New Archaeological Find Defends Biblical History

An Israeli professor claims that a recent translation of an eighth-century B.C. inscription containing the name of Judean King Hezekiah in Jerusalem’s City of David is “one of the most important archaeological discoveries in Israel of all time.” Prof. Gershon Galil, head of the Institute for Biblical Studies and Ancient History at Haifa University in Israel, alongside Eli Shukron, from the Bible and Ancient History research institute, deciphered Hezekiah’s name on a palm-sized limestone tablet discovered in 2007.

 The inscription also summarizes the first 17 years of Hezekiah’s reign and his accomplishments, as described in 2 Kings 20 of the Bible. The verse describes how Hezekiah brought water to the city through the discovery of a pool and a tunnel, and the inscribed stone was found at a pool in the Gihon Spring area. Shukron and archaeologist Ronny Reich found the fragment near a man-made pool in the Siloam tunnel. The discovery was made during excavations at Jerusalem’s City of David National Park in 2007, with Shukron and Galil spending over a decade deciphering it.

 The inscription measures about 5.3 inches long by 3.8 inches wide, and there are two lines of writing containing six letters inscribed in Old Hebrew script. Galil and Shukron concluded that the full inscription reads: “Hezekiah made the pool in Jerusalem.” “This is an extremely important discovery that changes some basic assumptions of research, since until today it was commonly accepted that the kings of Israel and Judah, unlike the kings of the ancient Middle East, did not make themselves royal inscriptions and monuments… to commemorate their achievements,” Galil was quoted as saying.

 The professor explained that these inscriptions are the “earliest manuscripts of the Bible,” that we have to date, noting that they predate other ancient artifacts, such as Hinnom silver amulets by 100 years and the Dead Sea Scrolls by hundreds of years. “They also support the claim that scriptures in the Book of Kings are based on texts originating from chronicles and royal inscriptions and that the Bible reflects historical reality and not imagination,” he added.

 The Jerusalem Post reports that the researchers deciphered five royal inscriptions of King Hezekiah, which include dozens of lines and hundreds of letters. According to Galil, the inscriptions indicate the date the water project was completed in the 17th year of Hezekiah’s reign, around 709 BCE. The researchers believe that the stone was attached to a public building and that the inscription was much larger.

The inscription carries a link to another fragment discovered at the Gihon Spring in 1978 by archaeologist Yigal Shiloh. The text includes the word “seventeen/seventeenth,” which could be a reference to the length of Hezekiah’s reign. Notably, both inscriptions are of the same type of limestone and have the same lettering. The letters also look similar to the Siloam Inscription, which describes how the tunnel was constructed to carry water into the city to prevent the Assyrians from cutting off Jerusalem’s water supply.

 These types of archaeological finds are very important in establishing the credibility of the Bible to the outside world. Many will downplay these discoveries and minimize their findings because they want to reject God’s Word, others will find them helpful in showing that we can trust God’s Word as authoritative.

 Biblical Connections: 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” If God’s Word says an event happened in the past, then we need to trust that God’s Word is correct. These discoveries can help give us stronger confidence in the reliability of the Bible. While the discoveries themselves will not lead people to Christ, they help to alleviate some of the stumbling blocks people create to avoid the reality of the Bible.

 PRAY: Pray more discoveries will be made in the field of archaeology that will continue to defend and confirm God’s Word.

Living in the Last Days

A large number of Americans across various religious backgrounds believe we are living in the last days of humanity, a recent study showed. Nearly two in five Americans, including both Christians and the religiously unaffiliated, responded affirmatively when asked if they believe “we are living in the end times,” according to a Pew research study. The study addressed Americans’ views regarding the earth, environmentalism and climate change, but a specific portion addressed views about the end of the world.

 Even though a majority of respondents at 58% did not believe we are living in the end times, four in 10, or 39% said they believe we are. The majority of those who believe the end is near were self-professed Christians, 47% of whom believe we are living in the last days. The study further broke down the statistics to determine that 14% of such Christians believe that the end of the world will culminate with the return of Jesus Christ and that the conditions of the world will worsen until then.

 Black Protestants (76%) and evangelicals (63%) were the most likely to believe we are living in the end times. Mainline Protestants (31%) and Roman Catholics (27%) were less likely to assert they are living in the last days. These views are also divided along political lines with 45% of Republicans saying we are currently at the end of times as compared to 33% of Democrats. Geography also had an influence with 48% of adults in Southern states saying that we are at the end of times as compared to 37% in the Midwest, 34% in the Northeast, and 31% in the West.

 Among those who adhere to a non-Christian religion, nearly three in 10 (29%) said they think the world is wrapping up. A quarter of U.S. adults overall said they believe they we are living at the end of the world but do not hold such specific views about how it will take place, according to the study. The study also found that “most U.S. adults – including a solid majority of Christians and large numbers of people who identify with other religious traditions – consider the Earth sacred and believe God gave humans a duty to care for it,” the researchers said. The survey cited an article in The Journal of Religion and Health which noted a rise in both secular and religious “apocalypticism” attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 One of the great challenges we have in this area is because of the nature of the imminent return of Christ — meaning Jesus could return at any time — essentially every generation from the time of Paul until now has thought it was in the last generation before the return of Christ. Paul wrote 1-2 Thessalonians to believers who were concerned they had missed the return of Christ. Many of the reformers believed  the return of Christ would occur during their lifetime. Jonathan Edwards in the early 1700s believed the Great Awakening would lead into the return of Christ. Thus, it is not unique for a large segment of the population to believe  Christ could return soon.

 However, there are important signs that have occurred in the last 100 years that seem to hint the return of Christ could be on the horizon. First, Israel, erased from the map for thousands of years, has been reestablished as a nation. This is critical as so many of the prophecies of the end times require a national Israel. Second, technology has allowed for the world to “grow smaller”, both in terms of communications and travel, which would allow for the Antichrist to control the world much easier. Finally, the existence of weapons of mass destruction both resemble some of the events in the book of Revelation as well as put a limit on how long the earth will exist in its current format before a nuclear apocalypse could occur. These events lend credence that we may be rapidly approaching the return of Christ. 

 Biblical Connections: Matthew 24:36 - “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.”

 PRAY: Pray that if the coming of Christ is soon and the Rapture is on the horizon that we will be faithful to witness to as many people as possible in the time that remains.

Doomsday Clock Moved to Closest Setting Since the End of World War 2

The world is closer to annihilation than it has ever been since the first nuclear bombs were released at the close of World War II, The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said recently. The time on the Doomsday Clock moved forward from 100 seconds to midnight to 90 seconds to midnight. It’s a reset of what has come to be known as the Doomsday Clock, a decades long project of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists featuring a clock face where midnight represents Armageddon.

Between Russia's nuclear brinkmanship in its war on Ukraine, the real threats of climate change becoming increasingly dire and ongoing concerns about more possible pandemics caused by humans encroaching on formerly wild areas, the Bulletin chose to set the clock the closest to midnight yet. The world is facing a gathering storm of extinction-level consequences, exacerbated by the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia. This explains the latest advance of the clock, said Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland and former United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. "The threats are even more acute, and the failures of leadership even more damning. We live today in a world of interlocking crises, each illustrating the unwillingness of leaders to act in the true long-term interests of their people," she said.

The Bulletin was founded in 1945 by Albert Einstein and University of Chicago scientists who helped develop the first atomic weapons at the Manhattan Project. Two years later they launched the clock as a way to warn humanity just how close to nuclear apocalypse the world was. "It's a way to remind people of issues that are so big they pose a threat to civilization as a whole," said Steve Fetter, a professor of public policy at the University of Maryland and member of the Bulletin's Science and Security Board, which sets the clock each year.

The clock has ticked minutes or seconds toward or away from catastrophe over the years. Wars bring it closer, treaties and cooperation further away. For the past two years, it has been at 100 seconds to midnight. The movement of the clock to just 90 seconds to midnight sends a message that the world's situation is urgent, with possible broad consequences and long-standing effects, said the Bulletin's president, Rachel Bronson. "What we're conveying with this clock move is things are not going in the right direction, and they haven't been going in the right direction. Those who are listening say 'The world doesn't feel safer today,' – they're not alone," she said.

Their hope is that this year's announcement will focus on world awareness and push people toward action and away from a business-as-usual mindset. Scientists are unequivocal, said Robinson. "Leaders, wake up! This is your responsibility. This is on your watch," she said. The clock ticked forward largely, though not exclusively, because of the nuclear dangers posed by the war in Ukraine, the Bulletin said in its statement. "Russia’s thinly veiled threats to use nuclear weapons remind the world that escalation of the conflict – by accident, intention, or miscalculation – is a terrible risk. The possibility that the conflict could spin out of anyone’s control remains high," the statement read.

Biblical Connection: Matthew 24:36 states, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.” While no one knows the time of Jesus’ Return, the dramatic events of the last few years certainly seem to portray a dark future. How much longer the world can continue to move forward before all-out nuclear war seems to lessen every year.

PRAY: Pray that as many people as possible will hear the Gospel and be saved before the time finally comes for Jesus to return for His bride.

Israel, US Hold Air Drill Simulating Striking Iran Nuclear Program

The Israel Air Force held one of its largest drills in years with the United States Air Force simulating offensive strikes against Iran’s nuclear program. The drill took place over the Mediterranean Sea and Israel. It included long-range flights such as those that Israeli pilots might need to make in order to reach the Islamic Republic. The exercise included refuelers as well as fighter jets from both forces. Washington and Israel have signed an agreement that would see the US come to assist Israel with missile defense in times of war, and the two militaries have held numerous joint air defense exercises in recent years.

 These drills occurred at a time when tensions between Israel and Iran remain high. Iran, which possesses over 1,000 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles, continues to smuggle weapons to countries and non-state actors such as Hezbollah, which is estimated to have an arsenal of some 50,000 missiles on Israel’s northern border. With tensions high over Iran’s nuclear program and regional hostility, Israel and the Islamic Republic have been threatening each other with senior officers stating that their militaries are capable of striking the other. Israel has significantly increased its readiness level and has taken steps throughout the past year to prepare a credible military option against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

 The NIS 58 billion defense budget set for the IDF in the coming year is expected to allow the Israeli military to focus on the threats posed by Iran across the region, with some NIS 3.5b. designated specifically for this very task. The drill was discussed by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi during his visit to Washington recently. Kohavi, who returned to Israel a day earlier than planned following a deadly double bombing in Jerusalem, met with senior American officials including Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley, and CENTCOM Commander Gen. Michael Kurilla. In the last year, the IDF and CENTCOM forces have held several joint drills as well as operational missions.

 Kurilla was in Israel a week prior to Kohavi’s visit and toured the northern border as well as the IAF’s fleet of F-35 Adir stealth fighter jets. “We are operating together on all fronts to gather intelligence, neutralize threats, and prepare for various scenarios in either one or multiple arenas” Kohavi declared. His counterpart, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi, also stated, “We are operating together on all fronts to gather intelligence, neutralize threats, and prepare for various scenarios in either one or multiple arenas,” adding that the two countries were “developing joint military capabilities at an accelerated rate” against Iran and other threats in the Middle East.

 Outgoing Defense Minister Benny Gantz told reporters that while Israel has the capabilities to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities, Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu must consider the issue “carefully” before giving the order. “Israel has the ability to act in Iran. We have the readiness, development capabilities, and long-term plans we are managing. We need to prepare for this possibility, and we will also need to consider this issue very carefully before carrying it out,” he said.

 Biblical Connections: Ezekiel 38-39 has Israel being invaded in the future by a coalition in which Iran is a major player of in the battle of Gog and Magog. The fact that Iran and Israel continue to have major tension in the region should be a warning to followers of Biblical prophecy. In prophecy, Israel is attacked without allies and only through God’s intervention are they delivered. It will be interesting to see what role, if any, America would play in that future invasion.

PRAY: Pray for peace in the region and that the tension between Iran and Israel would not lead to a major war.

Human Rights Violations Against Believers Investigated

Persecution of Christians is on the rise in at least 18 countries, especially in Africa, the Middle East and Asia, due to growing jihadism and nationalism, according to a report released by the group Aid to the Church in Need. The ACN examined human rights violations against believers in 24 countries where it is particularly difficult to be a Christian. An analysis of the persecution in the years 2020-2022, compared to 2017-2019, shows that the situation for Christians has become worse, or “slightly worse,” in at least 18 countries.

These countries include Syria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Mali, Sudan, Nigeria, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Myanmar, Russia, North Korea, China, Vietnam, India and Qatar, according to the report titled “Persecuted and Forgotten? A Report on Christians oppressed for their Faith 2020-22.” Around the world, more than 360 million Christians live in places where they experience high levels of persecution just for following Jesus — that’s one in seven believers worldwide, according to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List, which ranks the top 50 countries where Christians experience the worst persecution for their faith.

The ACN said its report was presented in the Houses of Parliament in the U.K. with a keynote address by Nigeria’s Bishop Jude Arogundade. Arogundade’s Diocese of Ondo was targeted by gunmen who killed more than 40 people at a packed Sunday service on Pentecost Sunday last year. He commented, “no one seems to pay attention to the genocide” taking place in swathes of Nigeria’s Middle Belt. “The world is silent as attacks on churches, their personnel and institutions have become routine. How many corpses are required to get the world’s attention?” he said.

African countries saw a sharp rise in terrorist violence from non-state militants, with more than 7,600 Nigerian Christians murdered between January 2021 and June 2022 the ACN reported. In May, a video was released showing 20 Nigerian Christians being executed by Islamist terror group Boko Haram and Islamic State’s West Africa Province.

In Asia, “state-authoritarianism” was behind the worsening oppression, especially in North Korea, where religious beliefs and practices are routinely and systematically repressed, it said. The report also noted that religious nationalism has triggered increasing violence against Christians in the region, with Hindu nationalist and Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist groups active in India and Sri Lanka, respectively.

The report noted that India witnessed 710 incidents of anti-Christian violence between January 2021 and the start of June, “driven in part by political extremism.” It cited an example of a mass rally in Chhattisgarh state, where members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party applauded as right-wing Hindu religious leader Swami Parmatmanand called for Christians to be killed.

In the Middle East, the report said a migration crisis threatened the survival of some of the world’s oldest Christian communities. In Syria, the Christian population declined from 10% to less than 2%, falling from 1.5 million just before the war began to around 300,000 today. ACN added that while the rate of exodus is slower in Iraq, there was a community that numbered around 300,000 before the 2014 invasion by ISIS had halved to 150,000 by the spring of 2022.

Even Europe was not immune to the rise in persecution. From 2020-2021, over 1,500 anti-Christian hate crimes occurred. Open Doors USA’s 2022 World Watch List, which looked at incidents reported between Oct. 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021, found at least 5,898 Christians were killed, 5,110 churches were attacked or closed, 6,175 Christians were arrested without trial, and 3,829 Christians were kidnapped. 2021 saw a 24% increase in Christians killed for their faith.

Biblical Connection: The Bible describes a great persecution on the Tribulation Saints that will arise in the last days. Could current situations be laying the foundation for this prophecy? Only time will tell.

PRAY: Pray for the persecuted church throughout the world.

Christianity Shifting from Western Europe, Growing in Central America

For the first time since 1801, when the United Kingdom took its first census, less than half of the population identify as “Christian,” while the share of individuals who say they have no religion has swelled by millions, the latest data from their census show. The data published by the U.K.’s Office for National Statistics show that only 46.2% or 27.5 million of the country’s more than 67 million people say they are Christian. In 2011, when the last census was done, 59.3% of the population or 33.3 million, people described themselves as Christian.

 As in the United States, the number of people with no faith in the U.K. has been growing with the decline of Christianity. Some 22.2 million people or 37.2% of the population reported that they had “no religion.” Ten years earlier, only 14.1 million people or 25.2% of the population, said they had “no religion.” Responding to the results of the census, Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said the U.K. had “left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian. It’s not a great surprise that the census shows fewer people in this country identifying as Christian than in the past.” Similar drops have occurred throughout much of Western Europe.

 In contrast, according to a new survey in Central America, evangelicals are the majority with 37% of the population; while Roman Catholicism experienced a big decrease, reaching only 32.6%. 29.1% said they were unaffiliated believers and 1.3% non-believers. Among the 32.6% of Catholics, 19.3% attend their church more than once a week and generally participate in church activities. Evangelicals participate almost three times more than Catholics in church activities (58.4%).

 This increase in evangelicalism has also led to an increase in beliefs on traditionally Christian values. The study says that 83.9% of Central American citizens do not agree with same-sex relationships. Regarding abortion, for 61.3% it is only acceptable if the woman’s life is at risk and for 54.6% in case of health reasons. For 46.8% both men and women should be virgins at marriage. These are all significantly higher than anything in Western Europe or the United States.

 Biblical Connections: Daniel 7:7-8 states “After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong. It had huge iron teeth; it was devouring, breaking in pieces, and trampling the residue with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I was considering the horns, and there was another horn, a little one, coming up among them, before whom three of the first horns were plucked out by the roots. And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words.”

 Conservative scholars have generally agreed that the fourth beast in Daniel’s vision represents the Roman Empire and the little horn in this passage represents the future Antichrist, thus linking him to the Roman Empire, or more accurately a revived Roman Empire. Daniel 9:26 also links the Antichrist to the Roman Empire, as they are the people who destroyed the second temple. However, for centuries Western Europe was viewed as the bastion of Christianity, sending missionaries throughout the world. People wondered how such a Christian center could one day give rise to the Antichrist. This is no longer the case. Western Europe’s Christian influence has completely collapsed, to the point that even nominal Christianity is dying. The secularization of Western Europe could easily be setting the stage for the kingdom of the Antichrist to rise.

 PRAY: Pray that Christianity will continue to grow in Central America and other place throughout the world and that Christianity may once again take hold in Western

Satanic Temple Installs Holiday Display in Illinois Capitol next to Nativity Scene

The Satanic Temple of Illinois installed a holiday display in the state’s capitol next to a Nativity scene and menorah to commemorate the group’s “satanic values.” “Let us stand now, unbowed and unfettered by arcane doctrines born of fearful minds. ... Let us demand that individuals be judged for their concrete actions, not their fealty to arbitrary social norms. ... Let us stand firm against any and all arbitrary authority that threatens personal sovereignty,” Minister Adam of the Satanic Temple of Illinois said in the rotunda of the Illinois State Capitol. “Hail Satan,” Adam and other Satanic Temple members said after the invocation.

 It is the fourth year since 2018 that the Satanic Temple installed a display in the state’s capitol at the holidays This year’s display features a snake crocheted by a satanist that is resting on a leather-bound copy of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus’ 1543 book “On the Revolution of the Heavenly Spheres.” Most of the roughly 20 members who attended the event were dressed in black or deep red, according to the Chicago Tribune. The display commemorates Sol Invictus, which falls on Dec. 25 and celebrates “being unconquered by superstition and consistent in the pursuit and sharing of knowledge,” according to the temple’s website. Other year’s displays for the Satanic Temple included a swaddled goat baby named Baphomet, or a pedestal with a hand offering an apple and an inscription reading: “Knowledge is the greatest gift.” The Baphomet display received pushback and protests when it was installed last year.

 “There is no devil worship here,” Adam told the Chicago Tribune. “In fact, I’m insulted when people think of us as devil worshippers. Satan is more of a mascot and metaphor for us.” Adam told WCIA the display is a statement on banned books, citing that Copernicus’ book was banned by the Catholic Church in 1616. “The serpent of Genesis and the apples symbolizes that whole ‘forbidden knowledge’ sort of thing.” Adam said. “The book, obviously, is one that was banned but also something that is really important to remember, which is that Copernicus himself was not actually persecuted by the church. Instead, he worked in harmony with them. And we like to see that this is an affirmation of our Satanic values by existing in harmony with other religions.”

 The display is placed next to a two-story Christmas tree, a Nativity scene and a menorah. A sign near the displays says, “The State of Illinois is required by the First Amendment to allow temporary, public displays in the state capitol so long as these displays are not paid for by taxpayer dollars.” “Because the first floor of the Capitol Rotunda is a public place, state officials cannot legally censor the content or speech of displays,” the sign near the holiday displays continues.

 Bishop Thomas Paprocki of the Springfield Diocese condemned the satanists’ display. “Christians look forward to eternal happiness with God in Heaven,” the bishop told WCIA. “Those who worship Satan are doomed to suffer the pains of Hell with the evil one and his minions forever. People are free to choose. I pray for the conversion of sinners and their eternal salvation.” He also called on people to “reject the devil’s lies and turn to Christ.”

 The rise of occultism in America is yet another sign of the push away from Christianity. People mistakenly believe that non-Christians are somehow “neutral”. However, throughout history it is clear that people who reject God look elsewhere for religious/spiritual content. The Israelites did this in the Old Testament when they abandoned God and went searching for Baal and other pagan gods. The same kind of thing is quickly happening as America turns away from God.

 Biblical Connections: Deuteronomy 32:17 states, “They sacrificed to demons, not to God, to gods they did not know, to new gods, new arrivals that your fathers did not fear.”

 PRAY- Pray that America’s fascination with the occult will cease and the nation will turn back to true worship of God.

Netanyahu Wins Election as Israel’s Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu has once again become prime minister of Israel in the country’s fifth election in less than four years. Yair Lapid conceded defeat after nearly all the votes were counted, allowing the 73-year-old Netanyahu to claim victory in the election. “The State of Israel comes before any political consideration,” Lapid said. “I wish Netanyahu success, for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”

Netanyahu’s return to the executive office came as his Likud Party formed a political alliance with two other political parties known as Jewish Power and Religious Zionism. Religious Zionism and its allies have weathered claims that they are extremists who will target the nation’s minority Arab community, and the LGBT community if they take power. “We’re not going to hammer anyone,” said MK Orit Strock, a member of Religious Zionism. “We will serve all citizens, including those who do not think like us and whose lifestyles are different.”

Strock did say that her party wants to “bring order to the public space,” apparently taking issue with lewd, vulgar and pornographic aspects of LGBT pride events. “Regardless of pride, there shouldn’t be marches of people walking down the street naked or half naked,” she added. “The problem is with years-long efforts, not just here but around the world, to force things on the public.”

The Jewish News Syndicate reported that the total number of seats for the coalition government had decreased from an expected 65 seats to 64. Nevertheless, the JNS added, Netanyahu only needed 61 seats to have a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. This gives the group a solid majority that, barring any major break, should allow them to remain in power for the foreseeable future, something that has not occurred in recent years in Israel.

The election news was not met with excitement in some circles due to Netanyahu’s past legal problems. In 2019, Netanyahu became the first sitting prime minister in the history of the modern state of Israel to be indicted, with various charges, including breach of trust, bribery and fraud. “This is a hard and sad day,” said Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in a speech given before the Justice Ministry at the time. “I am bringing an indictment on public corruption against the prime minister in three cases. It is sad for me personally and for the country.”

For his part, Netanyahu denied the allegations, labeling the indictment “a political coup” and “a contaminated process,” in which he felt the investigators “were after me personally.” In June 2021, Netanyahu lost his position as prime minister after 12 years in the role, being replaced by Naftali Bennett, who held on to power with a very slight majority in the Knesset.

However, because of the structure of the Jewish Knesset, holding power with slim majorities that can change quickly means that Israel, unable to gain a strong majority, has went through massive election changes for several years.

Netanyahu’s reelection is seen as a shift back to a more conservative stance for the nation. It is also seen as a potential powder keg for Israel and Iran, as Netanyahu has never been afraid to stand up to the Iranian regime, either political or even militarily when deemed necessary.

Biblical Connection: While Netanyahu is not without controversy, he does tend to offer a stronger front for Israel against their enemies. The Bible clearly identifies Israel as a major player in the end times and thus their continued perseverance is essential for end times prophecy.

PRAY: Pray for the leadership change in Israel and for America to continue to be an ally of Israel in the region.

Does Belief in the Rapture lead to “Religious Trauma”?

Could teaching what’s described in the Bible as a “blessed hope” actually be a source of anxiety and trauma? An article published by CNN with the headline, “For some Christians, ‘rapture anxiety’ can take a lifetime to heal,” depicts the eschatological doctrine of the imminent return of Jesus Christ for His Church as a “chronic problem.” The article also describes the teaching as “recognized by some faith experts and mental health professionals as a type of religious trauma.”

Featuring a stock photo with the caption, “Some Christians develop fears related to teachings of the rapture,” the article profiles two women who have battled so-called rapture anxiety, including April Ajoy, who recalled waking up to a quiet home as a 13-year-old girl and fearing she had missed the prophetic End Times event. The article reads: “Ajoy’s mind began churning, trying to remember, trying to make plans. When was the last time she had sinned? Should she refuse the mark of the beast? At least, she thought, if she was put to the guillotine during the time of tribulation, it would be a quick death.”

Describing the event as when “righteous Christians ascend into heaven, while the rest are left behind to suffer,” CNN adds, “However it happens, it is something to be both feared and welcomed, to be prayed about and prepared for every moment of a believer’s life.” Another woman, Georgia resident Chelsea Wilson, told the cable news outlet that she grew up in the Evangelical “community” and believed the End Times teaching was akin to a “scary campfire story.” CNN points to social media chatter from “exvangelicals” — former Evangelical Christians who have since turned to unbelief — who were subjected to “violent rapture-themed films” or spent their childhood years “crying themselves to sleep thinking about people and pets that would be left behind when the end finally came.”

For analysis of the doctrine and its impact on believers, CNN reached out to Darren Slade, president and CEO of the Global Center for Religious Research, a “non-religiously affiliated academic society and publishing house.” Slade, whose website states “certain religious contexts have also been responsible for a number of traumatic experiences for people all around the globe,” told CNN that “rapture anxiety” is a “real thing” and a “chronic problem.” “This is a new area of study, but in general, our research has revealed that religious trauma leads to an increase of anxiety, depression, paranoia and even some OCD-like behaviors: ‘I need to say this prayer of salvation so many times,’ ‘I need to confess my sins so often,’” he was quoted as saying. But on Slade’s own website, he acknowledges that “the academic study of religious trauma remains in its infancy when compared to other studies in mental health.”

While belief in the Rapture has always been attacked by other Christian groups who hold other eschatological positions, this is perhaps the first time a major news network has attempted to attack the belief for causing “trauma”. This is simply a lie. Millions of Christians throughout the world hold to the belief in the Rapture and are not suffering from “trauma”. In fact, they find peace from knowing that one day Christ will return for His Bride. While it can be true that someone may misunderstand the position or have been taught bad theology, to characterize a belief positively held by millions as a cause of trauma because of a few claims is not realistic and could even be viewed as a dishonest attack on a biblical belief.

Biblical Connection: 1 Thessalonians teaches about the Rapture when Jesus will call His Bride home to heaven.

PRAY: Pray that those who have been wrongly taught that belief in the Rapture is harmful will experience the truth!

Western European Churches Rejecting Scripture

Several recent stories out of Western Europe show a tragic trend toward apostacy. First, a bishop in the Church of England has released an essay arguing that clergy within the denomination should be allowed to bless same-sex unions. Rev. Steven Croft, the bishop of Oxford, released a lengthy essay on titled “Together in Love and Faith,” arguing that the Church of England should remove its prohibition on blessing same-sex unions. “I confirm my affection and respect for those who will want to argue, in good conscience, against change and potential provision for such change. I also make no claim whatsoever to infallibility: I may be wrong, either in the detail or in the overall argument,” wrote Croft in his introduction. “However, the Church will only be led into true and accurate discernment as we each, honestly and faithfully, share the best perspective we can, and subject those views to the wisdom of whole Church.”

 Croft, who said he once ascribed to the theologically conservative and biblical view on the issue, went on to argue that there were “fruits and benefits of same-sex partnerships” that the Church could benefit from, adding that the current stance of the Church created “hurt and pain” for the LGBT community.

 The bishop’s essay and the responses to it come as the Church of England considers the possibility of allowing the blessing of same-sex unions in their congregations. The College of Bishops held a meeting earlier regarding the matter, with the discernment process possibly leading to changes being approved in February at the Church’s General Synod meeting. Five other bishops in the Church of England have also come out in favor of blessing same-sex unions, arguing that priests should be allowed to celebrate them if they support them.

 Meanwhile, Bishops in the Church of Norway, the largest Christian denomination in the Scandinavian country, say they are open to ordaining unmarried, cohabiting priests, going against a resolution of the Bishop’s Conference that prohibits cohabitation. Norwegian news outlet Vart Land found in a survey that all bishops in the Church of Norway would be willing to ordain priests who live with their partner without being married. The news outlet also found that the bishop of Oslo, Kari Veiteberg, had been ordaining cohabiting priests, cantors, catechists and deacons since 2017.

 The U.K.-based Premier Christian News noted that under current rules, the Church of Norway does not allow the ordination of unmarried cohabiting partners as per its 1995 statement on the issue. The 1995 resolution said employees from the Church cannot “establish a cohabitation outside of an arranged marriage,” according to Dagen. However, the Church’s presiding bishop, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, recently stated that bishops can decide to ordain unmarried cohabiting priests on their own. “They agree to hold marriage as the best arrangement for cohabitation, but also agree that each bishop must make an individual assessment of each candidate seeking marriage.”

 Biblical Connection: Paul in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 said, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” In both of these instances, neither group is arguing that the Bible itself allows for what they are calling for but instead that it would simply make it “easier” for people. The only thing that they are doing is making it easier for people to live in their sin and avoid facing the truth of the Scriptures.

 PRAY: Pray that the rise of apostacy in Western Europe would be quenched and that people would turn back to the truth of God’s Word.

Biden: It’s ‘Morally Wrong’ to Stop Underage Trans Surgeries

An LGBT activist documenting his gender transition on TikTok went to the White House to question President Joe Biden about state laws on gender transition surgeries as the American public demonstrates skepticism of such procedures heading into the midterm elections. Dylan Mulvaney, a biologically male activist who identifies as female, announced on TikTok that he was meeting with President Biden at the White House.

 In the interview, Biden reiterated his belief that states are “morally wrong” to ban gender transition surgeries on minors and other procedures described by LGBT activists as “gender-affirming.” “I don’t think any state or anybody should have the right to do that as a moral question and as a legal question,” the president said. The exchange with Mulvaney was part of a larger forum moderated by NowThis where the LGBT activist and five other “young change-makers” asked the president questions about what the progressive media outlet described as “the most critical issues facing their generation ahead of this pivotal election.”

 Those issues include abortion access, transgender rights, criminal legal reform, gun legislation, economic instability and climate change.

 In a video presented shortly before Mulvaney began asking Biden questions, the LGBT activist introduced himself as a “trans woman” who is “documenting my transition publicly on TikTok for the world to see.” Mulvaney lamented that “lawmakers in many states want to exclude us from participating in sports or getting proper healthcare” and that “some folks want to decide where we can use the bathroom.” According to the LGBT Movement Advancement Project, 18 states have passed laws banning trans-identified youth from competing on sports teams that correspond with their gender identity instead of their biological sex. The most common justification for such policies focuses on the biological differences between men and women that give biological males, on average, an unfair advantage over biological females in athletic competitions.

 Mulvaney gave Biden the floor to share his thoughts on the ongoing debate about whether trans-identified individuals should be able to use bathrooms that correspond with their stated gender identity instead of their biological sex. “I feel very, very strongly that you should have every single solitary right, including use of your gender identity bathrooms,” the president said. Biden also described state-level efforts to limit trans individuals’ access to bathrooms, sports teams, gender surgeries and hormones as “outrageous” and “immoral.”

 Currently, Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas have banned medicalized gender transitioning of minors, while the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Texas Attorney General have classified them as a form of child abuse. Biden concluded his remarks on LGBT issues by stressing that “just because it’s different, there’s nothing to be fearful about.”

 The president’s comments provoked a reaction on social media, with postings on Twitter that “the official Democratic Party position now is that puberty blockers and sex reassignment surgery for kids is good.” Polling conducted by Summit Ministries in conjunction with McLaughlin & Associates suggests widespread discontent with the “transgender movement.” Based on responses collected from Oct. 12-17, the poll found that 65% of respondents believed that “the transgender movement has gone too far by encouraging minors to use drugs and surgery to transition to the opposite sex.” Twenty-one percent disagreed with that statement, while the remaining 14% said they did not know.

 Biblical Connection: Isaiah 5:20 states “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” America is walking a very dangerous path when the President calls actions that would have been condemned as morally reprehensible even ten years ago as good and attempting to stop those actions immoral.

 PRAY: Pray that these attempts to change God’s created design will be stopped and children will be protected.

Persecution Continues to Rise Against Jews in Academia

Recently, Law Students for Justice in Palestine (LSJP) at University of California, Berkeley, School of Law promoted a bylaw  that would create what critics have characterized as “no-go zones for Jews,” “LSJP is so excited to announce that multiple student affinity groups and clubs at Berkeley Law have adopted a pro-Palestine bylaw divesting all funds from institutions and companies complicit in the occupation of Palestine, and banning future use of funds towards such companies!” the group wrote in an Instagram post in August. “LSJP is calling ALL student organizations at Berkeley Law to take an anti-racist and anti-settler colonial stand and adopt the bylaw into their constitutions ASAP!”

 In addition to urging student groups to support the ongoing BDS campaign against Israel, the bylaw also included troubling language to expunge any speech by individuals who might be considered pro-Israel or pro-Zionist, especially speech meant to correct the many factual and historical inaccuracies in the pro-Palestinian bylaw. “In the interest of protecting the safety and welfare of Palestinian students on campus,” the suggested language read, groups who adopt this bylaw “will not invite speakers that have expressed and continued to hold views or host/sponsor/promote events in support of Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel, and the occupation of Palestine.”

 And in language which is Orwellian in its attempt to paint bigotry as virtue, cooperating student groups, the bylaw read, will proclaim that they are “publicly stipulating the organization’s position of anti-racism and anti-settler colonialism to speakers, ensuring that proposals for speakers emphasize the organization’s desire for equality and inclusion,” all of this for the purpose of creating “a safe and inclusive space for Palestinian students and students that are in the support of the liberation of Palestine.”

 The implementation of a litmus test of ideological allegiance — only targeted at Jews who support Israel — is part of a decades-old campaign to malign Israel and transform it into a pariah state. It excludes its supporters from progressive groups, by falsely alleging Israel is an apartheid, racist regime of white supremacy that continues to oppress innocent Arabs who were the actual indigenous residents of the land now called Israel.

 Imagine if a student government yanked accommodations for halal food on campus because Islam can be linked to terrorism, the same spurious linkage these social justice cretins have created for “apartheid” Israel, Zionism and kosher food from pro-Israel companies. The campus-wide howling about Islamophobia and bigotry would be deafening.

 The Berkeley situation is, of course, part of a broader effort to marginalize Jewish students, malign Israel and Zionism without debate or counter-argument, contort history and facts to elevate the Palestinian cause and denigrate the Jewish state, and promote hatred and hostility to any supporter of Israel. The real intention of pro-Palestinian radicals, now encompassing a large swathe of academia, is to exclude Israel and Zionism as reasonable topics of discussion and to prevent supporters of the Jewish state from even defending it or offering counterarguments. While Israel is not a perfect country and when they do make mistakes they should be called out on those mistakes. However, the immense hatred of the Jewish people that has arisen to almost pre-World War 2 levels is a sign that Satan is continuing his attacks.

 Biblical Connection: In Revelation 12, the nation of Israel, depicted symbolically by a woman figure, is attacked by both Satan and the forces of the Antichrist.

 PRAY: Pray that the Jewish people will be protected from these types of unjust attacks in the public square.

Red Heifers Sent to Israel in Possible Preparation for a Third Temple?

Five perfectly red heifers, required for the ritual purification of those who have touched a dead body, arrived in Israel from a ranch in Texas, as the Jewish Temple Institute continues preparations to lay the ground for the construction of the Third Temple in Jerusalem.

 The heifers are all under one year old and if they remain 100% red and avoid any blemishes which would disqualify them, they will each be eligible to be used to create the ashes required by Jewish law to purify those who have been in contact with a dead body, explained the Temple Institute. This level of purification would be needed in order to allow the priests to carry out their work in a future Temple.

 The prized cattle were immediately transported to Haifa where they will sit in quarantine for no less than seven days, in accordance with the regulations of the Israel Veterinary Authority. After the quarantine, they will be released to two separate locations in Israel, one of which will eventually be opened to the public. The heifers will be fed and cared for at these locations until they can be slaughtered and rendered into ashes from their third year onwards.

 The heifers were greeted by a ceremony at Ben-Gurion Airport. Temple Institute officials Rabbi Chanan Kupietzky, Rabbi Tzachi Mamo, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel and Rabbi Azaria Ariel participated in the ceremony, alongside Stinson and Jerusalem and Heritage Ministry director-general Netanel Isaac.

 The Jewish Temple Institute has been working for years on creating all the necessary elements to rebuild the Jewish Temple. Their website states that their goal is to educate, research, promote activism and to even prepare for actual rebuilding and dedication.

 What is a red heifer? The red heifer is first mentioned in the Book of Numbers 19:3, when God tells Moses and Aaron “This is the ritual law that God has commanded: Instruct the Israelite people to bring you a red cow without blemish, in which there is no defect and on which no yoke has been laid.” The Bible goes on to explain how the heifer is processed and burnt and its ashes mixed into sanctified water. Those who became impure due to touching a human corpse would be purified by having the water mixed with the ashes sprinkled on them twice: once three days after they came in contact with the corpse and a second time seven days after contact. The Torah relates that a red heifer was brought to Elazar the Priest, the son of Aaron, and was processed for its ashes for the ritual.

 Biblical Connection: Why is the red heifer important to prophecy? 2 Thessalonians 2:4 says that the Antichrist will one day go the temple and claim to be God. Since the 2nd Jewish Temple was destroyed in 70 A.D., this would require a 3rd temple to be built. Critics of eschatology have argued for centuries that this passage cannot be referring to a future time because there would be no temple for the Antichrist to go to or try to spiritualize the temple in some manner. However, these types of headlines show that it is clear that the orthodox Jews in Israel would not only like to rebuild the temple, but are actively creating elements and planning for a time when they can rebuild a future temple. Presumably, it will be this temple that will one day be rebuilt that the Antichrist will enter and declare himself God.

 PRAY: Pray that God’s timetable will continue to occur. While we as Christians should not necessarily cheer the construction of a temple, it does show that some of the prophetic elements that God promised could come to pass soon.

Signs of Apostasy on the Rise?

At least a third of senior pastors in the United States believe one can earn a place in Heaven by simply being a good person, according to a nationwide survey. The findings were among several surprising responses as part of a survey conducted earlier this year by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. The American Worldview Inventory 2022 examined more than three dozen beliefs held by pastors.

Researchers found that in addition to believing that people can merit salvation based solely on their good works, one-third or more of senior pastors surveyed also believe the Holy Spirit is not a person but rather “a symbol of God’s power.” Others said that moral truth is subjective; sexual relations between two unmarried people who love each other is “morally acceptable” and biblical teaching on abortion is “ambiguous.” At least a third of those surveyed also said they believe “socialism is preferable to capitalism and that allowing property ownership facilitates economic injustice,” which researchers say could point to the “increase of cultural and political influence into the church.”

After data reported earlier this year found just 37% of Christian pastors have a biblical worldview, the latest CRC report analyzed that research across all major U.S. denominations. They found that a “loss of biblical belief is prevalent among pastors in all denominational groupings.”

 The current report focuses on roughly half of those beliefs, revealing that a shockingly large percentage reject biblical teaching on some of the most basic Christian beliefs. Among Evangelical pastors, for example, around 43% said they do not believe that the personal accumulation of wealth is provided by God for the individual to manage those resources for God’s purposes.

 Another 39% of Evangelical pastors surveyed said there is no absolute moral truth and that “each individual must determine their own truth.” Roughly the same percentage (38%) didn’t answer in the affirmative when asked if “human life is sacred,” while 37% said having faith, in general, is more important than in what — or more specifically, Whom — one has faith. Perhaps most startlingly, three in 10 Evangelical pastors (30%) didn’t answer in the affirmative if their salvation is based on having confessed their sins and accepting Jesus Christ as their savior.

George Barna, CRC’s director of research, said the results could be linked to another trend he observed in the data. “While studying the spiritual behavioral patterns of pastors, it became evident that a large share of them do not have a regular spiritual routine,” Barna said. “There was a correlation between possessing biblical beliefs and a consistent regimen of Bible reading, prayer, worship and confession. In some of the denominational groupings, a majority of pastors do not engage in those foundational spiritual practices on a regular basis,” he added. “Yet, among the pastors who have the most consistently biblical beliefs, there is also a daily routine that incorporates all of those disciplines.”

 Biblical Connections: 2 Thessalonians 2:3 talks about a falling away or apostasy (Greek, apostasia) that will occur before the Tribulation and the rise of the Antichrist. While there has always been a segment of Christianity that has dealt with false teachers and falling away, it seems that increased secularization in the West has dramatically increased this push away from Biblical truth that has been accepted for centuries to the point that even many pastors have now fallen into this deceptive trap. These are not interpretive challenges that good people can disagree on but are instead the very core of the Christian faith. Perhaps we are seeing the beginnings of this falling away. Only time will tell.

 PRAY: Pray for the pastors that have turned away from the truth of God’s Word. Pray for a return to the faith that has stood for over 2,000 years.

Russia and China Moving to Create a New Global Threat?

A top Chinese official said that his country will continue its partnership with Russia in the hopes of creating a new international order that will rival western influence. “The Chinese side is willing to work with the Russian side to continuously implement high-level strategic cooperation between the two countries, safeguard common interests and promote the development of the international order in a more just and reasonable direction,” Director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Yang Jiechi recently stated.

 The comments come amid Russia’s ongoing war with neighboring Ukraine, which has resulted in international outrage and an effort by many western governments to sanction Russia and cut off its influence around the globe. But the international influence campaign has seemingly brought Russia and China closer together, with Chinese President Xi Jinping set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Xi’s first foreign trip since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While China has not provided Russia with direct support or relief from sanctions, it has extended its trade partnership with a Russian economy struggling to find international partners. About 81% of Russian car imports during the second quarter came from China, Bloomberg reported, while China’s Xiaomi phone brand became the most popular in Russia during the same time period. China has also been a dependable consumer of Russian fuel, buying up liquefied natural gas (LNG) at a steep discount from Russia. The arrangement has benefited both countries, giving Russia a buyer for its energy resources while China has used the windfall to sell energy sources at a markup to a European economy that has found itself short of resources amid sanctions against Russia.

 “Russia and China are building a massive $55 billion pipeline called the ‘Power of Siberia,’ delivering gas from Siberia to Shanghai,” Rebekah Koffler, a former DIA intelligence officer and the author of “Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America,” told Fox News Digital. “This is a major development of strategic importance as Putin is pivoting to Asia in a big way. The Kremlin has concluded that Russia-U.S. relations are irreparable and that the U.S. and Western sanctions are here to stay indefinitely.”

Russia and China have also worked together to send money transfers to China in yuan without using the SWIFT messaging system, which helps Russia bypass international sanctions and works toward the Chinese goal of devaluing the influence of the U.S. dollar. “Russia already has established a method of transferring payments to convert wire currency into Chinese yuan, bypassing SWIFT,” Koffler said, adding that the Russian Finance Ministry also announced the country is “transitioning to yuan, playing into China’s strategic goal of replacing the U.S. dollar with the Chinese yuan as the dominant international reserve currency by 2049.”

 This is yet another example of Russia moving away from Western relationship and making strong connections with other more savory nations. Western sanctions of the war in Ukraine have driven Russia into stronger trade and military relationships with Iran, North Korea and now China. If these nations continue to grow closer and gain more strength and power in the international community, it could spell trouble on a global scale.

 Biblical Connections: Russia has always been seen as a problem in biblical prophecy because of the Gog-Magog prophecy of Ezekiel 38-39. Making strategic alliances with other nations like Iran and China do not help to alleviate fears that they could once again become a major problem not only in the global community, but specifically in the Middle Eastern theatre, where they already have influence with both Syria and Iran.

Satanic Temple Planning to Host ‘After School Satan Club’

The leader of The Satanic Temple (TST) says the First Amendment protects his organization’s right to host events at a Pennsylvania high school. On behalf of the TST, the After School Satan Club at Northern High School in Dillsburg will be allowed to meet after approval by officials with the Northern York County School District. Steve Kirkpatrick, superintendent of schools for Northern York County School District, said in a statement released that the school board approved an application from TST to use school facilities for the event. The organization will be required to pay all security, custodial and other fees as stated in board policy, Kirkpatrick said.

“As a public school district, the use of our school facilities must be permitted without discrimination,” he said. “We cannot and do not arbitrarily pick and choose which organizations may or may not use our facilities.” The district “does not endorse the activity of any outside organization that rents our facilities, nor are those entities permitted to use the school district’s name or logo,” added Kirkpatrick.

Lucien Graves, the co-founder of TST, stated that allowing a prayer event at the school while rejecting a satanic event could pose “a serious problem.” “We don’t decry or begrudge anybody having a prayer event or anything like that,” Greaves was quoted as saying. “It does become a problem, a serious problem, when you allow a back-to-school prayer event, but you don’t allow any other religious representation. We’re talking about upholding fundamental pillars of democracy and the First Amendment,” added Greaves.

According to its website, TST claims abortion is a “central part of a religious ritual that encourages self-empowerment and affirms bodily autonomy.” The TST website also claims that waiting periods and mandatory counseling for abortions is “akin to demanding a waiting period and counseling before one can be baptized or receive communion. Clearly, that would be a violation of religious liberty,” the statement reads.

However, Pennsylvanians are concerned about any group espousing satanic doctrines being allowed near students. Speaking in opposition, Jennifer McAllister, a parent, said: “They already took God out of schools, now they’re going to let Satan in. It’s just crazy.” Laura Vangeli echoed the sentiment, explaining that with all of the “evil already in the world,” it is abhorrent “to allow it to come into our school and our community.” And, in April, the Northern York County school district voted against a parent’s request to launch the After School Satan Club in an 8-1 vote.

However, other school districts in the country have embraced the extracurricular programs sponsored by the Satanic Temple.

Earlier this year, Jane Addams Elementary School in Moline, Illinois, received criticism for handing out flyers promoting the After School Satan Club. Defending its decision to allow the club to operate, they issued a statement saying it “does not discriminate against any groups who wish to rent our facilities, including religious-affiliated groups.” The district pointed to the Good News Club, described as “an after-school child evangelism fellowship group,” as an example of a religious organization allowed to use its facilities while not endorsing its message.

The Lebanon City School District in Lebanon, Ohio, also faced intense pushback for allowing the Satanic Temple to host an after-school activity for elementary school children.

According to the Satanic Temple’s website, Satan Clubs “meet at select public schools where Good News Clubs also operate.” The website features the song “My Pal Satan,” which includes lyrics such as, “Satan’s not an evil guy ... there is no Hell ... He’s an imaginary friend who can teach us how to live.”

Biblical Connection: Satan has always been after children. The god Molech made child sacrifice a regular practice. When Daniel and his friends, mere teenagers at the time of their capture, were taken to Babylon, they immediately went through brainwashing efforts to worship pagan gods. We must protect our children from demonic influences that attempt to influence them at such a young age.

PRAY: Pray that the forces of darkness will be restrained and that children will be safe from satanic attacks in our schools.

Doctors Refute Abrams' Claim there is No Fetal Heartbeat at 6 Weeks

Georgia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams is being accused of spreading "misinformation" after she stated that the unborn do not have a heartbeat at six weeks gestation, despite evidence from medical journals. During an event at the Ray Charles Performing Arts Center in Atlanta, Abrams asserted that "there is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks," adding that she believed the sound of a fetal heartbeat at that stage is "manufactured" to convince people that men have a right to "control" women's bodies.

 Abrams' comments were in response to Georgia's heartbeat bill, also known as the Living Infants Fairness and Equality Act. She claimed the legislation shouldn't be called a "Fetal Heartbeat Bill" because "that's medically false, biologically a lie." The bill bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat becomes detectable but includes exceptions for rape, incest, or if the mother's life is in danger or the fetus is unviable. The law was passed in 2019, but a federal judge ruled it unconstitutional. After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June, returning authority over abortion laws to the states, a federal appeals court overturned the lower court ruling on July 20, allowing the law to go into effect.

 Dr. Donna Harrison, CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, an organization that boasts over 7,000 pro-life doctors, disagreed with Abrams. Harrison stated that Abrams' claims are an example of "misinformation" that ignores evidence from "basic embryology." "In fact, at six weeks' gestation, the embryonic heart rhythmically contracts to pump blood through its arteries, which flows to the placenta to exchange carbon dioxide for oxygen," she wrote. "To call this anything other than a beating heart is dishonest, and serves only to dehumanize preborn people. ... Playing semantics with the definition of a heart does nothing to serve science or the public, but rather only advances a pro-abortion agenda."

 Tara Sander Lee, the director of Life Sciences at the pro-life Charlotte Lozier Institute who studied heart development at Harvard Medical School, said in a statement that the human heart starts beating 22 days after fertilization. "A baby's heart is actively beating at six weeks gestation and will have already beat nearly 16 million times by 15 weeks," said Lee. "In fact, at six weeks, when Stacey Abrams says a heartbeat doesn't exist, that baby's heart is actually beating at about 110 beats per minute (bpm)." Lee cited peer-reviewed research published by the Charlotte Lozier Institute and a 2019 study published in the National Library of Medicine titled "The Transitional Heart: From Early Embryonic and Fetal Development to Neonatal Life."

 Another study, published in October 2019 by the Department of Radiology at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, also affirmed that cardiac activity begins as early as six weeks gestation. In addition, the absence of a detectable heartbeat is a sign of pregnancy failure, according to the study. "Most American parents have seen their baby's beating heart during prenatal ultrasound and discussed it with their obstetrician," she continued. "The mainstream media can perform Olympic-level semantics gymnastics all they want, but most Americans instinctively understand that a developing human organ which beats rhythmically and pumps blood throughout the body is, in fact, a heart."

 As The National Review reported in February, up until recently, Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, stated on its webpage that a "very basic beating heart and circulatory system develop" during the fifth to sixth week of pregnancy. Now, the website states that at five to six weeks, "[a] part of the embryo starts to show cardiac activity. It sounds like a heartbeat on an ultrasound, but it's not a fully-formed heart — it's the earliest stage of the heart developing," the website states. This is yet another example of people attempting to go against God’s plan for life.

 Biblical Connection: The Bible clearly teaches that life in the womb is “knit together” by God (Psalm 139:13).

 PRAY- Pray that those who want to continue to kill the lives of unborn babies will be stopped and the unborn will be protected.

Iran Declares It Can Use Nuclear Missiles to Turn “New York into Hellish Ruins”

“And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

Revelation 6:8

  The Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps recently said that it can develop a nuclear weapon within a rapid-fire amount of time and obliterate New York with ballistic missiles. The London-based Iran International news organization reported that the Bisimchi Media (Radioman Media) Telegram Channel aired a short video titled, “When Will Iran’s Sleeping Warheads Awaken.” The video said the Islamic Republic of Iran is capable of building nuclear bombs in a compressed period of time “if the US or the Zionist regime make any stupid mistakes.” The Iranian theocratic state refers to Israel as the “Zionist regime.” The IRGC-affiliated video said that Iranian ballistic missiles have the capability of “turning New York into hellish ruins.” 

 The video said, “the nuclear facilities of Fordow have been built deep under mountains of Iran and are protected against trench-busting bombs and even nuclear explosion… all infrastructures required for nuclear breakout have been prepared in it.” According to the Iran International report, the video said Iran has advanced its uranium enrichment process to develop a nuclear weapons device in the underground facilities of Fordow, near the holy city of Qom. Some other key takeaways from the IRGC-affiliated videos include Iran’s dangerous proximity to developing nuclear weapons, joining the club of nuclear powers.

 “These threats are a direct result of a weak and unclear foreign policy coming from the White House,” stated Lisa Daftari, an expert on Iran and the editor-in-chief of the website The Foreign Desk. “The Iran regime would not be so brazen as to make threats toward the U.S. if it did not feel that it has the upper-hand in dealing with the US and world powers….”

The Biden administration kept going back to the negotiating table for a deal making it clear that Iran did not have to show any good behavior or change in demeanor to get a deal.” Daftari noted that “Iran is playing out the clock and taking advantage of the current White House’s policies.” 

 The Biden administration seeks to cut a deal with Iran’s clerical rulers that would impose temporary restrictions on Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for massive economic sanctions relief. President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid the United States will never allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon as Tehran seeks stronger guarantees from Washington for the revival of a nuclear deal with world powers. Israel opposes a return to the 2015 deal, which imposed curbs on Iran’s nuclear weapons program in exchange for the lifting of U.S., European Union and United Nations sanctions on Tehran.

 The Trump administration designated the IRGC as a foreign terrorist organization. The second IRGC-affiliated Telegram channel Sepah-e Qods republished Bisimchi Media’s video with the caption: “Iran Prepared to Carry Out Top Secret EMAD Project. Building First Nuclear Warhead if Natanz Comes Under Attack.” Natanz is one of Iran’s principal nuclear sites and EMAD is an Iranian weapons program.

 Biblical Connections: The rise in the desire to proliferate nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction should not shock readers of the Scriptures. The Book of Revelation makes it clear that in the last days there will be massive war and bloodshed unlike any seen in the history of the world. For example, the horseman of Revelation 6 bring war and destruction to the globe and a fourth of the world is killed. The presence and prominence of these types of weapons make this a very real possibility.

 PRAY: Pray that either negotiations will prevent Iran from creating nuclear missiles or something will stop their potential nuclear capabilities.

UN Seeks to Declare Abortion “Human Right”

Delegates at the United Nations General Assembly are finalizing negotiations on a resolution that would require all U.N. agencies to declare abortion a human right, reportedly due to pressure from the European Union and the Biden administration. The resolution contains language about abortion that has reportedly been rejected in other resolutions over the past decade. As the Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam) earlier reported, it’s being considered for adoption soon.

 According to C-Fam, the resolution declares that governments should secure “access to safe abortion” as a matter of policy and “ensure the promotion and protection of the human rights of all women and their sexual and reproductive health.” Western countries backing the resolution reportedly forced the inclusion of this language. Although a Japanese diplomat leading the negotiations stated that delegations could not alter the language on abortion, it remained despite repeat objections, according to C-Fam. The resolution’s language does not outright declare abortion an international human right and includes the caveat “where such services are permitted by law.”

 “The European Union and the U.S. government are trying to undermine the long-standing consensus of the General Assembly that abortion is an issue that should be decided at the national level without external interference from the United Nations,” Stefano Gennarini, vice president for legal studies at C-Fam, said in a statement. Gennarini said that both had done this “intermittently” for over 30 years, but he believes they have made it a priority now due to the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade in June. The high court upheld Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban in a 6-3 ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, declaring that the U.S.  Constitution does not confer a right to abortion. The decision returned the power to make laws governing abortion back to the individual states. “The issue isn’t just whether abortion should be accessible as a matter of human rights or not. It is about protecting the integrity of international aid,” Gennarini wrote. “Until now, the General Assembly consensus was that governments should help women avoid abortion.”

 Gennarini believes there will be pressure on women to abort if the U.N. considers adopting the resolution as part of its response to sexual violence. “Abortion is cheaper than providing healthcare and social support to mothers and their children. There is an inherent tension here. No woman should ever feel pressured to abort by governments or international agencies.”

 Delegates noted that the EU appeared to be rather aggressive in its negotiations, which is not standard protocol, according to C-Fam. The main sponsors of a resolution typically facilitate negotiations, and they do not negotiate it themselves.

Another apparent break from tradition is the term “safe abortion,” which appears in the resolution, as U.N. member states have not widely accepted the phrase. Roughly half the voting members of the Human Rights Council supported Egypt, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia’s proposed amendments to delete the term. Currently, those countries ban or impose restrictions on abortion.

 Progressive Western countries’ efforts to promote “safe abortion” is at odds with the consensus of the General Assembly, defined during the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, according to C-Fam. The caveats adopted during the Cairo conference state that the U.N. shouldn’t make any determination on the matter of abortion. They add that governments should help women avoid abortion and focus on helping them provide for their children before and after birth.

 Biblical Connection: This is yet another example of the United Nations, along with the European Union and unfortunately the United States, to promote secular ideas throughout the globe. If the Antichrist one day will control a revived Roman Empire, then the European Union and the United Nations could certainly be a focus of power.

 PRAY: Pray that the West would stop trying to force secular ideas onto the world stage.

Iran is Becoming a World Leader in Drone Technology

Iran has made steady advances in the design and production of military drones in recent years and has stepped up their transfer to militant groups across the Middle East as it seeks to shift the dynamics of battlefields from Yemen to Gaza. Those efforts now extended far beyond the region.

 Iran is now seeking to build its global clout and sell increasingly sophisticated weapons-capable drones commercially to other nations, including those that have been subject to various sanctions in recent years, like Venezuela and Sudan, according to Iranian news media, satellite images and defense experts inside and outside Iran. That has provided an important source of funds and political influence for Iran, which is itself isolated and struggling under U.S. financial restrictions.

 “Iran is increasingly becoming a global player in terms of drone exports,” said Seth Frantzman, a Jerusalem-based defense analyst and drone expert. The fact that newer drones, such as the Mohajer-6, are now being seen in places like the Horn of Africa shows that countries see them as a potential game-changer,” he added, referring to an advanced Iranian drone claimed to have a range of about 125 miles and the ability to carry precision-guided munitions.

 Tehran began drone development in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war. Despite crippling sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear and missile programs in recent years, it has managed to produce and field a vast array of military drones, used for both surveillance and attack, according to experts.

That program has become a major concern for Israel and the United States in recent years. Israel has targeted drone production and storage sites in its escalating shadow war with Tehran. And the U.S. Department of Defense said in a statement on July 21 that “the Iran-proliferated network of attack unmanned aerial systems,” or drones, was a key topic of discussion at a recent regional security meeting in Qatar.

 A United Nations embargo aimed at preventing Iran from selling and buying weapons expired in 2020, despite protests from the United States, which wanted it extended, removing a significant legal obstacle, analysts said, for Iran to export its drones and carve out its status as a global player in drone technology.

 Hossein Dalirian, a military analyst with close ties to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, posted a video on his YouTube channel in January in which he said that Iran was exporting drones to Ethiopia and Venezuela. “The Islamic Republic has long reached mass production level in the production of various drones including military surveillance and suicide drones and now has a very large stock,” Mr. Dalirian said by direct message. “Because the drones are effective and some countries have been enthusiastic about the drones, in recent years Iran has been exporting drones such as New Mohajer-2 (M2-N) and Mohajer-6 (M6) and even Ababil (AB-2).”

 Iran has both political and financial incentives to sell drones to such countries, as well as supplying them to proxy groups as part of its regional policy in the Middle East. The sales allow Tehran to build international links in defiance of Western efforts to isolate it and provide an additional source of revenue alongside oil sold in contravention of sanctions. “They have created this viable drone capacity, so it is no surprise that other countries are interested in obtaining such technologies,” said Farzin Nadimi, a military analyst and associate fellow at the Washington Institute who specializes in Iran’s defense industry. “Iranian drones should be taken seriously as a weapon,” he said.

 PRAY: Pray that Iran’s continual sale of drones to people with bad intentions will be stopped and peace will reign in the region.