Daily Archives: March 8, 2023

News and Info

Trump Is Leader of Republican Party… and America

Leave a comment

Trump Is Leader of Republican Party… and America

 

As the next presidential election approaches, the leader of the Republican Party, and America, is Donald Trump.

In 2015, the Republican Party was dead.  There was no clear leader and little enthusiasm even as the end of Barack Obama’s presidency was on the horizon.  Republicans suffered convincing losses in the two previous presidential elections, and a Bush versus Clinton rematch reincarnate was plausible for a time.  The party’s 2014 midterm election gains were more of a referendum on Barack Obama than an endorsement of the Republican Party.  But the key reason those scenarios were short-lived was because of Donald Trump.

While the Democrats, media, and Republican establishment (now referred to as the Uniparty) were busy mocking Trump’s candidacy, he was energizing and awakening a previously dormant base of the electorate.  The base, which eventually became known as “the forgotten man,” was composed of right-leaning Americans who felt they did not have a champion who was truly fighting for them.  Trump was at first a breath of fresh air.  But when the shock of his candidacy transitioned into reality, it became clear he was the pro-America candidate Americans had been longing for since Ronald Reagan.

After all this time, the Uniparty is still hard at work.  It’s no secret that left-leaning networks such as CNN or MSNBC hold strong anti-Trump biases.  However, many exclude Fox News when they mention biased mainstream networks.  Fox has always wanted to keep hold of the Trump base while distancing themselves from Trump himself, so seeing them promote a potential Trump opponent is not surprising.  As Governor DeSantis cruised to reelection victory this past November, Fox quickly anointed him as the new king of the GOP and celebrated his victory with noticeable delight.  It felt coordinated, as though they could hardly wait to crown him in front of a national audience.  But there was a crucial element they did not mention: Ron DeSantis is in the position he is in because of Donald Trump.

In the 2018 Florida Governor Republican Primary, DeSantis was trailing mightily to Adam Putnam.  Trump’s endorsement saved DeSantis, which landed him the nomination and eventually proved to be the difference in his slim victory in the general election.  Trump delivered a victory for DeSantis in a way DeSantis himself couldn’t.  Only a legitimate leader could have such a powerful influence on the electorate.

Despite Trump sporting a 91% endorsement success rate, (which shenanigans prevented from being higher) somehow the Paul Ryan directed, Karl Rove contributed Fox News continues to inform their viewership that Trump hurts the party and that he is to blame for its shortcomings.  Ryan has called Trump a “proven loser,” and stated he will not attend the 2024 Republican National Convention in his home state of Wisconsin unless the party nominates someone other than Trump.  Not exactly indicative of an unbiased media outlet.

The greatest disappointment regarding Fox’s analysis is that it ignores reality: Election fraud, unconstitutional changes to election law, and other irregularities are what has cost Republicans the last two elections, not Trump.  In fact, if not for Trump’s ability to generate such significant enthusiasm across America, election integrity wouldn’t even be on the Republican agenda, since the obvious lengths gone to in order to defeat Trump and the candidates he endorses is what makes the issue so undeniable.  Fox’s refusal to take potential election fraud into account indicates they shouldn’t blame anybody but themselves for their overzealous midterm predictions.

In addition to the media, the Establishment continues to prove how out of touch they are with the American people.  Nikki Haley, the only non-Trump candidate to officially enter the race, believes it is time for “a new generation” to lead the Republican Party.  Both Mike Pence and Mike Pompeo are mulling runs.  They both shared a similar sentiment to Haley.  Pence claims “The times call for different leadership.  I’m confident we’ll have better choices than my old running mate.” Pompeo says we need “leaders who are looking forward … not claiming victimhood.” All three have spent many more years in government than Trump and never came close to rivaling the support he has and are primarily known for their time in the Trump Administration.  So, if they truly believe America needs to cut Trump ties, wouldn’t that disqualify themselves?

In regard to a potential DeSantis run, recent predictions and compliments from those rejected by the Republican base will solidify Trump as the only clear anti-establishment candidate, if there was any doubt.  And unlike previous eras in history, Republicans now prefer candidates with a shorter track record of government service because the distrust of elected officials and government agencies continues to rise.

Beyond the Republican Party, every day under the Biden Administration proves Trump is still America’s strongest leader even after leaving office.  One of the most important roles of the Presidency is to comfort those suffering.  As we witnessed calamity unfold in East Palestine, Ohio, it was fitting that Joe Biden delivered a speech in Ukraine to comfort its citizens on the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion.  America Last.

While Biden was in Ukraine, Trump not only brought comfort to the people of East Palestine, but also leadership and resources.  After Trump’s visit, FEMA reversed course from an earlier decision where they deemed the state “ineligible” to receive federal resources.  A federal agency acting only after Trump did is as vital a sign of strength, influence, and leadership as can be.

Despite Americans becoming less supportive of U.S. involvement in overseas conflict, a multinational conflict is brewing.  You may remember doomsday predictions about Trump starting World War 3 (how ironic looking back now).  Instead, he went on to broker numerous international peace deals, while Russia exhibited more restraint than during other recent periods.  Trump was also able to bring North Korea to the negotiating table after previous administrations failed to.  Is there a better leader for these contentious times than a president whose term did not involve the U.S. entering any new wars, especially as Ukraine begins to suggest American soldiers will soon die?

The greatest leaders are ahead of the curve.  They set the trend, not follow it.  Trump was the first to address border security in 2016, suggest the U.S. getting along with Putin would be a net-positive, that Covid came from a lab leak in Wuhan, and that mass mail-in voting would be disastrous.  He has been proven right time and again, and as his predictions unfold, he sturdily withstands the media backlash.

In 2016, the only candidate willing to take on the establishment was Trump.  He was able to raise up “the forgotten man” in a way no career politician ever could.  After getting a taste of life under non-establishment rule, Americans desire that again perhaps now more than ever.

America has become a shell of its former self. When the opportunity to take back America arrives, a proven commodity is essential, and there is only one person with the track record to prove they are up for the job.  President Trump is a trusted leader who has the hearts of the people at a level nobody else can match. Once again, it’s Trump versus the Establishment.

 

By Matt Kane

Source: Trump Is Leader of Republican Party… and America – American Thinker

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — God’s Powerful Presence

Leave a comment

Bible in a Year:

The Lord announces the word, and the women who proclaim it are a mighty throng.

Psalm 68:11

Today’s Scripture & Insight:

Psalm 68:4–14

In 2020, celebrations marked the one hundredth anniversary of the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave women the right to vote. Old photographs show marchers with banners emblazoned with the words of Psalm 68:11: “The Lord giveth the word. The women that publish the tidings are a great host” (asv).

In Psalm 68, David describes God as the One who leads the oppressed from their captivity (v. 6), refreshing and renewing His weary people from His bountiful riches (vv. 9–10). In this psalm’s thirty-five verses, David references God forty-two times, revealing how He’s constantly been with them, at work to rescue them from injustice and suffering. And a mighty throng of women proclaim this truth (v. 11).

Whether the women who marched for voting rights fully understood all that Psalm 68 was declaring, their banners proclaimed a timeless truth. God, the “father to the fatherless” and “a defender of widows” (v. 5), goes out before His people leading them to places of blessing, refreshment, and joy.

Be encouraged today, remembering that God’s presence has always been with His people, and in a special way with the vulnerable and suffering. As in the past through His Spirit, God is still powerfully present with us today.

By:  Lisa M. Samra

Reflect & Pray

How have you experienced God’s care during a difficult struggle? What encouragement does that bring you?

Father, thank You for Your constant presence in my life, guiding me and fighting for me when I face suffering and injustice.

http://www.odb.org

John MacArthur

Grace to You; John MacArthur – Confessing Your Sins

Leave a comment

“I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed” (Dan. 9:4).

Confession brings forgiveness and guards God’s character.

Confessing your sins means you agree with God that you have offended His holy character, are worthy of punishment, and in need of forgiveness. That’s exactly what we see Daniel doing in verses 5-16. Verse 20 summarizes his prayer: “I was speaking and praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God.”

Unlike some who suffer God’s chastening, Daniel didn’t shift the blame for Israel’s calamity. Instead he admitted that his people had willfully disobeyed God’s Word and ignored His prophets, thereby bringing judgment upon themselves. Once they were a nation blessed by God; now they were aliens and captives in a foreign land. God had kept His promise to curse them if they disobeyed Him (Deut. 28:15).

In verses 12-15 Daniel analyzes the consequences of Israel’s sin, which included her captivity and the guilt she bore for her arrogance and reluctance to repent.

Verse 14 reflects perhaps the most important aspect of confession: Daniel’s affirmation that “the Lord our God is righteous with respect to all His deeds which He has done.” The Gentile nations knew that the Israelites were God’s chosen people. Surely the fall of Jerusalem raised questions about God’s character: What kind of God would stand idly by while His people are ravaged and His Temple plundered? What is the benefit of having a God like that? This, in effect, is Daniel’s response: “God is righteous in everything He does. We deserve this punishment, so don’t accuse Him of acting unjustly.”

Confession therefore serves a dual purpose: it brings forgiveness and frees God to chasten us without bringing accusations of inequity or injustice upon Himself.

Daniel’s prayer came at a special time in Israel’s history, but undoubtedly confession was a regular part of his life. That should be your pattern as well. Don’t wait until disaster strikes before you confess your sin. Make it a daily practice.

Suggestions for Prayer

If you have not developed a systematic approach to prayer, the “ACTS” format is a good way to start.

  • Adoration—praising God
  • Confession—confessing sin
  • Thanksgiving—thanking God
  • Supplication—praying for others

For Further Study

Read about David’s sin in 2 Samuel 11:1—12:25 and his confession in Psalm 51. What are the similarities and differences between David’s confession and Daniel’s?

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur

http://www.gty.org/

Joyce Meyer

Joyce Meyer – Let Go of the Past; Look to the Future

Leave a comment

If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just (true to His own nature and promises) and will forgive our sins [dismiss our lawlessness] and [continuously] cleanse us from all unrighteousness [everything not in conformity to His will in purpose, thought, and action].

— 1 John 1:9 (AMPC)

It is useless to worry about anything and doubly useless to worry about something that is over and done with and that nothing can be done about. If you made a mistake in the past that can be rectified, then go ahead and take action to correct it. But if you cannot do anything about it except be sorry, then ask for forgiveness from God and anyone you may have hurt and don’t worry about it any longer.

Let me remind you that worry is useless, so why do it? God has given us wisdom, and a wise person will not spend their time doing something that produces nothing of any value.

There are many wonderful scriptures in the Bible that teach us to let go of the past and look to the future. We’re reminded to forget what is behind and keep our eyes facing forward, on God and His plan for us (see Phil. 3:13). We can find peace in the knowledge that God’s compassion and kindness are new every morning and that His faithfulness is abundant (see Lam. 3:22–23). Also, we must never forget that He is able to overcome our mistakes and do far more than we could ever imagine that He could do for us (see Ephesians 3:16, 20). God has provided a way for your past to have zero power over you, but it is up to you to receive His gracious gifts of forgiveness, mercy, and a new beginning.

Don’t allow mistakes in your past to fester and threaten your future. When you ask God to forgive you for something that you have done wrong, He is faithful and just to do it. He continuously cleanses us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:9). It’s forgiven and forgotten—but you must do the same!

When you hear the word past what’s the first memory or thought that comes to mind? If it is something that makes you feel guilty, then pray and ask God to help you let go and trust He has great things in your future.

Prayer of the Day: Thank You, Father, that I can come to You, ask forgiveness for all my past mistakes, and then let them go, with Your help, amen.

http://www.joycemeyer.org

Alistair Begg

Truth for Life; Alistair Begg – A Path of Peace

Leave a comment

When he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19:41-42

Here is an opportunity to look, in the words of some past theologians, into “the human face of God.”

As the Son of God entered the city of God, Jerusalem, He wept. Why? He was shedding tears of compassion for its people, on account of the judgment that awaited them. Jesus loved the city, and He knew that the people who greeted Him did not understand the kind of peace He would bring—the peace that comes with knowing Him—and that many would reject Him and the offer of peace that He brought.

It wasn’t that the Jews were disinterested in peace. Indeed, they longed for it. But they thought it would come militarily or politically—that Jesus’ arrival would bring them triumph over the Roman authorities. They thought the peace they needed most was a horizontal peace. They didn’t know that in their desire for that peace they were in fact rejecting the message Jesus was bringing and the offer of a great peace He was making. On account of their ignorance and their blindness, then, Jesus wept.

In many ways, we are no different from the Jews who witnessed that first Holy Week. By nature, we experience the same blindness because of our sin. We tend to think of sin in terms of what we shouldn’t have done but have, or what we’ve failed to do even though we know we should. But in actual fact sin is a condition before it is an action. It blinds us to any awareness that we are at enmity with God. We cannot see our need for peace with God. We cannot see that all the other ways in which we lack peace horizontally stem ultimately from our lack of that vertical peace with our Maker. We cannot see the provision that has been made for peace through Jesus.

This lack of peace pervades individual hearts as well as families, communities, and nations. Only a relationship with the Prince of Peace can show us that He who once came to conquer sin and will come again to rule and reign as King also came as a prophet to speak into our ignorance and blindness.

The Bible says that it is first in knowing peace with God that we discover the peace of God—and that peace has been granted in the person and work of Jesus. So, meditate on the peace that you enjoy with your Creator because of the death and resurrection of His Son. Give thanks that His Spirit has opened your eyes to that which was hidden by sin from the city of Jerusalem. And pray that your heart would be as compassionate as His was, so that you weep over those who are seeking peace everywhere except where it may truly be found, and so that your tears cause you to hold out the offer of the peace that Jesus came to give and died to make.

Questions for Thought

How is God calling me to think differently?

How is God reordering my heart’s affections — what I love?

What is God calling me to do as I go about my day today?

Further Reading

Colossians 1:15-23

Topics: Jesus Christ Peace Sin

Devotional material is taken from the Truth For Life daily devotional by Alistair Begg,

http://www.truthforlife.org

Denison Forum

Denison Forum – Tennessee passes nation’s first law limiting drag shows

Leave a comment

Tennessee has become the first state to explicitly ban drag shows in public places. Gov. Bill Lee signed the provision into law prohibiting “adult cabaret performances” that include “male or female impersonators” in areas where minors could watch. Similar laws have been introduced in at least fourteen other states.

However, Gov. Lee was criticized after a photo surfaced on Reddit that seems to be the governor wearing a dress from a 1977 Franklin High Yearbook.

A spokesman from the high school said the photo “appeared to be Lee” but noted there was no name under it. A spokesman for the governor responded: “The bill specifically protects children from obscene, sexualized entertainment, and any attempt to conflate this serious issue with lighthearted school traditions is dishonest and disrespectful to Tennessee families.”

In similar news, Texas state Rep. Nate Schatzline, a Republican, recently authored a bill that would restrict drag performances in the state. Then, according to NBC News, a video surfaced that appears to show him “skipping, running, and dancing in a park while donning a black sequined dress and a red eye mask.”

Schatzline, a first-term state representative and former pastor, responded: “Y’all really going crazy over me wearing a dress as a joke back in school for a theater project? Yah, that’s not a sexually explicit drag show…lol y’all will twist ANYTHING.”

If our faith does not change our lives

When we don’t like the message, our first instinct is to attack the messenger. This is called the “ad hominem” (“against the man”) fallacy: instead of addressing a person’s argument or position, we irrelevantly attack the person making the argument.

This reaction is so pervasive because it is so effective. At the very least, it distracts from the issue at hand. More often, it undermines the moral authority of the person making a moral argument and encourages their critics to justify rejecting their position.

Since this reaction is, in fact, illogical, I am tempted to dismiss those who employ it to reject biblical morality (such as the news in today’s Daily Article regarding gender and clothing; cf. Deuteronomy 22:5). But there’s more to the story.

A valid way to measure a truth claim is to ask if it does what it claims to do. In the case of Christianity, the Bible is clear: “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

As a result, if our faith does not change our lives, others have the right to question whether our faith will change their lives. “Do as I say, not as I do” was not welcome advice from our parents, much less from those who profess moral standards they claim to be superior to our own.

Why Satan divorces Sunday from Monday

Yesterday, we discussed our secularized culture’s euphemistic strategies for normalizing and advancing immorality. Abortion is “lifesaving” care (though only for a very tiny percentage of women whose pregnancies actually threaten their lives), sex change surgeries are “gender-affirming care,” and so on.

In addition, when we stand for biblical truth in contrast to the prevailing social norms, we can expect “ad hominem” arguments against us by the legion.

As a result, the more unpopular our argument, the more important our personal character.

The more we seek to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), the more we need to love the One whose truth we speak. The more intimate our relationship with Jesus, the more our words will align with our works and our lives will draw others to him (Matthew 5:16).

This is one reason our spiritual enemy tries so hard to divorce Sunday from Monday and the spiritual from the secular. If we try to practice what we preach without the transforming power of the Spirit, we will soon stop preaching and we will eventually stop practicing.

“We have a new Moses, God himself”

My purpose today is not to discourage you but to encourage you. Actually, it is to discourage you if you are trying to serve your Lord without surrendering each day to his Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Your life will inevitably contradict your message and God’s kingdom will suffer.

But it is to encourage you if you are depending intentionally on Jesus to manifest himself in and through you (cf. John 15:5). In that case, he promises, you will be able to stand boldly before your critics because your Lord will “give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:15).

To this end, let’s close with St. John Chrysostom’s (AD 347–407) reflection contrasting the miracles experienced by the Jews during their exodus with the miracles experienced by followers of Jesus: “The Israelites passed through the sea; you have passed from death to life. They were delivered from the Egyptians; you have been delivered from the powers of darkness. The Israelites were freed from slavery to a pagan people; you have been freed from the much greater slavery to sin.”

He continued: “The Lord was with them because of the favor he showed to Moses; now he is with us, but not simply because of your obedience. After Egypt they dwelt in desert places; after your departure you will dwell in heaven. Their great leader and commander was Moses; we have a new Moses, God himself, as our leader and commander.”

Who is your “leader and commander” today?

Denison Forum

John Hagee

Hagee Ministries; John Hagee –  Daily Devotion

Leave a comment

Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.” Most of us can quote the familiar words of the “Serenity Prayer” penned by American theologian, Reinhold Niebuhr. To anyone who has ever struggled with change, it can prove exceedingly difficult, and like Niebuhr, we know that it requires courage.

Even Paul, battle-hardened apostle though he was, declared himself a wretched man. “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice” (Romans 7:19).

The first step towards change is admitting the issue. While it sounds simple enough, we recognize our humanity. We blame; we avoid; we ignore; we justify; we put off the inevitable. Whining about what we wish to change is futile. Ignoring what we are afraid to change leaves us powerless.

We cannot change what we will not confront. Often, calling the issue for what it is – putting a name to it – brings it out of the darkness into the light of Jesus’ love, and it breaks the power of it to harm. Satan does his best work under cover of night. When we bring our situations boldly to the throne of grace, Satan’s lies drop powerless in the presence of God’s absolute truth.

Once we confront, change requires commitment, a walking it out by faith. First Corinthians 3:9 refers to us as co-laborers with Christ. He does not leave us to confront and change on our own. When we come to the end of our puny self-discipline, His strength is perfected in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). He supernaturally accomplishes what we are helpless to address in our own strength. With Paul the apostle, we can then proclaim: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).

That conflict in which you are engaged? That secret sin with which you struggle? That situation from which you cannot escape? In the power of Christ, confront it today. Call it by name. Bring it into the light. Rise up like a warrior intent on victory. Do not let the fear of change diminish the plans God has for you. He alone gives power to overcome.

Today’s Blessing: 

Heavenly Father, I confess my need to You. With Your help, I call out what I have not been able to confront. Break the power of it in my life. Set me free. Walk me through the battle, step by step, until I emerge victorious. All glory belongs to You in the name of Jesus! Amen.

Today’s Bible Reading: 

Old Testament

Numbers 10:1-11:23

New Testament 

Mark 14:1-21

Psalms & Proverbs

Psalm 51:1-19

Proverbs 10:31-32

https://www.jhm.org

Turning Point

Turning Point; David Jeremiah – Living in Confidence

Leave a comment

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man…. For the Lord will be your confidence…. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence.
Psalm 118:8; Proverbs 3:26; 14:26

 Recommended Reading: Psalm 118:5-9

A psychologist in Melbourne, Australia, told ABC Everyday that “keeping promises ‘is an incredibly important aspect’ of maintaining a healthy and secure relationship—and ‘that applies to all forms of relationships whether it be romantic, intimate, professional, or parental.’” Broken promises “can lead to trust rupturing, which can very quickly fracture a relationship.”[1]

If you’re suffering the pain of ruptured trust, here’s a comforting fact: God keeps His promises to His people! Even when we don’t know how He can do it, we can trust Him because of the fidelity of His nature. He Himself is our confidence. He “is not slack concerning His promise” (2 Peter 3:9).

Remember, it’s important to read the Bible carefully, taking every promise in its context. We shouldn’t twist God’s words to mean whatever we want. But when we have accurately understood one of His promises, we can stand on it and rejoice with confidence!

God does not change, nor do the glories of His person and the salvation He engineered for us. God’s promises are as dependable as He is.
Sheila Walsh

https://www.davidjeremiah.org

Greg Laurie

Harvest Ministries; Greg Laurie – The Value of Your Life

Leave a comment

It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command. 

—Hebrews 11:23

Scripture:

Hebrews 11:23 

All parents think their children are beautiful, but Moses was extraordinarily so. The Bible tells us that his parents “saw that God had given them an unusual child” (Hebrews 11:23 NLT). Or, as the New King James Version translates it, “He was a beautiful child.”

Apparently, Moses was exceptional in the way he looked. However, in the original language, the word translated “beautiful” also implies that he was cheerful. And when Stephen addressed the Sanhedrin, he said that Moses was “a beautiful child in God’s eyes” (Acts 7:20 NLT). In other words, God had a special purpose for his life.

So, not only was this child beautiful, but he had a purpose. God singled out Moses. And in the same way, God has a purpose for you, a special plan that is unique to you.

God called Jeremiah to be a prophet before Jeremiah was born. He said, “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5 NLT).

That’s why it is such a tragedy in our world that so many lives of unborn children, living souls made in the image of God, have been taken. Among those millions there may have been someone to change our world, someone to make a significant impact on our culture.

The psalmist David wrote, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed” (Psalm 139:16 NLT).

Have you ever stopped and wondered why God has preserved you up to this point? Maybe you have had a close brush with death or an illness that you weren’t supposed to survive. Yet here you are right now. Just as God had a plan for Moses, God has a plan for you.

Harvest.org | Greg Laurie