? I see them as the small things that don’t seem important but can spoil “tender grapes” such as a relationship, a career, or a life dedicated to Christ. How many marriages have failed because spouses paid no attention to the little things? How many athletes have lost competitions because of tiny bobbles or missteps? Many of us can see the big pictures of our lives and of our relationships with God but we neglect the details necessary for bringing the larger picture into focus. God neglects neither the great nor the small, and neither should we. Have you attended to the “little foxes” in your life, the “minor” behaviors that can either draw you to or push you from the Lord? Michelangelo, that marvelous genius and magnificent sculptor, was sculpting a figure from a block of marble while a friend looked on. After an absence of several months, the friend returned and said, “I see that you have not been working on your statue.” Michelangelo answered, “Oh yes, I have been working on it each day.” The friend asked, “Oh, how can that be?” The great artist replied, “I have softened this line here—the hem of this garment. I have straightened the lip and brought out this muscle more clearly . . . polished this . . . sharpened that.” “Well,” said his friend, “those are just trifles.” To that Michelangelo responded, “Trifles they may be, but you will remember that trifles make perfection; that perfection is no trifle.” We must attend to the “trifles” if we ever hope to succeed. Attention to detail will determine the ultimate outcome and success of our lives. And as we act faithfully in the little things, God will bless us with greater opportunities for service. We will develop the faithfulness and obedience needed to conquer the great issues in the battle of life. What “little foxes” do you need to attend to today? Commit yourself to addressing these “minor” issues, and watch how your conscientiousness affects the grander scheme of your life.

Five Economic Disasters

Five Economic Disasters Five Economic Disasters We Were Warned About in Advance That Are Happening Right Now – The Economic Collapse Blog #1 We were warned that a great commercial real estate crisis would be coming, and now it is here. In fact, we just witnessed another massive default. #2 We were warned that there would be widespread layoffs as economic conditions in the United States deteriorated. #3 We were warned that the largest corporate debt bubble in the history of the world would eventually burst, and now corporations are beginning to default on their debts at a rate that should deeply alarm all of us. #4 We were warned that we would witness a dramatic surge in bankruptcies in 2023, and that is precisely what is happening. #5 We were warned that the rest of the world would eventually start rejecting the U.S. dollar, and now “arization” is happening at a “stunning” pace… - Father God, be with us now as we experience many world crises. The dollar rejection, the surge in bankruptcies, the bursting of the debt bubble, and commercial real estate. We rely on You to guide us through these times of uncertainty. Amen and Amen. - "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)

Religious without Religion

Religious without religion? In yesterday’s New York Times, opinion writer Jessica Grose responds to the perceived—and much reported—decline of religion in the US. She discusses a fact critics of religion have a hard time explaining: the large majority of Americans remain religious. Sixty percent of respondents in a recent survey said that religion was somewhat or very important to them, while only 19 percent said religion was not important to them at all. By contrast, in a widely reported Gallup survey, US church membership recently fell below 50 percent for the first time. Church attendance has declined in recent years, while the percentage of Americans who say they seldom or never attend services has risen to 57 percent. How can we be religious and yet not participate in religion? Grose cites Duke Divinity School sociology professor Mark Chaves, who notes that two things can be true at the same time: “The decline in religious belief and interest is much slower than the decline in organizational participation.” We can make such a distinction between belief and practice only by ignoring clear biblical teaching such as Hebrews 10:25: “Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” The clear precedent of early Christianity embraces corporate worship (Colossians 3:16), Bible study (Acts 2:42), and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24–25).

I Died on National TV

‘I Died on National TV’ by Damar Hamlin NFL player Damar Hamlin, who suffered cardiac arrest on the field in January after a routine tackle, has revealed that his near-death experience was caused by a condition called commotio cordis. “I died on national TV in front of the whole world, so I see it from all perspectives,” Hamlin said at a press conference on Tuesday. “That right there is the biggest blessing of it all – for me to still have my people and my people to still have me,” he added, as cited by The New York Post. In the almost fatal game in Cincinnati, Ohio, in January, Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin clashed with Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. During his press conference, Hamlin revealed he was rejoining his team for practice and intended to make a comeback to the NFL. “The diagnosis of what happened to me was commotio cordis. It’s a direct blow at a specific point in your heartbeat that causes cardiac arrest. Five to seven seconds later, you fall out, and that’s pretty much what everybody saw Jan. 2 of this year,” Hamlin told reporters. “Commotio cordis is the leading cause of death in youth athletes across all sports, so that’s something that I will personally be taking a step in to make a change,” he elaborated. The 25-year-old safety also discussed why he was eager to return to the field. “My heart is still in it. My heart is still in the game,” he said. “I love the game. It’s something I want to prove to myself, not anybody else, I just want to show people that fear is a choice and you can keep going in something without knowing what’s at the end of the tunnel. You might feel anxiety or fear but you just keep putting your right foot in front of the left foot and you keep going,” Hamlin elaborated. Earlier Tuesday, the Buffalo Bills announced that their safety was “fully cleared” to resume practicing and playing football. The NFL player’s marketing representative, Jordon Rooney of Jaster Athletes, hit back at anybody who speculated Hamlin’s cardiac arrest might have resulted from other factors. “For months Damar dealt with scrutiny as he recovered from this. There were outrageous theories on his medical condition. Every single doctor said commotio cordis. He experienced life-altering trauma and wanted to finish his medical testing before officially speaking publicly,” Rooney wrote on Twitter. “The talk about the vaccine and accusations around him ‘hiding things’ were completely untrue and slanderous. Every medical expert said commotio cordis. Imagine dying on national TV and have thousands of people questioning your death and how you’re handling your trauma,” Hamlin’s rep added. It's hard to tell Damar's story without factoring in a miraculous touch from the hand of Jesus, our healing savior.

Democracy Hypocrisy

Democracy Hypocrisy by Bill Wilson The simple definition of democracy is majority rule. Nowadays it appears those most ardently demanding democracy are cross-ways of the majority and on the slippery slope of tyranny. A most recent example is the trans craze. One would think that everybody is rushing out to get their children’s sex changed. There are biologically born men competing against women, and quite frankly, beating them like a dusty rug. There are politicians, like Joe Biden, claiming that every child should have the opportunity to change their gender and that no one should stand in their way. There are school boards ignoring parents and, pursuing agenda of sexual predation promoted by the LGBTQ+ crowd. Then came the beer fiasco. The venerable Budweiser beer brand, long known for its all-American image of Clydesdale horses at Christmas and blue-collar work ethic, went all out trans-woke. Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of Bud Light, hired transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney as brand ambassador. Mulvaney is a biological male, claiming to be a woman. Mulvaney announced: “This month I celebrated my day 365 of womanhood and Bud Light sent me possibly the best gift ever—a can with my face on it…Check out my Instagram story to see how you can enjoy March Madness with Bud Light and maybe win some money too. Love ya. Cheers! Go Team! Whatever team you love, I love too!” The announcement came on April Fool’s Day, but Anheuser-Bush soon found out it was no joke and the company was the fool. In fact, within two weeks Anheuser-Bush lost some $6.5 BILLION in market cap as Bud Light drinkers across America refused to drink the trans-Kool Aide. From blue collar workers to bar owners to beer distributors, the masses woke up, got up, and ordered a different brand. The reaction was so swift and decisive, Anheuser-Bush CEO Brendan Whitworth woke up to such swift and decisive public backlash, he had little alternative but to issue a fall-on-his-sword statement two weeks later on April 14. He said, in part, “We never intended to be part of a discussion that divides people. We are in the business of bringing people together over a beer.” The hypocrisy in all this is that if Joe Biden and his ilk were so concerned about democracy, they would see that the vast majority of Americans don’t want the LGBTQ+ agenda jammed down their throats. Yes, protect their rights under the law, but don’t let them groom and prey on our kids, or let men compete as women against women in sports, and don’t force this perversion on Americans. How many times do parents have to protest schools for allowing this sexual predation? How many suicides among confused teens need to take place? How many victims of sexual perversion need be made before it is recognized by the democracy hypocrites that the majority doesn’t want any part of the agenda? As in Jude 1:7, “as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” Democracy is speaking. Anheuser-Bush has seen it first-hand. Too bad the democracy hypocrites don’t get it.

Quotes from Thomas Cooley

Quotes from Thomas Cooley, former President, American Bar Association "While thus careful to establish, protect, and defend religious freedom and equality, the American constitutions contain no provisions which prohibit the authorities from such solemn recognition of a superintending Providence in public transactions and exercises as the general religious sentiment of mankind inspires, and as seems meet and proper in finite and dependent beings ..." "Whatever may be the shades of religious belief, all must acknowledge the fitness of recognizing in important human affairs the superintending care and control of the great Governor of the Universe, and of acknowledging with thanksgiving His boundless favors, of bowing in contrition when visited with the penalties of His broken laws." "It was never intended by the Constitution that the government should be prohibited from recognizing religion, or that religious worship should never be provided for in cases where a proper recognition of Divine Providence in the working of government might seem to require it, and where it might be done without drawing an invidious distinction between religious beliefs, organizations, or sects ..." "The Christian religion was always recognized in the administration of the common law of the land, the fundamental principles of that religion must continue to be recognized in the same cases and to the same extent as formerly."

Apostasy

Apostasy by Dr. D. James Kennedy “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us . . .” 1 John 2:19 Do you know someone who once seemed on fire for the Lord but then backslid into spiritual oblivion? If so, then you know the grief of watching someone slip from God’s grasp, especially when that person is someone you love. You might wonder what this person’s eternal future will be, hoping God’s grace continues to cover him or her. But you also might wonder whether this person was truly a Christian in the first place. People who fall away from the Lord are called apostates. “Apostasy” means spiritual defection. The great apostate of all time was Judas Iscariot. Unfortunately, many people have followed his pattern. Charles Spurgeon tells about a great hulk of a man in the village where Spurgeon first preached. This man was a fine-looking giant of a man but a drunkard as well. He often brawled in the local bar with those who dared to cross his path. And he would have nothing to do with religion, until one day when, to the amazement of all, this man asked Jesus to be his Savior. He joined a church, attended every service, and volunteered for any work that needed to be done. But this man’s former companions made fun of him for turning to religion. After enduring about ten months of their laughter, he succumbed to their mocking. First he dropped away from the works. Soon he didn’t attend prayer meetings. For a while, he continued attending Sunday morning church, but his attendance became more and more irregular until he stopped attending altogether. He never completely returned to his former self, but often people saw him staggering drunkenly about the town. And when his unbelieving friends saw him like that, they said to each other, “Ha, there is your Christian! Hypocrites! That’s all they are.” Was this man really a Christian? The Bible plainly teaches that God will preserve until the end the ones who are truly His. Whenever the genuine work of salvation happens in the heart of a man or woman, boy or girl, God will see that it perseveres until the day of Christ. But those with sham faith will eventually fall away. If you know someone who once seemed to follow Christ but has since turned away, pray for that person today. Ask God to do a work of true salvation in that person’s heart so that he or she may know the fullness of life in Christ.

Lawless Leadership

Alvin Bragg's Lawless Leadership Democratic New York City Councilman Robert Holden took aim at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s leadership—or perceived lack thereof—at a New York field hearing of the House Judiciary Committee on April 17. “I’m here to address the lawlessness that has taken over the city in recent years as a result of the failed progressive policies implemented by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg,” Holden testified before the committee. Noting that Bragg’s first year in office had been marked by a “dramatic shift” in the prosecution of crime, Holden asserted that the district attorney’s “soft on crime” policies suggested his top priority was not protecting law-abiding citizens but keeping criminals out of jail. “On his first day in office, Bragg issued a memo that decriminalized a broad range of offenses and reduced charges for violent crime,” the councilman said. “This was a signal for every criminal that it was open season on law-abiding citizens in New York County.” Bragg, as well as politicians in the city council and on the state level, are contributing to what he sees as a “pro-criminal element” in New York City, Holden said. “We’re going to have to change this,” the councilor told The Epoch Times in an interview following his testimony. “We’re going to get to a point where people are fed up in New York state and city—and they’re leaving. I know a lot of friends have left for areas other than New York City.” Holden called for a simple solution: start enforcing accountability. “That means if you commit a crime—you shoot a gun in New York City—you should go to jail,” Holden said. “Put the criminals in jail. Period.

Titanic Memorial Lighthouse

Titanic Memorial Lighthouse · When it became clear the ship was going down, Isidor and Ida Straus did as requested—the couple put on life jackets and moved to the Boat Deck where officers were lowering lifeboats and instructing women, children, and First Class passengers to board. According to detailed accounts from Ida's maid and Isidor's work colleague (both surviving eyewitnesses who recounted the story to newspapers at the time) a Third Officer told Ida, who was wearing a full-length mink coat to brave the icy outdoor temperatures, to step onto the lifeboat. She did. When the officer beckoned to Isidor, prompting him to follow, he shook his head. Isidor said, “No I will not get on the lifeboat until I see that every woman and child has a chance to escape.” The officer recognizing Mr. Straus as the co-owner of Macy’s, offered him a place on the lifeboat but he declined electing to remain on the deck. Seeing this, Ida then climbed back out of the boat and turned to her beloved husband. "We have lived a wonderful life together for 40 years and have six beautiful children together, if you won't get on the life boat, I won't either,” she told him. She removed her mink coat and handed it her maid, Ellen Bird. "I won't have any further need," she said. "Please take this as you get into a lifeboat to keep you warm, until you are rescued." Isidor wrapped his arms around her, then, a great wave came over the port side of the ship and swept them both into the sea.

Happy in the Holy Spirit

Happy In The Holy Spirit by Dr. D. James Kennedy “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Philippians 4:4 Have you ever noticed that people who are constantly morose and miserable just don’t seem to get along with others? Everywhere the gloomy person goes, he or she runs into interpersonal problems such as rejection and poor treatment. On the other hand, have you ever noticed that happy people don’t seem to have many enemies? A joyful person finds very few relational problems. This type of person doesn’t quickly take offense and doesn’t offend people very often; rather, this person brings gladness into any situation. How does a person maintain such a consistently joyful attitude? Does God want us pretending to be happy when we’re not? Not at all. God wants us to have true joy. So how do we cultivate this attitude? The Scripture says, “In your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” This is the wonderful secret God would have us know: We find fullness of joy in God’s presence. By spending time with the Lord we will have joy infused into our souls. We’ll discover the truth that Christ is indeed no killjoy but is in fact the great King and source of all joy. Often, we don’t feel joyful because we haven’t spent enough time with God. But if we wait in the Lord’s presence, He’ll fill us with His joy. If we seek the fullness of His Holy Spirit, we’ll receive the fruit of joy. If we confess any sin that hinders us from rejoicing in the Lord, we’ll experience the joy of our salvation. If you’re running a bit low on joy today, spend some quality time with God. Allow Him to saturate your soul with His joy. Then, as you go through the day, rejoice at every opportunity you have. Again I will say, rejoice!

Antagonism and Persecution

Antagonism and Persecution by Bill Wilson Religious freedom is a cornerstone to both physical and spiritual liberty as spiritual bondage leads to physical bondage. The current administration’s disposition toward religious freedom is creating an atmosphere of antagonism and persecution against people of the Jewish and Christian faith. From locking down churches during the COVID government mandates to demonizing Christians over Biblical instruction against sexual deviancy and abortion, the Biden Administration is continuing the animosity against faith that was accelerated during the Obama White House. The federal government, extreme leftist organizations, and the news media are fanning the flames of hostility. The House Judiciary Committee is investigating the FBI for infiltrating churches, Catholic churches in particular, with an eye toward identifying violent extremism and domestic terrorists. In a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray, Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-OH) demanded “information from the FBI relating to a January 23, 2023 document generated by the Richmond Field Office entitled "Interest of Racially or Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists in Radical-Traditionalist Catholic Ideology Almost Certainly Presents New Mitigation Opportunities" ("FBI's Richmond document").' In this document, the FBI purported to categorize Catholic Americans based on theological distinctions and relied on the Southern Poverty Law Center to suggest that certain kinds of Catholic Americans may be domestic terrorists.” At the same time, Family Research Council reported that “criminal acts against churches have been steadily on the rise for the past several years, and the first quarter of 2023 has continued the upward trend. The first three months of 2023 saw approximately three times the number of acts of hostility perpetrated against churches in the same timeframe last year… January of 2023 was a particularly intense month for acts of hostility against churches. Although the number of actions dropped in February and March. The first quarter of 2023 overall saw an unusually high number of acts of hostility, with 69 such incidents being documented. Our research indicates that number is more than the entirety of 2018, in which we identified only 50 incidents, or 2020, in which we identified 54. This steep increase is a cause for concern.” Former Focus on the Family employee Carl Chinn began researching church violence in 1996. In 2015, Chinn’s statistics indicated deadly church violence since 2009 (when Obama took office) increased 422% over the previous 11 years. At the time, Obama arguably presided over the most violent time against churches in recent American history. His portrayal of conservative Christians (pro-gun, pro-life, pro-marriage, pro-male/female gender) as racists, radicals and extremists likely contributed to inciting such violence. And it is continuing under the Biden Administration. Jesus said in Matthew 24:9 that “ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” Sadly, in America this hate intensifies under Democratic presidents and leftist influencers like the Southern Poverty Law Center, promoters of hate while pointing its fingers at others.

If God Be For Us

If God Be For Us by Dr. D. James Kennedy “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31 We cannot possibly fail with Christ’s love in our corner. Paul says, in what I call the “Golden Shield” of faith, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Who can fight against us and succeed? No one. God’s love shields us from all attacks of the Evil One and his followers. Despite such attacks, we are safe and secure for eternity. Who can be against us? The world, the flesh, and the Devil may try to defeat us, but all will fail. To grasp the truth of Paul’s statement, think of the persecution the early Church endured. In the first few centuries of Christianity, Christ’s followers went through the most difficult persecution ever seen on this planet. For nearly three hundred years, in ten great waves of persecution, the Christian Church was under attack. The Roman pagan state used all of the hatred it possessed to try to destroy the Church. Everything the depraved and demonic mind could conceive of, the Romans did. They crucified Christians right side up and upside down; they burned Christians alive; they put Christians in sacks with vipers; they gave Christians to bulls to gore; they fed Christians to the lions. Yet nothing could break the Christian will. The Roman Empire eventually perished, but the Church remains to this day. The greatest persecution the world has ever seen (rivaled, perhaps, only by that of the Communists in our century) was unable to break the Herculean might of Christians armed with nothing but faith, prayer, and the Word of God. This applies to us today as well. With such a Golden Shield, we may deflect all of the attacks against us (from without and from within) because of what Christ has done for us. Come what may, nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. If God is for us, who can possibly be against us?

Lies from the Pit of Hell

Lies from the Pit of Hell! ‘This Madness Needs to Stop’: Franklin Graham Praises Elon Musk’s Trans Comments, Slams Culture’s ‘Lies From the Pit of Hell’ By Billy Hallowell Franklin Graham praised Elon Musk Monday morning for recent comments the business magnate made about parents of children who undergo gender transitions. “Elon Musk spoke out to make a point about the bizarre and dangerous transgender medical treatments being performed on minors, and I appreciate that he isn’t afraid to call it like it is,” Graham wrote in a Facebook post. “Last week, he tweeted that parents and doctors who put children through transgender medical treatments that cause sterilization should ‘go to prison for life.'” The evangelist, who heads the Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, was referencing a viral tweet from Musk. “Any parent or doctor who sterilizes a child before they are a consenting adult should go to prison for life,” Musk tweeted, sparking more than 657,000 likes and over 104,000 re-tweets. As for Graham, he went on to address the issue of child gender transitions more broadly, decrying society’s push, in some sectors, to encourage children to make body-altering decisions. “It’s shameful that any adult would be part of feeding this confusion and pushing children over a cliff that is built on lies from the pit of hell,” Graham wrote. “Some parents, politicians, and so-called professionals are guilty of a masquerade of evil they are falsely calling healthcare.” He said young people face “lifelong consequences” as the result of surgeries and drugs that “maim body, mind, and spirit” — and warned of the ramifications for America’s current handling of the issue. “God will judge our nation,” Graham concluded. “This madness needs to stop.” As CBN’s Faithwire previously reported, Graham also praised Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis last month for taking a tough stand against children exposed to drag queen events. “Governor Ron DeSantis doesn’t mess around,” Graham wrote on his Facebook page. “He’s revoking the liquor license of a major Miami hotel because they hosted a drag queen show with children present, even after being warned. It’s so refreshing to see a leader who is willing to stand up for what is right! May God bless and help him as he leads this state.”

Oppose and Silence

Oppose and Silence by Bill Wilson The Democratic Party, America’s socialist party, is pursuing its socialistic tactics by finding ways to use the laws of the nation against its political opposition and unconstitutional unelected government agencies to silence dissent from its destructive agenda. In the months ahead, the Trump trial will suck the air out of the news cycle and Americans will hear little else than debate on the upcoming trial. Meanwhile, the crisis will not go to waste. These tyrannical forces will use the cover of smoke from the Trump trial to advance their agenda. The Trump trial will serve at least three purposes: to discredit and politically assassinate Trump; to interfere with the upcoming elections; and to advance a tyrannical agenda. Just look at what the White House has done in the weeks leading up to the indictment and arraignment of Trump under the cover of the media. Funding the war in Ukraine without Congressional approval; New government-forced clean energy projects; Pressure to force more gun control; Affirming transgendered children; Proclaiming Transgender Day of Visibility; $7 billion for climate change in Africa; Regional bank regulation changes; Government incentives for Electric Cars; Key appointments to boards and commissions; Advancing offshore wind opportunities; Banning gas stoves; A billion dollars for economic empowerment of women; Handing government land to environmentalists…these are just a few of the nearly 700 web pages of actions by the White House. Not to mention the bad economy, lack of border security, and crime. Look for opposition and vetoes of legislation from the House—things like passing legislation to undo the economy busting, inflation boosting of Biden’s energy policies; The World Health Organization Withdrawal Act; Protecting America’s farmland from China; Prohibiting certain transactions between persons in the US and adversaries, like China; and many more. Under the cover of the Trump trial antics, legal gamesmanship and political theatre, there will be many leftist agenda items advanced that you many or may not hear about. Many of them will involve restricting your rights through healthcare, climate control, gun control, administrative agencies like the IRS, FBI and so on. More will be said and done to accuse people of racism, antisemitism, Nazism, bigotry and so on. John 3:19-21 says, “And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” And 1 Peter 5:8 encourages: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour.” We all need to be vigilant because these people who are ruled by the forces of darkness and principalities of the air will use every opportunity to establish their domain over any and all. Draw near to Christ who is our advocate in righteousness.

Abortion

Abortion by Dr. Jim Denison Four people were killed and dozens more were injured at a mass shooting during a Sweet 16 birthday party Saturday night in Alabama. This makes the 163rd mass shooting so far in 2023; today is the 107th day of the year. When we cannot deal with the pain of such tragedy, we objectify it. “Another shooting,” we say as we grimace and shake our heads. But the families of the four people who were murdered will never say that of a mass shooting again as long as they live. Many do the same with abortion. As of this writing, nearly thirteen million babies have lost their lives to abortion so far this year. This number is equivalent to the populations of West Virginia, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, Alaska, Vermont, and Wyoming—combined. In the US, nearly 20 percent of all pregnancies end in abortion. Those who defend such tragedies must shift their focus from the dead child to the issue of “reproductive freedom,” “democracy,” partisan politics, and so on. Case in point: Vice President Kamala Harris made a surprise appearance at a pro-abortion rally in Los Angeles on Saturday. In her speech, she warned against “those who would dare to attack fundamental rights and, by extension, attack our democracy” and urged those in attendance to “stand up and fight” for abortion. I want us to do the opposite today: I’m writing to “stand up and fight” for the victims of abortion. “Roe wasn’t the beginning of abortion” A woman in attendance at the LA rally held up a sign that read, “Roe wasn’t the beginning of abortions—Roe was the end of women dying from abortions.” A more accurate sign would read: “Roe wasn’t the beginning of abortions—Roe was the beginning of babies dying legally from abortions.” Recent conflicts over abortion pills and Florida’s six-week abortion ban are just the latest examples of George Will’s observation that Roe v. Wade “inflamed the issue and embittered our politics.” This is because there is something intrinsic to human nature that knows that taking the lives of innocent humans. As a result, some say they are not pro-abortion but pro-choice, claiming that this should be the mother’s decision, not that of the government. But they obviously do not extend this logic to other decisions regarding the mother and her child. Once this entity in its mother’s womb has changed locations and is now outside her womb, her choice regarding abortion vanishes. But if that entity is a human being after it is born, what was it before it was born? From a scientific point of view, “human embryos from the one-cell stage forward are indeed individuals of the human species; i.e., human beings.” Because we know a newborn baby is a human, we confer on it all the protections of the law and thus make infanticide illegal. By what logic do we not do the same in the womb as outside the womb? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was right Some point to “viability,” claiming that an unborn child is a “person” and thus deserves our protection only when it can live outside the womb. But what do we mean by “viability”? Left alone, a newborn child will soon die. It can breathe without its mother, but it cannot feed itself or protect itself. It is no more viable without the mother after its birth than it was before its birth. Others say that in a democracy, we have no right to force our values on others. But the founders disagreed. Our founding creed proclaims, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” The Declaration says we are “created” equal, not “born” equal. We are endowed by our “Creator”—not our mother—with “certain inalienable rights,” the first of which is “life.” In his famed “I Have a Dream” speech, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. challenged America to “live out the true meaning of its creed” regarding the equality of all humans of all races. I want us to do the same regarding the equality of all humans of all ages, from conception to death. This issue is obviously urgent for the millions of unborn babies whose lives hang in the balance. However, it is no less urgent for the future of our nation. Moses “stood in the breach” When the Israelites compromised with Canaanite culture, “they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan” (Psalm 106:38). Is elective abortion for financial gain or personal convenience a similar “sacrifice”? As a result, “The anger of the Lᴏʀᴅ was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage; he gave them into the hand of the nations, so that those who hated them ruled over them” (vv. 40–41). Can our nation claim to be exempt from the justice of God? Here’s the good news: one person can change the trajectory of a nation. When the Israelites in the wilderness “forgot God, their Savior” (v. 21), “he said he would destroy them—had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him” (v. 23). When centuries later Israel again rejected God’s word and will (Ezekiel 22:23–29), he said, “I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none” (v. 30). Will you “stand in the breach” for America? Will you pray daily for our nation to embrace our founding creed that all lives are “created equal”? Will you pray for our elected leaders to protect their most innocent and vulnerable constituents and for our judges to rule righteously? Will you ask God to use you to help women considering abortion to choose life? The longtime pastor and statesman Paul Powell was right: “We are the light of the world—not just of the church.” How will you use your light for life today?

Who Holds the Future?

Who Holds The Future? by Dr. D. James Kennedy “. . . I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 The year was 1943. Halfway around the world, a young pilot was flying his Corsair above the scattered islands of the Pacific, scanning his radar for the enemy. Suddenly, out of nowhere, he saw enemy planes. Before the young pilot knew it, one of them was on his tail. He rolled his plane over and dove down, back up again, turning, twisting, diving, doing everything he could to escape. But he had an expert fighter pilot on his tail. In the end, a burst of machine-gun fire pierced not only his plane but his body as well. Mortally wounded, the young pilot somehow managed to land his disabled plane on one of the jungle islands of the South Pacific. He struggled to crawl clear of the plane in case it exploded. Five days later his body was found. He had, clutched in his hand, a scrap of paper on which he had written his last words: “When peace like a river . . .” That was all. His final words were the beginning of that wonderful hymn that goes like this: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, it is well, it is well with my soul.” Here was a young man who had learned somewhere—whether in his home or at church—Who held his future. When we recognize and acknowledge that God holds the future, we can be assured that whatever comes our way, even if it’s the worst scenario we can imagine, God can transform it into a blessing. Only when we place our entire trust in Him will we have the kind of assurance in our future that this young man had. Are you walking through a peaceful river or through rolling sea billows today? Whatever your lot, place your full trust in the Lord. Only when we trust the One who holds the future will it be well with our souls.

James Bond

James Bond Actors, Ranked Six men have inhabited 007. Not all of them are created equal. The True Story of James Bond The James Bond movie franchise has been releasing films since 1963, when Sean Connery first embodied the role in Dr. No. In the time since, only six men have played the part, and they've all brought something new to it. The central tension among their choices is whether to adopt the version that Bond's creator, Ian Fleming, carved out in his novels or bring a freshness all their own to the part. (Sometimes, leaning into Fleming's version is that freshness.) Here are all the actors who've played James Bond, ranked from worst to best. (The list does not include the actors who played Bond in the 1967 version of Casino Royale, which is loosely based on the Fleming novel.) GoldenEyeTerry O'Neill//Getty Images 6. Pierce Brosnan It pains me to rank Brosnan last, because it was his Bond I came of age watching in the '90s. But his portrayal is too slick and the movies themselves too laden with product placement and dated special effects. (Remember: It was Brosnan in Die Another Day in which Bond drove an invisible car.) As a person, Brosnan is a treasure, but his stewardship of Bond made the franchise nearly irrelevant. Standout Film: GoldenEye. White-collar worker, Tuxedo, Chin, Forehead, Photography, Businessperson, Gesture, Tie, Getty Images5. George Lazenby First of all, Lazenby is Australian, which is a little weird for Bond, but his turn as 007 in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service is one of the better Bond films of the '60s. That’s unexpected because Lazenby was a model and commercial actor before taking the part. It’s a shame Lazenby quit after his first shot at it. Standout Film: On Her Majesty's Secret Service 4. Timothy Dalton Dalton was in two Bond films in the '80s and quit after a legal issue halted production for several years. His task in those movies was nearly impossible: to bring the character more in line with Fleming’s vision of Bond as a grittier and more serious character, but not alienate the fans who’d spent more than a decade watching Roger Moore inhabit the part. (This being the '80s, he also toned down the sex appeal to Bond, which is in sharp relief when compared to Connery, Moore, and Brosnan after him). When you look at his two movies divorced of the broader context, you see where the franchise would shift two decades later. Standout Film: The Living Daylights 3. Sean Connery He created the mold for Bond and, for many fans, will always be the quintessential 007. What Connery gave Bond, more than anything else, was the cool factor. He was suave and quick with a dry one-liner. (“It just so happens that I like conch chowder,” which Connery purrs in Thunderball, will forever be my favorite Bond line.) It’s this aspect of the character that makes the Connery films rewatchable all these years later. Standout Film(s): Goldfinger and Thunderball 2. Daniel Craig The James Bond character as Ian Fleming (and subsequent authors after Fleming) imagined him is a gritty, sometimes hard-nosed spy who was orphaned as a child but still given a posh education. Craig embodies this version of the character fully. His turn in Casino Royale revived a tired franchise and will leave it in good stead for whomever assumes the role next. Standout Film: Casino Royale 1. Roger Moore His portrayal of Bond was the furthest from Fleming’s vision, which is why—despite a few shortfalls—his is the best version of the role. Moore brought a lightness and even absurdity to the movies. (In Octopussy, he defuses a bomb while dressed as a clown.) It was perfect for the 1970s. He was also the longest-serving Bond, having taken over the role in 1973 and playing the part until 1985. By the early '80s, he was probably too old and out of shape to be playing Bond, but even so, his stewardship of the part helped turn the franchise into the juggernaut for which it’s known today. Standout Film: Live and Let Die

Quotes from David Brainerd

“I was spending some time in prayer and self-examination, when the Lord by His grace so shined into my heart that I enjoyed full assurance of His favor. Passages of God’s Word opened to my soul with divine clearness, power, and sweetness ... with clear and certain evidence of its being the Word of God." Davod Brainerd "We should always look upon ourselves as God's servants, placed in God's world, to do his work ... not with a design to grow rich and great, but to glorify God, and do all the good we possibly can." David Brainerd

I Peter 5:7

"Cast all your cares upon JESUS, for HE cares for you." I Peter 5:7

Why Do We Pray?

Why Do We Pray? by Dr. D. James Kennedy “. . . you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9 “Why do we have to say our prayers?” asks a little boy as his mother prepares him for bed. This child’s simple question echoes the sentiment in the hearts of many people much older and supposedly much wiser than he. Do you ever ask that question? And if so, have you found any answers? One of the key reasons we pray is to commune with God. Prayer fosters a two-way relationship between us and the God who loves and cares for us. Consider a child growing up in a home where his parents have given him everything: life, love, food, clothes. In everything, the parents have provided the very best they could afford. But as the child gets older, he decides that he doesn’t have time for his parents, so he hardly ever comes home except when he has to. When he does, he stays busy in his room, rarely responding to his parents. Finally, the child grows into a man, goes out on his own, finds a job, and gets married. He never visits his parents; he never writes; he never calls. What would you call such a child? What would you call a person who receives life and love from his Father in Heaven, the Father who watches over him and provides everything he needs in this life, including the food he eats and the clothes he wears? He receives innumerable blessings, and yet he grows up, never talking to his Father, never visiting His house. Unconcerned with his relationship with his Father, he never prays. What do you call such a person? The Scripture calls such a person a “pagan,” a person without God, a godless human being. But we who know the Lord delight in spending time with Him. Why do we pray? Not so that He will do more than we ask or think, although He does. We pray so we can walk with God. Today, spend some time with your Father. Tell Him what’s on your mind and in your heart. And listen for Him to tell you about Himself, too. He wants a daily, two-way relationship with you more than you could ever imagine.

Documents Leak

Documents Leak Jack Teixeira is a 21-year-old who has been taken into custody for allegedly being involved in the leak of secret U.S. military documents. Jack Teixeira of the Massachusetts Air National Guard was arrested on April 13 at a home in southern Massachusetts, about 18 miles east of Providence, Rhode Island. Teixeira. after enlisting in September 2019, became a cyber transport systems specialist, a National Guard spokesperson told The Epoch Times via email. According to his specialty code, Teixeira was listed at the lowest skill level. Teixeira had top secret clearance and sensitive compartmented access to other highly classified programs since 2021. Officials with the Massachusetts National Guard have not responded to requests for comment on Teixeira, who was awarded an Air Force Achievement Medal in September 2022. Took Documents Home An investigation found that a person who had been posting the documents on social media initially transcribed text from the documents at work, but became concerned he would be discovered. The person, later identified as Teixeira, “began taking the documents to his residence and photographing them,” charging documents stated. . . . As part of acquiring top secret clearance, Teixeira would have signed a lifetime, binding non-disclosure agreement that acknowledged unauthorized disclosure of secret information could result in criminal charges. Teixeira was charged with unauthorized retention and transmission of national defense information and unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material. Documents Posted Online. Among the dozens of images that were circulating, one image appeared to show a recent map of fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. And another purported intelligence image showed damage that was done by a “recent strike,” dated February 2023, in the Donetsk city of Marinka. Another apparently leaked Defense Intelligence Agency document appeared to outline possible scenarios in which the Israeli government would provide Ukrainian forces with weapons. It listed several scenarios, which were labeled from “most plausible” to “least plausible.” Yet another purported to show Russian and Ukrainian casualties as of early March 2023. One of the papers claimed that between 16,000 and 17,500 Russian soldiers have died so far, while Ukrainian forces suffered as many as 71,500 deaths since the conflict erupted last year. American and Ukrainian officials have said that the leaked materials surrounding the Ukraine war may have been doctored.

Jordan Names 2024 Pick

Rep. Jim Jordan, a Republican from Ohio, declared his unwavering support for former President Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election. Despite the legal challenges that Trump faces, Jordan stated that he is “100% for President Trump.” Jordan praised Trump for fulfilling his campaign promises, and doing so despite opposition from the political establishment. Jordan expressed his admiration for current Republican candidates, including former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, but reiterated his full support for Trump. Jordan has been a staunch defender of Trump in the face of charges of felony falsification of business records, and has launched an inquiry into New York district attorney Alvin Bragg’s efforts to target the former president. Bragg has responded by suing Jordan over subpoenas he issued for documents pertaining to the investigation. In addition to his political views, Jordan also addressed gun legislation in his interview with Fox News Digital. He argued against Democrats’ calls for Republicans to meet them in the middle, stating that their definition of “meeting in the middle” was to take away guns from law-abiding Americans. Jordan emphasized the importance of the Second Amendment and expressed his opposition to recent gun control measures, including red flag laws and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ ban on pistol stabilizing braces. He stated that the new Republican-controlled House of Representatives is looking to pass a resolution to block the ban.

Jeremiah 33:3

Call to ME and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you cannot imagine." Jeremiah 33:3

Godliness with Contentment

Godliness With Contentment “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” 1 Timothy 6:6-7 Do you ever feel caught up in “keeping up with the Joneses”? Do you often feel a twinge of jealousy when a neighbor or friend shows off a new purchase, or are you content with what you own? Many people are in love with this world’s goods whether they have them or not. I think of a man who started out well. He succeeded in business. He lived his life as John Wesley encouraged: “Make all you can, save all you can, give all you can.” This man tithed regularly, and God blessed him as he did so. But as this man became more and more prosperous, he found tithing more and more difficult. One day he came to Peter Marshall, the famous Senate chaplain of decades ago, and said, “Dr. Marshall, I have a problem. I’ve tithed now for some time. It wasn’t too bad when I made $20,000 a year. I could afford to give the $2,000. But, you see, doctor, I now make $500,000 a year, and there’s just no way I can afford to give away $50,000 a year.” Dr. Marshall said, “Yes, sir. I see that you do have a problem. I think we ought to pray about it. Dear Lord, this man has a problem, and I pray that you will help him. Lord, reduce his salary back to the place where he can afford to tithe.” This man started out having mastery over things, but ultimately things had mastery over him. Maybe you know someone like this man . . . maybe it’s you. Money makes a wonderful servant but a terrible lord. Yet many people are completely enslaved by it. They give all their thoughts to money. If they’re not thinking about how to get more of it, they’re thinking of how to hold on to what they have. That is a form of slavery. Many people have lived in small cottages and managed to gain very little of this world’s goods. Yet their hearts were fixed upon God. Some Christians are poor; some are wealthy. The important thing is “godliness with contentment.” These two combined are “great gain.” Are you the master of your money and possessions, or are they your master? If you find that the latter is true, pray that God will reverse that trend, and then watch as He answers your prayers.

Ten Commandments

Texas to Place Ten Commandments in Classrooms - Todd Starnes Texas is on track to put the Ten Commandments posted back in the classroom. Tim Barton, president of WallBuilders, told the “Todd Starnes Show” it’s a “great idea.” Texas State Sen. Phil King (R) introduced a new bill in the Lone Star State to mandate the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom. Barton told host Todd Starnes this new legislation seems very logical. "The Ten Commandments have been the basis of all morals for the Western civilization, for the Western world, really, since the inception of the Western world. And so to me, it seems very logical. There’s a lot of good historic and legal precedent for this as well. But certainly, from a commonsense perspective, this just makes sense to go back to telling kids basic notions of morality like don’t kill other people,” Barton told Starnes. Barton also gave a short history lesson on the first textbooks printed in America, which contained over 40 questions about the Ten Commandments at the back of the book. “It wasn’t until 1980 when an activist Supreme Court determined that, you know, that’s probably been enough of the Ten Commandments in classrooms. Let’s not do that anymore. The 1980s, when activist judges said no more. Well, fortunately, because of the Supreme Court last summer overturning some of the bad precedents, we are at a place where we once again can restore some of the basic moral values we used to teach kids, which includes once again posting copies of the Ten Commandments.” (Read more) - We cannot thank and praise You enough, Dear God and Father that Sen. Phil King has proposed this legislation; we pray it comes to fruition! Show mercy on the citizens, children especially, of Texas. We know that should this legislation become law, Your word will be seen in each classroom and that it will accomplish all that You want. May Your restored word be reflected in changes in crime rates, healthier families, and a healthier society in TX. We ask that these changes do not go unnoticed by other states; may the citizens of each state also demand the return of Your word, Your commands for how we live. We know obedience to the Commandments pleases You because it brings abundant life and peace to Your creation. Father, prevent any legal challenges from prospering that might try to stop Your words of life from being reinstated in Texas schools. We call this legislation forth, in Yeshua's name! - … [it is] God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being things that do not exist. (Romans 4:17) So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)