Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Newly Passed California Resolution Blames Religious Groups for Lgbt Suicides
Sep 22nd, 2019
CommentaryLifeSiteNews
Categories: Moral Decline

SACRAMENTO, September 17, 2019 (LifeSiteNews) – The California legislature has voted in a resolution that blames "religious groups" who hold to biblical understandings of sex and gender as responsible for "disproportionately high rates" of suicide among homosexuals and transgenders.

Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 declares that homosexuality and transgenderism are “part of natural variations that occur in sexual orientation and gender identity” and condemns counseling services that help people resolve unwanted gender confusion or same-sex attraction.

“The stigma associated with being LGBTQ often created by groups in society, including therapists and religious groups, has caused disproportionately high rates of suicide, attempted suicide, depression, rejection, and isolation amongst LGBTQ and questioning individuals,” it claims. It calls on “the people of California – especially its counselors, pastors, religious workers, educators, and legislators” to eschew and work against anti-LGBTQ “stigma.”

The resolution, which has no legal force but formalizes the official position of the state legislature, passed the state Senate 29-7 on September 4 and the state Assembly 61-11 on September 9. It does not require the governor’s signature.

“We are treading into freedom of speech territory that I think should concern all of us,” warned Republican state Sen. Andreas Borgeas, who voted against ACR 99. “When an individual seeks therapy or guidance before a religious leader, whether it be a mosque, a temple, or a church, that’s a private setting...To disallow or create the pathway where we tell individuals they cannot say certain things should give us pause.”

“We believe in free speech. They have every right to criticize our position, but the state government does not have the right to use its power to coerce us to change,” California Family Council’s Director of Capital Engagement Greg Burt told The Epoch Times. “And that’s where we believe this resolution is heading.”

Despite the common pro-LGBT narrative that outside “stigma” is the primary driver of LGBT suicides, a wealth of data suggests otherwise. Research out of LGBT-friendly Sweden has found that homosexual and transgender residents remain more likely to attempt or commit suicide, despite having achieved the type of culture advocated by ACR 99.

The University of Cambridge’s Stonewall report found that 96% of trans students in Scotland attempted self-harm through actions such as cutting themselves, and 40% attempted suicide. 40% in the United States have attempted suicide, as well, according to a 2016 survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). According to a 2011 study from Sweden, trans people remain 19 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population, even after "sex-change" surgery.

Let the Headlines Speak
Sep 22nd, 2019
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines

Former Head Of Plunge Protection Team Says Fed Has To Buy More Debt
The Fed “may have to expand the central bank’s balance sheet through outright purchases of U.S. Treasury securities, to ensure stable liquidity conditions at the end of the quarter as well as at year-end.”

Hezbollah says Iran would destroy Saudi Arabia in any war
Lebanon’s Hezbollah warned Saudi Arabia on Friday against betting on a war against Iran because it would destroy the kingdom and said Riyadh and the United Arab Emirates should halt the conflict in Yemen to protect themselves.

The battle for Palmyra and restoring Syria’s cultural heritage
The sunset colors the ancient ruins in rosy pink, and the music flows in the dry desert air. On August 30, a few hundred Syrians attend a concert in Palmyra, organized by the government to celebrate the “many victories of the Syrian army.” The attendees fly national flags in the air, sing with the band and smile on camera. But no amount of festive lights and banners can mask the grim reality.

Egyptians protest against President Fattah al-Sisi
Tear gas has been fired to disperse demonstrators in Egypt, at some of the first protests since President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi took power in 2014. Hundreds of Egyptians filled Tahrir Square in Cairo – a key site of the 2011 Egyptian Revolution – demanding his resignation. Demonstrations also took place elsewhere around the country.

Saudi Arabia oil attacks: US to send troops to Saudi Arabia
The US has announced plans to send forces to Saudi Arabia in the wake of attacks against the country’s oil infrastructure. Secretary of Defence Mark Esper told reporters the deployment would be “defensive in nature”. Total troop numbers have not yet been decided. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels have said they were behind the attacks against two oil facilities last week.

Chinese scientists develop handheld sonic weapon for crowd control
China has developed the world’s first portable sonic gun for riot control, the Chinese Academy of Sciences said. The rifle-shaped instrument, which was jointly developed with military and law enforcement, is designed to disperse crowds using focused waves of low frequency sound, the academy’s Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry website said on Wednesday.

Uptick seen in rare mosquito-borne virus in some US states
Eastern equine encephalitis has been diagnosed in 21 people in six states, and five people have died. The infection is only being seen in certain counties within a small number of states.

Philippines declares new polio outbreak after 19 years
Philippine health officials declared a polio outbreak in the country on Thursday, nearly two decades after the World Health Organization declared it to be free of the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease.

Trump Approves US Troop Deployment To Saudi Arabia In Response To “Iran Attacks”
And now for the Friday evening tape bomb.

North American bird population has dropped by 3 billion since 1970, study reveals
There are almost 3 billion fewer birds in the United States and Canada now than in 1970, according to a disturbing new study.

2nd ‘500-year rainfall’ in 2 years will cause $8 billion in damages, AccuWeather predicts
AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss caused by Imelda will be $8 billion, according to the company’s Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers, based on an analysis of damages expected from major flooding caused by heavy rainfall over eastern Texas and far southwestern Louisiana.

Rising number of fatal landslides makes 2019 the worst year on record|
A new update on landslides from the 2019 northern hemisphere monsoon season by Dr. Dave Petley, Vice-President (Research and Innovation) at the University of Sheffield, UK, showed how an unusually high number of landslides resulted in thousands of fatalities this year, making 2019 the worst year on record. In addition, the last couple of years have been notably worse than the long-term average.

Major, catastrophic flooding hits Texas, at least two people dead as slow-moving storm dumps over 1 100 mm (43 inches) of rain
Major, catastrophic flooding is occurring across much of Southeast Texas, NWS said September 18, a day after Tropical Storm “Imelda” made landfall near Freeport, TX, adding that some areas could see up to 1 000 mm (40 inches) of rain through Friday, September 20. Heavy rain continued into Friday across portions of Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana, but rates have finally begun to decrease as the storm started shifting to the ArkLaTex region.

Incredible 1,500-year-old mosaic depicting Jesus feeding the 5,000 found near the Sea of Galilee
A 1,500-year-old mosaic depicting Jesus’s feeding of the five thousand has been unearthed during an excavation of an ancient city near the Sea of Galilee.

Three Spy Planes Could Soon Be Flying Over Baltimore To Counter Murder Crisis
“What is being created is the permanent surveillance of everywhere that everyone in Baltimore goes every time they walk out the door.

Goldman Sachs Has Just Issued An Ominous Warning About Stock Market Chaos In October
Are we about to see U.S. financial markets go crazy?

Billionaire Tim Draper: Bitcoin Will Hit $250,000 By 2022
“$250,000 means that bitcoin would then have about a 5% market share of the currency world…”

Is Bible Prophecy a Distraction to Real Ministry?
Sep 22nd, 2019
CommentaryTODD HAMPSON/TODDHAMPSON.COM
Categories: Prophecy

I just got back from a Mission trip to Haiti last night. If you're not familiar with the conditions there, they are terrible. Everything there is broken. The government, the culture, the land, the economy, the health of the people. Everything.

It's almost as if the land itself if cursed. Even satellite images like the one above (Haiti at left, the Dominical Republic across the border at right) tell a story. Generations of corruption and greed, voodoo practice, a lack of vision, and a lack of education, have kept this country among the poorest in the world. I have been to some of the poorest areas of Brazil and the Dominican Republic but I've never seen the level of poverty and brokenness that I saw in Haiti.

It has an official 80% unemployment rate, but it's really worse than that. Even someone selling vegetables once a week is considered "employed". It's probably more like a 95%+ unemployment rate by real numbers. Most people in the villages eat once every other day. Starvation and malnutrition are common place.
As a prophecy student, I found myself wondering if many Christians would think that a focus on Bible-Prophecy (when there are so many basic real-life needs) might be a waste of time, not just in Haiti, but for the Church in general. More than a few times, I've heard that argument from fellow believers.

Here are five reasons teaching Bible prophecy is not only relevant, but vital to discipleship and evangelism.

1. IT GIVES PEOPLE A DEEPER CONFIDENCE IN SCRIPTURE

One-third of the Bible is prophetic in nature and one out of four verses in the Bible talk about prophecy. Prophecy intersects with every category of theology and progressively reveals key themes that are introduced in Genesis and converge in the book of Revelation. 

A study of Bible prophecy demonstrates the incredible cohesiveness and grand design of the Bible. There is no other document like it in history. A study of prophecy deepens our overall knowledge of scripture -- something we are challenged to do as believers. 

The more we know truth, the more we will spot error and the better equipped we will be for ministry and life. 2 Timothy 3:16 tells us that "all scripture" is profitable (2 Timothy 2:15, Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16). The book of Revelation even tells in the beginning and in end of the book that there is a special blessing for those who read the words of Revelation and act on them. 

So, even the book of Revelation is a practical book that calls us to obedience and results in blessing for those who study it.

2. IT ANCHORS OUR FOCUS ON AN ETERNAL HOPE

We led a Bible study in Haiti with a group of people from the village our church supports and one of the verses we studied was Romans 12:12 which reads -- "Rejoice in confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying." Think about how relevant that verse is to someone who lives in extreme poverty, not knowing when their next meal is coming or what tomorrow may bring.

An old blind man in our group talked about being patient in trouble and prayer with a smile on his face. I asked the rest of the group about the first part -- the part that gives the ability to be patient in trouble. I asked what the hope is that Paul talked about. "What was our confident hope?" Without skipping a beat, one of the younger men, with utmost confidence and joy in his eyes, said in creole, "When Jesus comes back for us or when we die and go to him."  

This confident hope is our anchor. In Haiti, the believers are not blinded by wealth and comfort. There, they have a raw Acts chapter 2 type of faith. They know everything else is unreliable -- everything except our confident hope!

3. IT PURIFIES OUR WALK

There's something about reminding ourselves of Jesus' promised return that moves us from being lukewarm to regaining a faith that is on fire with passion to serve him. Since 2000 years have gone by, we're easily lulled into sleep and complacency -- or even sinful compromise -- because we've lost any sense of urgency. 

When we study Bible prophecy and are reminded that He is a promise-keeper, and that many of the signs of His return have been falling into place the past 70 or so years, we begin to live with more excitement, purpose, purity, and commitment. I am thoroughly convinced that the enemy desperately wants to get our focus off of Christ's return because he knows it leads to a victorious Christian walk and another important aspect of our faith...

4. IT PUSHES US TO SHARE OUR FAITH

We tend to share our faith more effectively and more often if there's a sense of urgency. The Bible teaches that the rapture is imminent (can happen any moment) and we see the conditions falling into into place for everything end-times related.

A careful, non-sensationalistic study of Bible prophecy reminds us that there are still many people we know who have not heard the Gospel. Perhaps the Lord has brought someone to mind even as you read this. Don't wait. Tell them about Christ.

5. IT HELPS PEOPLE MAKE SENSE OF THE WORLD

There's no denying our world is going crazy right now. I recently launched a Bible Prophecy Survey and one of the key areas of focus that came up again and again was global instability. 

It's the elephant in the room. These are scary times. But it all makes sense when viewed through the grid of Bible prophecy. What we see today is EXACTLY what Bible prophecy unveils for the end-times.

CONCLUSION

I believe that a careful study of Bible prophecy is extremely healthy and necessary for Christians today. Focusing our attention on the Lord's return will help move our faith from an arid wasteland to one that is growing and thriving.  

An accurate view of Bible prophecy is truly relevant for everyday life and ministry.

He Shall not Eat of the Holy Things Till He be Clean - Leviticus 22:4
Sep 22nd, 2019
Morning MeditationF. B. Meyer
Categories: Commentary;Inspirational;Book Study

The holy things referred to here are the offerings made by Israel to Jehovah, a part of which was presented to God in fire, and the rest partaken of by the priests and their families. None, however, might feed on them whilst ceremonially unclean. This suggests some useful precautious for ourselves, if we would fully enjoy the privileges and blessings attending the worship of the holy God.

We must be clean before we can enjoy the private reading of the Word of God. - We would wash our hands, soiled with the dust and grime of toil, before opening an exquisitely printed copy of the Scriptures; how much more should we seek cleansing at the hands of Christ before we feed on the holy things of Scripture!

We must be clean before entering the House of God. - It is a holy habit for each intended worshipper to be quiet before leaving the house on the Lord's day; or to use carefully the moment of the bent head at the commencement of the public service, in order that the soul may be made clean from any contracted stain, and resolve henceforth to abstain from all evil.

We must be clean before partaking of the Lord's Supper. - There we feed upon the bread of God; and as we wash our hands before we sit at the table of a friend, so should our hearts be cleansed ere we partake of the emblems of the body and blood of Christ. Holiness becomes God's house. Those that ascend the hill of the Lord must have clean hands and a pure heart. The reason why religious exercises do not profit you, may lie in your failure to comply with this demand. "He shall not eat of the holy things until he be clean."