Mark can be reached here.




14 Dec

China Expanding Persecution Of Religious People, Says US Ambassador

Radio Free Asia carries the reaction of the US State Dept. over the story below.

This is a growing pattern of persecution undertaken by Xi to communize China and turn back the clock to the days of Mao.

Arrested Sichuan House Church Members Criminally Charged

12/14/2018 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that after more than 100 members were arrested during the December 9 crackdown on Sichuan’s Autumn Rain Covenant Church in China, several detained leaders have been criminally charged.

Both Pastor Wang Yi and his wife Jiang Rong have been detained for allegedly inciting subversion of state power, a crime that can result in imprisonment of five years, but up to 15 years in extreme cases. Wang has not yet been allowed to meet with lawyers or family members. Jiang was issued “residential surveillance at a designated location,” where she could be held for as long as six months in facilities commonly known as secret prisons, subject to torture and abuse.

Elder Li Yingqiang who was responsible for posting updates and prayer requests online for the church, has been detained for allegedly picking a quarrel and inciting trouble on the internet. Additionally, deacon Ge Yingfeng and Lu Jinheng were detained for alleged illegal operations, according to South China Morning Post.

In the meantime, more than 50 seminary students from the church were sent to a “re-education camp.” However, they were released and sent home, accompanied by local officials after praying and worshipping for more than 48 hours under surveillance.

The church’s Facebook page was last updated on December 10 with prayer requests. Due to security concerns, the official prayer request updates are now shared through other social media channels to prevent local police from targeting more members.

In spite of the turmoil, many members continue to gather in homes for their weekly small groups. Videos and photos shared by Brent Pinkall on Facebook demonstrate the perseverance of these Christians as they sing praises and read the Bible together.

Although still under house arrest, Pastor Jin Tianming of Beijing’s heavily persecuted Shouwang church issued a statement in support of Pastor Wang Yi and Autumn Rain Covenant Church. He said, “When I read Pastor Wang Yi's statement on his faith [issued 48 hours after his arrest], my heart was touched. I will say honestly in the Lord, his stance with respect to the church-state relations, is also my stance.”

He continued to call on Christians to "lift up our hands for Pastor Wang Yi and remember Autumn Rain Covenant Church [in prayers]!"

Gina Goh, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “While trumped up charges against Christians can land them in prison, the faith they live out will never be extinguished by the evil schemes of the communist government. We are closely following the plight and pleas of these Chinese Christians and will continue to raise awareness in order for the international community to rally behind them.” 

For interviews, please contact Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator: press@persecution.org

About ICC
International Christian Concern is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused on human rights, religious freedom and assisting the persecuted Christian Church around the world. 

Media Contact
Olivia Miller, Communications Coordinator
E-mail: press@persecution.org 
Phone: (301)-859-3842

13 Dec

Nehemiah IX

Upon hearing the consistent report coming into Nehemiah's group of builders that there would be serious efforts to not only disrupt the work but do so by violence, Nehemiah had to come up with a plan. He armed the people with the weapons of the day, swords, spears and bows. This was a no nonsense threat and Nehemiah, took a no-nonsense approach in response. There were whole families in his care and the passage seems to indicate that everyone who was capable, carried some kind of weapon. K &D makes it clear however, that the underlying text of verse 13 is near untranslatable, but they have done their best. I do not want to digress here, but I do want to make it plain that it is not 100% clear just what the meaning of verse 13 is.  I won't bore you with the linguistics -  the passage is difficult and the meaning while probably correctly gives us the gist of what is meant by the author, may be missing some critical element.

Nehemiah was a man who was an incredible leader, quite underrated I think in the Biblical hall of fame. He was threatened on all sides, had a near impossible task to complete, began to have some discouraged souls in his midst but sill kept on pushing ahead with the task that God had given him to do. In Verse fourteen, he gives the Jews a much needed pep-talk so that they are not overcome with fear or dread at the plots of Tobiah and Sanballat. He reminds them who they are working for, the Lord and that they need to remember that God knows how to protect his people. He also reminds them that their are their families to think of. These 'terrorists' (if I can call Tobiah and Sanballat and their band that) probably would not stop at just killing the men, but would almost certainly kill the women and children who were with them as well. Nehemiah did what every real man of God does when facing significant opposition. He does does what I like the to call the three F's...

He casts out Fear from his heart and mind.
He puts is Faith in God.
Then he Faces his problems head on.

These things Nehemiah did and enjoined those around him to to the same. The key here was Nehemiah reminded them where their strength was and whose protecting hand they were under. When I get down and discouraged, when troubles beset me and my enemies gang up on me, I always go back to the Psalms. David's like was full of events and troubles that made him set them down to song.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 
(Psalms 23:4, KJV)

A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?
the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh,
 they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me,
my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me,
in this will I be confident.
(Psa 27:1-3)

May all of us, in times of opposition remember our God, keep to the path he has told us to walk on and he will be with us in and through our tribulations.

And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us,
and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall,
every one unto his work. And it came to pass from that time forth,
that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them
 held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons;
 and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.  They which builded on the wall,
 and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands
wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
(Neh 4:15-17)

Nehemiah was warned in time to avert a disaster and the surprise factor in the plans of Nehemiah's enemies now removed, their plans now came to nothing. This allowed them to get right back to work, rebuilding the wall. Everyone got back to work, but with one important distinction. This time, they did the work while armed. It was clear to the leaders and the workers that threat against them was a serious one, a life threatening one and they were taking no chances. I suspect that what Nehemiah as doing was two fold. First he wanted to be sure than any future surprise attack would be met with force. Second,  I think he realized that if his enemies saw how they were armed and ready, that show of force would make them think twice about any further mischief. Nehemiah understood the need for a sound defensive plan so he had rotating shifts one shift worked while the other stood guard and vice versa. For those of you who were wondering, the word for habergeons is a kind of ancient chainmail or corset or harness.

H8302
shiryôn  shiryân  shiryâh  shiryônâh
(shir) -yone', -yawn', -yaw', -yo-naw'
From H8281 in the original sense of turning; a corslet (as if twisted): - breastplate, coat of mail, habergeon, harness. See H5030.

What the passage here from verse 7 to the end of the chapter describes Nehemiah's use of watchmen, in this case, armed watchmen. Being a watchman is a key job, just as important as one who fights. He is job is to be the eyes of any body of people under threat. He has to stand at his post even when it's boring and there is nothing to see but a flock of birds or a deer feeding in the woods, he must stand watch and give the alarm when trouble is on its way. This may have been one of Nehemiah's initial failings. I note that others had to come to him and warn him of the rather extreme danger he was in. He appears to have been unprepared for it, but after the reports, he got prepared very quickly. Then only after he saw the real threat level, he took appropriate measures. Perhaps I am over analyzing the passage, but I tend to think not. Before the threat no one had arms; after, everyone had them.

For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded.
 And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
(Neh 4:18)

Image Source Wikipedia/Library of Congress

This is one passage my mother quoted to me once long ago. Why it comes to mind I don't know for I cannot fully recall the context. But she understood the need to fight when our lives are at risk. And they were all at risk. The trumpet of course was the trumpet of warning. The word here is Shophar.

H7782
shôphâr  shôphâr
sho-far', sho-far'
From H8231 in the original sense of incising; a cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn: - cornet, trumpet.

Nehemiah was taking no chances, he was fully prepared for trouble and was not about to be caught unawares again.

Here I want to lift just a bit from the JFB commentary on this passage. They seem to give us a brief portrait of Nehemiah that I think is instructive on how he reacted to this threat and a testament to the character of this man of God. Forgive me if this is a bit long, but I think this may help us understand him as we continue to move through this book.

The plot being discovered, Nehemiah adopted the most energetic measures for ensuring the common safety, as well as the uninterrupted building of the walls. Hitherto the governor, for the sake of dispatch, had set all his attendants and guards on the work - now half of them were withdrawn to be constantly in arms. The workmen labored with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other; and as, in so large a circuit, they were far removed from each other, Nehemiah (who was night and day on the spot, and, by his pious exhortations and example, animated the minds of his people) kept a trumpeter by his side, so that, on any intelligence of a surprise being brought to him, an alarm might be immediately sounded, and assistance rendered to the most distant detachment of their brethren.

By these vigilant precautions, the counsels of the enemy were defeated, and the work was carried on apace. God, when He has important public work to do, never fails to raise up instruments for accomplishing it, and in the person of Nehemiah, who, to great natural acuteness and energy added fervent piety and heroic devotion, He provided a leader, whose high qualities fitted him for the demands of the crisis. Nehemiah’s vigilance anticipated every difficulty, his prudent measures defeated every obstruction, and with astonishing rapidity this Jerusalem was made again “a city fortified.” - Jamieson, Fausset And Brown Commentary

I tend to think those years serving the King and often hearing the reports that came to the emperor from afar by his governors and generals by virtue of his position in the kings court, taught him some basics of political and even military strategy.

We will continue this most interesting book God willing, next week!!

12 Dec

Hate Watch

Avowed Neo-Nazi Gets Several Lifetimes In Jail For Murder

Man Arrested For Allegedly Plotting Synagogue Massacre

Neighbors Describe Arrest Of Another Alleged Ohio Terror Plotter

Nazi Themed Posters Found At NY University

Police Probe Assault On DJ By Alleged 'Skinhead' Group

Revenge Vowed Over Conviction Of Heyer's Murderer

Neo-Nazi Group Calls For Assassination Of Prince Harry Over Interracial Marriage

Hate Goes Mainstream With Miami Proud Boys

There is a lot of hate out there brothers and sisters... a lot of it. Hate, crazy and doped up Americans just seems to be more and more the new normal.

Young Men Of Color Join Right Wing Groups

Nothing could explain to Black America just the kinds of perils it is in than a piece like this piece from the Daily Beast. All of these young people from these different racial groups are ganging up on the Black man and blaming them for crime and their circumstances.

I just don't think Black folks get just the kinds of danger it is heading into. Social currents are moving ever further away from seeing Black Americans as victims but more as perpetrators and problems.

It is rather scary as I watch the whole Affirmative Action thing with this President and they clearly want to move against Blacks in this realm but keep the protections in place for women. But Affirmative Action has not helped the Black man.

For a long time I have been a kind of voice in the wilderness on these issues, warning that Black America and better get its collective act together, or a cold, cold wind will blow. That our departure from God and his principles that has been replaced with social cues that often come from the enemies of Black folks, those cues have done a number on Black America, from crime and prison stats, kids out of wedlock stats, education stats, public assistance stats we are at or near the bottom... consistently.

I have warned that many of the leaders of Black America are nothing more than 'Operation Chaos' stooges. Misleaders who were sent to mislead Black America right into funk we are in right now. Go and read about how they subverted the Woman's Rights movement in that piece I linked to What you don't think they haven't been doing that to Black Folks?

No, brothers I see big trouble ahead for Black Americans and their failure to deal with pressing issues in their own communities with answers that make sense and work, rather than slogans to elect a Democrat who won't do anything for them when they get into office anyway. The problem is a lack of courage in Black folks to call out these things, they are often too afraid, too cowardly of being seen as not in step with the rest of Black American culture.

My view is simple, we can fix these problems or our enemies will fix them for us and their solutions will not be ones that will be particularly pleasant for Black folks. These racists, far rightists are growing in power and stature globally. We had better be prepared for it with something more effective than the excuses of terminal victimologists whose rants have grown tiresome in the ears of many.

Yes, brothers I see a cold, cold wind blowing on a Black America who has forsaken the God who freed them from the slavery so many have already returned to.

The old slogans, blame games, refusal to take responsibility; the excuses, and whole 'victimology' of Black America has to be replaced with something more active, positive, constructive or what happened before...

... can happen again.

I am a realist, and right now that is what Black America needs. I confess, I am not that person, I don't think Black America's problems are solvable - not with the spiritual, cultural and psychological state Black America is currently in. Nor do I think anything but a major jolt of collective suffering will awaken the current culture. I am a realist enough to know a lost cause when I see one.

But we do need a realist who is not afraid to tackle issues that are negatively effecting Black America. A person who can identify the causes that emanate both from within and without of Black America. We don't need another pep talk or feel good session or one that praises the failures of the past as some kind of success story. More successes like some of the ones we praise and will all be wearing chains before long. Most Black folks still don't get it. They don't seem to want to deal in realities.

We must deal realistically with our problems or a new reality will descend upon us.

The folks on the far right fringes of America and the world who are now joining hands right now don't mean to bring Black folks anything but trouble.

11 Dec

Antisemitism And Today

One of the more troubling trends I see in our times today is the rise of antisemitic opinion. More and more as I hit the net and read various political and even religious views on the issues of our time, I am struck often shocked by the rabid antisemitism that is out there. The irrational hatred of the Jewish people and the rights of the Jewish people to have the same thing other people's have - their own homeland and nation. There is a deep, ancient and hard to understand hatred of the Jewish people that did not die with the Holocaust and Hitler, but seems to be getting new life on the digital highway of the internet.

These days, I cringe when I hear usually intelligent voices who espouse liberty and freedom go on their antisemitic rants. I literally cringe. For me, it is most disturbing, but not without historical precedent. We saw the same ideas begin to formulate long before Hitler rose to power in Germany. He could not have risen to power if the antisemitic 'groundwork' had already been laid in Germany. But the kinds of antisemitism that came to the fore in the early 20th century had both German and even French origins.

Joseph Arthur de Gobineau (14 July 1816 – 13 October 1882) was a French aristocrat who is best known today for helping to legitimise racism by use of scientific racist theory and "racial demography" and for his developing the theory of the Aryan master race. Known to his contemporaries as a novelist, diplomat and travel writer, Gobineau was an elitist who, in the immediate aftermath of the Revolutions of 1848, wrote a 1400-page book, An Essay on the Inequality of the Human Races, in which he claimed that aristocrats were superior to commoners and that they possessed more Aryan genetic traits because of less interbreeding with inferior races (Alpines and Mediterraneans).

Gobineau's writings were quickly praised by white supremacist, pro-slavery Americans like Josiah C. Nott and Henry Hotze, who translated his book into English but omitted around 1000 pages of the original book, including those parts that negatively described Americans as a racially mixed population. Gobineau's writings were also influential on prominent anti-Semites such as Richard Wagner, Wagner's son-in-law Houston Stewart Chamberlain, the Romanian politician professor A. C. Cuza, and leaders of the Nazi Party, who later edited and re-published his work.- Wikipedia

Antisemitism was in many circles, in fashion among the powerful and rich and this is key - the educated, the opinion makers of the day. Those who had a lot of learning bought into these racial and anti-Jewish conspiracy theories. But just as it was then we are seeing many of the same things today. The hate, the crazy idea's and the madness are all repeating themselves in many of the same ways. We have all heard of the BDS movement (Boycott Divestment Sanctions) in the world today against Israel. It's a global boycott campaign aimed at the Jews in Israel. Boycotts of Jewish interests is nothing new. They did it in Nazi Germany. Here is a transcript of a radio broadcast that took place during Hitlers reign that called for just such a boycott.

No brothers, this is a variation on the same antisemitic theme of yesteryear and thankfully, I am not the only one who see's it (this link is particularly good).

Brothers, I am a very careful observer of these things and am a bit of a student of the Third Reich and Nazism. I may not hold classes at Harvard or Yale, but I have taken a tremendous amount of time reading and learning about that dark chapter in history because I know despite what people say, it can happen again. The saddest part that I see today is the lack of historical understanding and knowledge that is out there, the pop-culture history that people believe about the Nazi's, it too often turns the events into a silly caricature, a comic strip or even a joke. They don't seem to care or often seem to want to know about what the Nazi's really did to Jews and just about anyone that did not agree with them. They made you a slave, conducted horrific medical experiments on you and then gassed you... millions of people, men, women and yes children.

This is why we need to understand a few things. First that this mindset is a long running one. It goes back centuries. Second, it always finds a few adherents with deep pockets who have their own agenda and reasons for promulgating these racial theories that target the Jews. In the Middle Ages, it was often to rid themselves of debts that rich noblemen and kings had accumulated, because about the only trade that was allowed for Jews to engage in back in those days was money lending. It was those debts that was the source of many problems for Jews living in the Middle Ages.

Stairs of Death: Source Wikipedia
It was the German need for labor during the Second World war that caused many to become slaves in the German war industry. The Nazi's had a policy of 'extermination by labor'. They literally worked people to death.

The image to the right are the stairs of death at Mauthausen Concentration Camp, The practice of using slave labor was widespread in Nazi Germany. Here is a list of the companies that used it. Some are still household names.

My point here is not to go over history but to make this most important and often ignored point. Racist views like Antisemitism and the anti-Black racism of the deep south have their root in economics. Money was a key driver for these racist views. In the middle ages it was debt, in the Nazi era it was slave labor for their armaments  factories and in the Deep South it was slave labor for agriculture. Once the financial need is identified, an 'intellectual justification' can be created to institute and continue the economic exploitation. Hence obtuse racial theories have been put forward by crackpot scientists who use their fancy degree's and high sounding titles to justify the economic exploitation of millions.

It all boils down to money and how the rich and powerful are able to put forward a lie that make some rich. But antisemitism, unlike Black slavery in the Deep South took on a form that went far beyond economics. It took a life of its own and later became a policy of total extermination of Jews.

Today, antisemitism is real and it is a growing cancer in our world. It is particularly so in Europe. In Germany where one would think Hitler and the Holocaust would have permanently cured them of such views, it is once again taking root.

In Germany we have seen the rise of many new forms of antisemitism. This is something I pointed out to readers some time ago back even before the first boats of immigrants who were arriving in Europe was making news. It was happening, but no one would cover the story at first. Then later when people started asking a lot of questions, they started covering it.

I said back then that what would happen would be a rise in antisemitism as millions of Muslims flooded Europe, many of whom hold decidedly antisemitic views. I also said that it would give rise to a new far right and give them all the political ammunition they needed to rise to power. We have seen these two trends take root years later. I was considered a 'nut job' for pointing it out and even some readers here got on my case about what I said. Yet look at Europe now.

Why Is Anti-Semitism Returning to Germany?

Antisemitism In Germany

The rise of the far right and the infusion of so many immigrants who are decidedly culturally different was a mixture that could only produce the kinds of political chaos and dark trends of hate and even violence that we see today. What Merkel did with her ill conceived policy was to pour nitro and glycerine into a bottle, shake it up and dared it not to explode.

But now that we are in an explosive situation, where rising hate and intolerance, antisemitism and far right parties are gaining political ground.

Where does that leave the Jews and Israel, for despite the careful moves by some to de-link antisemitism and anti-Israelism, the linkage is clear on one key and pivotal point - each are predominantly Jewish and in the lexicon of hate, both are objects of the most vile and disgusting propaganda. If they are eventually successful in de-linking the two, it will only be temporary because the hate that is behind antisemitism is a deep, dark spirit that is not reasonable; it is relentless in its violence, hatred and evil.

It's prophetic significance cannot be ignored. We see the imgary of antisemitism all through bible prophecy, particularly in the last days where the women who gives birth to the Messiah and how it is the devil himself who is behind her persecution.

 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth,
he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child.
 And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle,
 that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place,
where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time,
from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of
 his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he
might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the
earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth,
and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of
his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman,
and went to make war with the remnant of her seed,
which keep the commandments of God, and have
the testimony of Jesus Christ.
(Rev 12:13-17 [KJV])

Here we see the real source of antisemitism, it's the devil. We also see that in the last days, the spirit of antisemitism will only get worse.

I have often wondered about the 'flood' that the devil uses against the woman (clearly a type of Israel). I don't know but would surmise that since the origin of the flood is from the mouth of the dragon and it is with the mouth that his lies are uttered, I suspect that it may be a flood of lies and propaganda that will be used to help destroy Israel and the Jews.

One thing I can tell you is this  - and most people don't believe it because they are a victim of it - propaganda works  - it works remarkably well. There are those who see it and those who don't and in our times only a select few can really see it. If you really want to see it and better understand it take some time and a few bucks, and read this book. If you do, you will never forget it. Who controls you, your convictions, your attitudes, your loves and hates? How do they do it and why can't most people recognize it and how others are using these things to a desired end - theirs not ours.

This is why antisemitism worked so well in Nazi Germany; there was a clear, concise and devilishly effective campaign of propaganda that, over several years had people believing the most foul lies and foolishness about the Jews. How? Propaganda works. Oh, sure these days we have more adept and less emotionally charged and far more politically acceptable names for propaganda - Public Relations, political or social advertising, lobbying, etc. But it amounts to the same thing. The imposition of social and political ideas onto the masses that serves the interests of the propagandist. So when the flood comes out of the devils mouth, I don't think what will be coming out of it will be literal water, but a flood of propaganda and falsehoods that may one day be able to remove the Jews off of their homeland.

No brothers and sisters, I am troubled by the constant barrage of antisemitism in our world today and the way so many usually intelligent minds are seduced by it.

But hate is growing in America as well. We have problems, lots of them and not just with antisemitism.

The FBI released its hate crimes stats for 2017 this week and you can find the report here.

Below are a couple of charts I created from the raw data.

Data source FBI Hate Crimes Report for 2017



In closing let me make this clear. Hate of any kind has no place in the heart or mind of a Christian. Christ told us to love others, even those who hate us. Love is the word for Christians, not hate. Not any kind of hate.

Let none of us begin to be seduced by the words of the antisemitic propagandist, who will do his best to use good, well meaning people who posses a lack of history to create a tidal wave of hatred for the Jewish people.

They are busy today and I suspect will get even busier as the years pass.

6 Dec

Nehemiah Part VIII

But it came to pass, that when Sanballat, and Tobiah, and the Arabians,
and the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites, heard that the walls of Jerusalem
were made up, and that the breaches began to be stopped, then they were very wroth,
And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem,
and to hinder it.
(Neh 4:7-8)

In verse six we left off and after the mocking words of Nehemiah's detractors, of which Sanballat and Tobiah were chief. the Jews nevertheless pretty much ignored their words and kept on working on rebuilding the walls. But this passage also mentions the Arabians, The Ammonites and the Ashdodites as well. They too were not pleased at all over the rebuilding of the walls. The Arabians... Gill thinks that Geshem (Neh 2:19) was probably the leader of this faction. Tobiah appears to be the leader of the Ammonite faction, and as far as the Ashdodites, let's remember that this was part of Philistia - but Sanballat appears to be a Moabite. These factions all came together to work against the work God had called Nehemiah to accomplish. As you can see, Nehemiah, one a slave and cupbearer to the king now had his work cut out for him and as my Mother used to say, 'God does not hand out easy jobs'.  There were breaches in the walls and the work to repair them earned them the powerful anger of the heathen who now dwelt in the land. I think one of the keys here is how the JFB commentary puts this episode. I will quote from it here, but it anticipates passages forthcoming.

But ... when Sanballat ... heard that the walls ... were made up, and ... the breaches ... stopped — The rapid progress of the fortifications, despite all their predictions to the contrary, goaded the Samaritans to frenzy. So they, dreading danger from the growing greatness of the Jews, formed a conspiracy to surprise them, demolish their works, and disperse or intimidate the builders - JFB Commentary

The key here is that now, the opposition has gone beyond just words, the devil is taking action against God's people. They hatched a conspiracy (a criminal act committed by two or more people) to undermine the work that God and the Emperor had ordained. They hatched a plan to fight the work of God so as to hinder it. How did Nehemiah respond? Did he quit? Whine? Run and hide? No, he had a Godly response to the demonic opposition.

Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God,
and set a watch against them day and night, because of them.
(Neh 4:9)

Nehemiah did what any Godly man will do when faced with significant opposition. He gets down on his knee's and prays and then he takes action. Both are required brothers and sisters. Prayer and then action based upon what the situation and what God would want you to do or has directed you to do. Sometimes it's just to wait upon the Lord. Here, because there was danger of violence, Nehemiah took defensive precautions and set men on watch both in the daytime and at night. Why? the passage makes it plain, because of the threat to the workmen. 

But all of this begs the question why? Why was there such opposition? Some of you may have had a problem with me ascribing the opposition Nehemiah faced to the devil, but that is exactly how I see it. There was no reason, for it. The Jews as far as we saw lived at peace with their neighbors. So what were the reasons? We are not given much insight here but perhaps they were afraid that their own little political and economic fiefdoms would be under threat. One could cry some kind of ethnic hatred, but it appears that many Jewish residents were not all too pleased with the work as well. They all probably had different interests in opposing the work. The Ammonites, had theirs, the Moabites theirs, etc and they only had one thing in common, their opposition to the the Kings edict, Nehemiah and the work of God.

And Judah said, The strength of the bearers of burdens is decayed,
and there is much rubbish; so that we are not able to build the wall.
(Neh 4:10)

Sadly, the opposition, the coordinated and determined opposition was beginning to have an effect. Judah, the chief tribe of Israel begins to waver.

In the face of the growing opposition, some of the workers began to focus in on the obstacles rather than God. The two obstacles cited were that the workers were tired and that there was too much trash and rubble to clean up. This after Nehemiah had taken significant steps to protect the workers and the work.  Opposition to any work that God has called a person do is to be expected. There is no way around it. What matters is how we react that that opposition. Here the some of the workers reacted badly. Nehemiah had faith.

  And our adversaries said, They shall not know, neither see,
till we come in the midst among them, and slay them, and cause the work to cease. 
And it came to pass, that when the Jews which dwelt by them came,
they said unto us ten times, From all places whence ye shall return unto
us they will be upon you.
(Nehemiah 4:11-12 [KJVA])

These words also had an effect. They were doing all of this hard work and the reward they got was death threats from those about them. In this dear brothers, you can determine just how important your work is. How much effort is the devil putting in to stopping your task? Who are your new found enemies? What lengths will they go to hinder your work? Many people look at these things are serious problems, but if we look at it strategically we can see that in reality they are a strong confirmation as to the importance of our task. In today's vernacular, the enemies were saying, "Let's sneak up on them and we can kill them all before they knew what hit 'em..That'll show 'em to rebuild that wall!!.

Verse 12 presents a slight problem in translation. The passage as it is rendered in the KJV is not easy to comprehend. The sense seems to be that all the people round about were getting ready to come against them. Here is how Adam Clarke opines on this verse.

Verse 12. From all places whence ye shall return unto us] This verse is extremely difficult. Our translators have supplied the words, they will be upon you, which have nothing correspondent in the Hebrew. The Septuagint have given a good sense, αναβαινουσιν εκπαντωντωντοπωνεφημας, They come up from all places against us. The sense appears to be this: the Jews which dwelt among the Samaritans, they sojourned, and told him the designs of his enemies against him: therefore, he set people with their swords, spears, and bows, to defend the walls. It is probable that instead of  tashubu, "ye shall return," we should read chashebu, "they designed or meditated." This word is very similar to the other, and makes the sense very clear. "The Jews who dwelt among them told us frequently, from all places, what they designed against us." For this reading Houbigant, Michaelis and Dath� contend. But this various reading is not found in any MS., and is not countenanced by any of the versions. - Adam Clarke

I am not a Hebrew scholar and have to rely totally on notes provided by others. I think the notes that K&D has on this passage are also instructive.

When, therefore, the Jews who dwelt near them, i.e., in the neighbourhood of the adversaries, and heard their words, came to Jerusalem, “and said to us ten times (i.e., again and again), that from all places ye must return to us, then I placed,” etc. Jews came from all places to Jerusalem, and summoned those who were building there to return home, for adversaries were surrounding the community on all sides: Sanballat and the Samaritans on the north, the Ammonites on the east, the Arabians on the south, and the Philistines (Ashdodites) on the west. אֲשֶׁר before תָּשׁוּבוּ introduces their address, instead of כִּי; being thus used, e.g., before longer speeches, 1Sa_15:20; 2Sa_1:4; and for כִּי generally, throughout the later books, in conformity to Aramaean usage. “Return to us” (עַל שׁוּב, as in 2Ch_30:9, for אֶל שׁוּב), said the Jews who came from all quarters to Jerusalem to their fellow-townsmen, who from Jericho, Gibeon, and Tekoa (comp. Neh_3:2-3, Neh_3:5, Neh_3:7) were working on the wall of Jerusalem. These words express their fear lest those who were left at home, especially the defenceless women, children, and aged men, should be left without protection against the attacks of enemies, if their able-bodied men remained any longer in Jerusalem to take part in the building of the wall. - K&D Commentay

With all of these evil reports being made and some of the people beginning to lose heart, how did Nehemiah respond?

 We will look at that issue in the next section, God willing!!

4 Dec

Facebook Has A Black People Problem Says Former Manager

I don't think its just a Facebook problem, but a general problem in Silicon Valley as a whole (more here). It's a problem I have talked about at length before. It is a problem of that nexus that keeps Black people 'in their place', as the racists like to say - the Black-DNC Nexus is a big part of Black Americans, key and fundamental problem.

Look, who do these Silicon Valley firms donate to? It's not Donald Trump or the GOP, it's the Democrats. They worked hard to elect Clinton. This is where the DNC gets a lot of its money. Black folks? The DNC know Black folks are going to vote Democrat even if the party bulldozes their old, cripple grandmothers home, flips them the bird and tells them to go back to Africa... large swaths of Black folks will still run to the polls and vote Democrat.

This is why the party doesn't do anything for Black folks, why should they?

Once they steal your mind, stealing your vote is pretty easy.

Now If I were advising the President here is what I would tell him.

Mr. President, the Democrats are weak here. In key districts you are going to need that 10-15% that traditionally go to the Democrats or you may be a one-term wonder. Here is what you should do. You like tax breaks. I do too, they are great so let's offer a massive incentive tax break to companies to move their industries, warehouses, offices and other high employment centers into cities that are suffering from the traditional economic challenges that beset Black America. Hit Baltimore, Chicago, places where there is a high ratio of unemployed Young Black Men. Get them working with decent paying jobs with decent benefits. But make sure of one thing.... make sure that these cities are not allowed to zone out the brothers so that the others move in displacing those you want to help. It may be a bit of a legal challenge, but here is my suggestion, Make the tax break dependent on X percent being young people who have lived in the area at lest 5 years. This way those who move in after the jobs come and some communities are 'de-negrofied' (better known as Gentrification more here) the employment of the new 'move ins' does NOT count towards percentage needed for the tax break. A majority of those employed must be indigenous, not transplants - that will get you past the racial legal barriers some will throw up to stop helping these communities.

What will that do? It will make a lot of Black folks, a lot of overworked, tired and harangued Black mothers grateful... very grateful that their kids have a chance at a legitimate income and not get sucked down into the gangs that are so busy in many of these communities.

No, you are not going to win over all or even most, but in key states you may get that 10-15% swing from traditional democrat to the GOP to win a state.

Now is the time to think about this Mr. President not later. Don't let some of the 'Closet Klansmen' in the GOP talk you out of this - many of them never wanted to see you in the White House anyway and would love to see you gone in 2020.

The Democrats are not going to help  - they have no intentions of it and more importantly, no incentive to, but you have an incentive...

...votes in 2020.

To you Black Americans out there wondering why I say these things and wonder why I don't hate Trump like so many Black folks on the political left, the answer is real simple.

I care more about helping Americans, Black,White and Latino than I do the brand name of the party that keeps the people down.

It really is just that simple.

3 Dec


Thinking The Unthinkable Part II:

This is the second part of the nuclear war article I did back on 11 October 2016.

What to do?

Brothers, if you are in a major population center in the US, there really is not much you can do to protect yourself from a full scale nuclear attack. If you live near a subway, getting underground as quickly as possible BEFORE the attack could keep you alive. There major killers during and after a such an attack will be...

The Blast - anyone within the blast radius who is not underground or in a hardened facility is going to burned to a cinder and at ground zero, if you are close enough, not even your bones will survive.

Winds - Those one outer edges of the blast zone will be hit by massive winds at very high speeds which will also be very hot. This wind is caused by the initial shock wave from the blast and can be several hundred kph.. Again, there is little you can do if you are at or close to ground zero, for many they will die within seconds. others will take longer to die as a result of severe thermal burns and extensive exposure to various kinds of radiation.

The Radiation - While a significant amount of radiation is release during the blast (thermal and Ionizing) residual radiation will also be a problem, but some of the effects will not show up immediately. While many will only get very sick from it, many others will eventually die from its effects. For those of you curious, the EPA has a section on its site dedicated to Radiation protection and it can be found here.

The Social Aftermath. - This is one aspect that is often neglected but after such an attack, there is likely to be no electricity or running water, no one in authority, no police, etc. There is likely to be limited or no medical help, there is likely to be only very limited communication and probably mass comms will be conducted via Radio. Cell phones and internet access will probably very limited or non-existent for weeks, perhaps months. This leads us to the YOYO principle. That being You're On Your Own, until help or the authorities get control of the situation. This is not going to happen right away.

The good news is that apparently within the government someone is asking the right questions. The GAO just did a report on Land Mobile Radio's that are to be used in an emergency situation. The GAO did the report because of the reliance on Land Mobile Radio's by Federal agencies in the event of an emergency.

There have been some reforms of these communications and this was done mostly as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The DHS was required by law to improve first responder communications in the event of an emergency. Many of you may not be interested in that document, but it is a rather interesting look at the various federal agencies communications needs in time of emergency.

But we must assume that many of the repeater and transponder towers will not be operational after a nuclear attack and thus, only certain kinds of hand held, long range independent radio communications will be available until replacement/mobile repeaters (if such exist) can be deployed to handle the referred to emergency communications.


In any event, the first few days after a detonation will be rather scary as there will in key effected areas extremely limited to non-existent federal/authority interaction with the surviving population. FEMA, which manages these things makes this clear in its key assumptions after a Nuclear Attack

Source: FEMA

For those of you interested, the GAO also did a report on nuclear response a couple of years ago, it can be found here. In it you will find that as of 2013 many cities had no plans to deal with a 'dirty bomb' scenario.

Another much older document can be found here.


Some of you may find this document of interest dealing with actions to be taken by authorities. Food, water and the administering of Potassium Iodide (KI) are briefly covered. KI is important to take just before radiological exposure because the substance will flood ones thyroid and prevent one of the most common reasons people die from radiation.


Conclusion.

I wanted to touch on these issues because I think they are important. You can survive a nuclear attack if you are not in the immediate blast area can find shelter and know what to do and what not to do.

Keep in mind that right now, Russia and the US are locked in a very dangerous strategic battle and each side is arming to the teeth... and nuclear weapons treaties that once helped keep tensions low are going to be jettisoned (i.e., INF Treaty). In this conflict, Nukes are no longer unthinkable and military leaders on both sides are dusting off their nuclear strike plans and developing new weapons to deliver them.

Many of you never understood why I was so adamant about our actions in Ukraine. One key reason is because of what we have unleashed when we took that geopolitical 'dump' on Russia's doorstep. At this point in time, neither side can afford to back down. So this arms race and other happenings in the world this site covers (for insiders) goes unreported to the masses who are not allowed to 'get it', having been fed a steady diet of foolishness and disinformation. No, we are not going to see a war tomorrow, but trends in place today will only mean one thing - a major war is coming but until the nukes are launched, the ongoing war will never be contextualized for ordinary people.

When it comes? Well, one thing I do is always try and have a few days of staple food and most importantly water on hand at all times. A couple of gallons of water stored away can be a true life saver if ever attacked and the water is cut off or contaminated. I just use the plastic bottles from fruit juices for storage, keep them in a cupboard and change the water every couple of months. It may seem silly, but what are millions of people going to be looking for after the first 48 hours of an attack? The first thing is water, the second is food. Such preparations don't cost a dime.

But we Christians, must learn to listen carefully to our God. I am of the opinion that nothing like this will touch those of us who really trust God. He will move us out of the danger area (or tell us to move!) before such a disaster happens. This is what he did with Lot and this is what he commands his people in the last days with regards to coming out of Babylon.

God can and will protect us and brothers, this is not written to instill fear and get you to buy survival gear. I refuse to give into scaremongering. Rather it is written to keep all of you aware of what time it is and some of the deeper issues that revolve around these most destructive weapons. We Christians must be more concerned about making God our refuge and protection that relying on man. We who love and trust our God, he will watch over us and guide our paths.

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide
under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD,
He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler,
and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers,
 and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness;
nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
(Psa 91:1-6)

That last passage almost seems to portend some new kind of destruction that comes from warfare as the arrows and pestilence usually accompany war. God will be with us even in the most dangerous of circumstances.

A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand;
but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold
and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD,
which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee,
neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands,
 lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder:
the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him:
 I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me,
 and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
(Psa 91:7-16)

God will deliver us brothers, if...  IF we humbly trust in him and obey his voice.

I don't worry about a nuclear attack. I think one will happen and I think it will be devastating, but I think that the saints who are loved by God and obey his voice will be mightily protected sometimes miraculously by a God who has all things by the power of his might and who watches over those who humbly trust in and obey him.

So dear readers, don't let this message cause you to fear or dread. God is watching over all of his sheep. I did not say the unrepentant, violent and rebellious world. I said his sheep.

 My sheep hear my voice,
and I know them, and they follow me:
 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
 neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
(John 10:27-28 [KJV])

But woe to the wicked man and those who refuse to repent, do right or listen to the pleadings of God's servants, whom he will send to warn us of our national waywardness.

What about such men whom God will send? They will not be what you are looking for, they will almost certainly be humble, unusual people who are down to earth yet who are truly Godly people who will deliver a message that no one will want to hear. They will be hated, scorned, mocked persecuted lambasted, humiliated and embarrassed for the Lord's sake

***

I am reminded of a prophet whose words were so spot on they were scary... very scary. He has since gone off the rails... way off, but when he was 'on' - he had some powerful words for God's people. He predicted a new currency and a coming economic turmoil and that the dollar would fall... very, very significantly. He also spoke clearly about a day of accountability for the nation, a nation that once honored God and sought him in prayer and did no longer. God will weigh the nation in the balances and we will be found wanting. And the Lord would deal with America accordingly.

He also saw a time of turmoil with immigration, and a time when we would need a travel permit to cross state lines. He wrote that in the waning days of the Clinton Administration.

Our nation is slowly slipping into a spiritual no man's land. American's have taken the bounty that God - the God of the Bible that our forebears prayed to - for granted at best and shown him open contempt at worse.

Yet God has been most patient with us and shown us considerable forbearance. But when he lowers the boom on us, the lives of every American will change and change significantly and for most Americans they will change for the worse. The 'golden age' of America will be over as the Lord puts us through a trial so that we as a nation can consider our ways and our doings.

Now I don't expect many people to believe that. They will mock the Lord and those whom he has sent to warn the nation of its sins and crimes. The devil will even send false prophets and fake Christian personalities to threaten his real servants about 'dropping a word' against America, as happened to Amos.

 
Then Amaziah the priest of Beth–el sent to Jeroboam
 king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against
 thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is
 not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith,
 Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall
surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee
away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread,
and prophesy there: But prophesy not again any more
at Beth–el: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s
court.Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was
no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an
herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit: And the LORD
took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me,
 Go, prophesy unto my people Israel. Now therefore hear
thou the word of the LORD: Thou sayest, Prophesy not
against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house
of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Thy wife shall
be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters
shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line;
 and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall
 surely go into captivity forth of his land.
(Amos 7:10-17 [KJV])

Amos was accused of treachery because he spoke in the name of the Lord. He was told to issue no more 'unpatriotic' prophesies. But the Lord had a word for those who so speak against those whom he has sent and who operate in the office of a prophet and/or genuine representative of the Lord.

This was one of the reasons some had personal grudges against me and this site an why they did all they could to set me up and put me in Jail - and here is the thing - I make NO CLAIM TO BEING A PROPHET.  They didn't like what I was saying about America and that we as a nation needed to change our ways. I kid you not, one time, one CIA person told me that the CIA was 'god'. Folks, these are the kinds of wackos you have working inside the most sensitive places in our government. The things I say are because I care about the country and those who live in it.

The devils who run those people got hold of them and they spent considerable time and money to screw me over, as they have other men of God who have spoken forcefully about our national sins. I had a whole slew of 'deep state' folks who 'wanted a piece' of me and they spared little expense ($$$) in making their attempt. Make no mistake, other men of God have had similar issues, some however bow before the gods of the deep state and tailor their sermons and prophecies accordingly. Others come to more violent ends.

I will never bow before these modern day Baal's.

I say this to warn all of you of this - when the Lord sends a prophet or man of God to warn the nation, be discerning but hold your peace unless you hear clear error. God will move against those who move against his prophets.

30 Nov

No, It's Not Paranoia, They Really Are Watching You

See for yourself.

War Watch

Pompeo Floats Iran War

'The Hill reports that there is concern over Iranian arms being delivered to 'hostile groups' in Yemen. Yet somehow there is no threat of war when others in the same region arm Al Qaeda.

Pentagon's Accounting Fraud Exposed
An excellent piece by The Nation. It tells you all you really need to know about why our planes cost so much and cannot do the things they are advertised for, our newest ships are so discombobulated that the engines conk out and had to be towed in after it was commissioned, lunatic programs and weapons systems being built that no one will ever use. Is it any wonder we can't win any wars? No one is going to fix this - the criminal elements within the deep state will make sure that anyone who starts to have success gets deep-sixed... permanently. There are billions of dollars at stake and much of that money goes into a labyrinth of secret programs for which the money just disappears.

The piece above is especially interesting because of the heavily redacted IG Report done late last year on this subject regarding the Navy. It can be found here.

FYI, the DOD does have extensive reporting on audits and other things here.

Trump's Foreign Policy Strikes Again
The American Conservative Reports. It's throw up America  and her interests in defense Of Saudi Arabia and her war crimes. That is the Trump foreign policy in a nutshell. If there is no ceasefire in Yemen, you can blame Donald Trump, who seems to think that bowing before dictators and living in the same world with them are one in the same. It isn't.

The Real Saudi Arabia
It's a chamber of horrors for anyone who is not a bobble head in he kingdom. Women's rights activists are no exception. The above is from the Huffington Post. Torture, arbitrary imprisonment, 'death from imprisonment' these are common in KSA, President Trumps 'new best friend'.

Wikipedia has expanded its once heavily sanitized HR entry on KSA and human rights, and it may be worthy of your attention. It seems to be much more detailed than in the past, when a lot of political pressure was brought to bear on some of these kinds of sites on many key issues in the world.

Remember that the references on the bottom are almost always very valuable.

This site as well, it's not well known. It used to be called "Sauduction" but has changed its name. The original owners of it, if I remember correctly started having issues and had to take it down. Somehow someone got the data and reposted it.  Read at your own risk!!

Israel Conducts Three Waves Of Strikes Over Damascus

Debka gives us the latest.

Ukraine Warns Of War With Russia
This is merely another story on the events reported on here over the past few days, the link above is from Channel News Asia. Things are heating up and the UK has sent a warship (The HMS Echo) into the Black Sea to 'observe'. Germany has offered to mediate the crisis.

Meanwhile, Russia is preparing to permanently deploy her deadly S-400 AD system. But lets be fair, the US has militarizing there for some time now.

Khashoggi, the Hudaydah Offensive and Prospects for Peace in Yemen
(Jamestown Foundation) Saudi Arabia’s dubious military tactics in Yemen have long been underreported and have drawn surprisingly little scorn from international leaders. The death of Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist, Jamal Khashoggi, at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, however, has led many Western nations to reevaluate their relationship with the Kingdom and Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. - Jamestown Foundation/Terrorism Monitor

Kushner Pushed To Inflate Saudi Arms Sales, Say Sources
This is not surprising as some stories posted around the net said that he went to the kingdom with reams of classified NSA intercepts and shared them with the prince. We have seen stories of the Israeli's selling the Saudi's spyware that was used to kill dissidents and journalists. ABC News reports.

It looks to me like some kind of foreign intelligence service has got control of this administration... and it's not the Russians.

Saudi Royals Begin To Turn On MbS
There seems to be a desire for change, except from the White House. The link is from Reuters.

The American War Complex
The American Conservative looks at the War Machine, the transformation of our military into a money conduit, the revolving door and the reasons why when we fight the next war, we are likely to get beat.

Hundreds Of Bodies Exhumed In Raqqa
Looks to be civilians and IS militants. So far, according to the story 500 bodies have been exhumed. Fox News has the story.

Russia Deploys Its Avangard Glide Vehicle – the Unmatched Leader in Hypersonic Technology
(Strategic Culture) The boost-glide weapon can fly at speeds of over Mach 20 or about 15,300 miles per hour (four miles per second). It could reach Washington in 15 minutes even if launched from Russia. There is no way to intercept it, as it moves in a cloud of plasma "like a meteorite."  The weapon is distinctive for its ability to withstand extreme heat during the final phase of its trajectory thanks to its heat-resistant titanium casing. Its in-flight temperature reaches 1,600-2,000° Celsius.

Taliban Kidnaps 25 Travelers

Russia Strikes Rebels After Alleged Gas Attack

Suspected IS Gunmen Kill 6 In S. Libya

Turkey Brief
Erdogan is moving to expand his power in Turkey and N. Syria.

29 Nov

Nehemiah VII

Once again we come across the man named Sanballat and here again, he takes to mocking the work that God has called Nehemiah to do. Brothers again, this is the devils MO and Sanballat was working for the devil, but like most who work for him, they don't even know it. They get filled with a spirit of mockery and arrogance and a harassing spirit as well. Brothers I know this spirit well and I can tell each and every one of you who are serving God as best you can, that sooner or later, people around you whom you trust but usually know not the Lord will catch that demonic spirit. It starts with casting doubt, and then takes to mockery and then to outright hatred. I have experienced this spirit more than once in the past and I will tell you, I have developed a good sixth-sense about such people. Discerning spirits is a powerful gift for any minister and I exhort all of you to develop such a tool and ask God that he give you this gift.

But let us be clear, we are not talking about being a nitpicker or a judgemental person, no I am talking about the ability to discern a turncoat, a mocker or a Judas in your midst and to be able to effectively counter and remove this demonic stronghold from your ministry. Sanballat's anger was great and the passage makes this clear.The word indignation here is this one in Hebrew.

H3707
ka‛as
kaw-as'
A primitive root; to trouble; by implication to grieve, rage, be indignant: - be angry, be grieved, take indignation, provoke (to anger, unto wrath), have sorrow, vex, be wroth.

In the natural we see that he had a hatred for the Jews and this work. But in the spiritual what do I see? I see the devil who could claim one of this many demonic victories when the Lord was forced to move against his own people because of their provocation against God (the sins and abominations before the exile). Satan wanted to maintain his 'victory' for as long as he could and never again wanted to see the Walls of Jerusalem rebuilt and the Jews dwelling in security. So if I had to paraphrase this, the devil got one of his imps to stand on his dung heap and preach the devil's message of hatred, anger and doubt so the 'satanic interest' could be served - stifle God's purpose.

I think it also noteworthy that this Sanballat appears to be somehow connected with the Army that was in the area. Note he speaks to his brethren and the Army (vs. 2). He mocked because he saw how broken down things were and ridiculed any efforts to rebuild it. Note that in Chapter three, the workers had been assigned to various tasks and a great many had already begun the work. It was once the work and workmen actually began to do the work of God IN FAITH that the devil starts preaching his sermon hoping to bring in hatred for the Jews and doubt and discouragement among the builders.

 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said,
Even that which they are building, if a fox go up,
he shall break down their stone wall.
(Neh 4:3)

Naturally, the other key person the devil was using as adversary to this work now chimes in, with his own words of mockery implying it was so poorly built that it could not support the weight of a small animal. I see in this passage an early from of Anti-semitism, its the same spirit we see today. The Jews returned to their homeland and every demon in hell is hot with rage and he is stirring up all of the enemies of the Jews. The devil did it then and he is doing it today.

Last weekend, I watched a movie I had not seen in many years, it starred Paul Newman and it was called 'Exodus' and I honestly did not remember just how good that movie was. It was about the return of the Jews to Palestine after the Holocaust and the struggles they had to endure.  I mention this here because in the book of Nehemiah, I see many parallels to Israel returning after the Babylonian captivity and after the holocaust. In the book of Nehemiah, we saw Sanballat and Tobiah, but in the movie (and in real life) the enemies were men like the Grand Mufti and the Nazi's who escaped prosecution and were stirring up the rabble against the Jews.

We should note here that Tobiah, though being an Ammonite was married to a Jewish woman of some influence. Here is what Smiths Dictionary says about him.

But Tobiah, though a slave, Neh 2:10; Neh 2:19 — unless, this is a title of opprobrium — and an Ammonite, found means to ally himself with a priestly family, and his son, Johanan, married the daughter of Meshullam, the son of Berechiah. Neh 6:18. He himself was the son-in-law of Shechaniah, the son of Arah, Neh 6:17, and these family relations created for him, a strong faction among the Jews. - Smith Bible Dictionary

Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn back their reproach upon their own head,
and give them up for a spoil in a land of captivity; and cover not their iniquity,
and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee; for they have provoked
thee to anger before the builders.
(Neh 4:4-5)

Nehemiah's response was the response we should all have when we come across such opposition. We should get down on our knees and pray to the Lord. Now in those days, imprecatory prayers were allowed. Today, such prayers while not specifically forbidden are not the what is called for by Christians but some Apostles in their place of authority did issue such imprecatory pronouncements (See Acts Chapter 5). We are rather commanded to pray for our enemies. I know this, when I have prayed for my enemies, God got their full and undivided attention, often bringing on them things I would never have prayed for. But it was done, not to judge, but to rebuke and chasten in the hopes that they repent. God will move brothers if we pray according to his will. He knows just how to work things out. This is why I highly DO NOT recommend imprecatory prayers against others, even our enemies.

Ye have heard that it was said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor,
and hate thine enemy: but I say unto you, Love your enemies,
and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may be sons of your
Father who is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good,
 and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.
(Mat 5:43-45)

While Nehemiah's prayer was not a christian prayer, it was in full keeping with the old Jewish law. I think one thing we can gather from that passage was the nature of the sin committed. It was severe. When men try and fight God as these two men were, they are asking for more trouble then they are prepared for. But let me make this careful distinction to those of you who are in ministry. Loving your enemies does not mean trusting them. Forgiving those who have betrayed you does not mean restoring them to a place of trust. Why not? Let me put it to you this way. Let's say you let your neighbor's teen babysits your daughter and you found out she was sexually molesting your child. Is it your Christian duty to forgive her? As hard as it may be, it is required, from your heart.

But is it your Christian duty to let her babysit your child again? Of course not! And any parent who did that could be as guilty as the person who molested your child, knowing what they were inclined to do. If you are in a postilion of ministry, it is your duty to get rid of the Judas's in your midst and keep them away. A good shepherd keeps the wolves at bay. Like the parent mentioned above, you have a responsibility not just to yourself but to others and letting a known Judas in your midst is asking for very serious trouble, even the destruction of your ministry.

This was my nearly fatal mistake. I trusted a Judas and should never had done it. But God, in his goodness and mercy protected me from my own stupidity! I humbly thank you my Lord and my God... Amen!

So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined together
unto half the height thereof: for the people had a mind to work.
(Neh 4:6)

Despite hearing the words from the devils sermon, preached by Tobiah and Sanballat, the people did not get discouraged, but continued on with the work and built the wall. The wall seems to be the main target here of the rage of these two men of Belial and since Sanballat was talking to the army, they may have seen some kind of threat in the rebuilding of the wall. I think they wanted to keep the Jews weak and subjugated and the way to do that was to make them defenseless. I also think it likely they saw the wall as a threat not so much to the Kingdom, but their own petty power structures that they had at the time. They appear to have been running things or had a powerful hand in it and now, here comes Nehemiah with an edict from the King and they were really angry about it.

We will continue Nehemiah next week, God willing!!

26 Nov

Blowback: Nazi's In Ukraine Train Others For War In America

The Mint Press gives us a look at this phenomenon.

After a wave of racist violence across America that culminated in the massacre of twelve Jewish worshippers at a Pittsburgh synagogue, the revelation that violent white supremacists have been traveling abroad for training and ideological indoctrination with a well-armed neo-Nazi militia should cause extreme alarm.

Not only are white supremacists from across the West flocking to Ukraine to learn from the combat experience of their fascist brothers-in-arms, they are doing so openly — chronicling their experiences on social media before they bring their lessons back home. But U.S. law enforcement has done nothing so far to restrict the flow of right-wing American extremists to Azov’s bases. - The Mint Press

This is so sad and so tragic and yet it was something I told people about years ago and was mocked for it.

Yes, its true and it is not like no one could figure this out when the US government started training and arming these groups. They knew, they were told this would happen and now look at the evil fruit our policies have engendered.

This is fairly detailed look at Ukrainian Fascists with pictures, names and even a affidavit by an undercover FBI Special agent filed in a California Court.

You know, who started his whole crazy policy of aiding and abetting Nazi-ism in the Ukraine? It was the policy of Barak Obama, America's first African American President. The same President who during his 8 years in office never once spoke up about the violence in Black Communities and never once lifted a finger to help. But when these fascists and racists needed arms and training, Barak Obama was there for them and no one in America save a few astute folks knew it or wanted to know it. I spoke about it at length on numerous occasions. I wrote long updates, posted links and videos but people preferred to watch Football.

I tried my best to alert folks, they as usual just did not listen. "Who cares what that religious lunatic says?" I could almost hear their thoughts. They did not want to. Now this stuff will certainly come back and haunt those very people who so mindlessly and callously voted for him and didn't care who that vote would ultimately hurt.

I think many will be shocked to find out who it ultimately does hurt.

Have we seen any Black Church shootings... any Synagogue shootings of late? If someone in power doesn't pull their head out of the south end of their spine, we are going to have an epidemic of those kinds of racist attacks. Allowing these Neo-Nazi groups to go to Ukraine and get this training, whose idea is that?

It's the devil's and those who follow him - Black or White. 

But let me say this. There are those who work in our intelligence agencies and military who are very amendable to these racist views and they know all the loopholes in the laws and surveillance system to make sure that their 'chosen ones' can get the training and are set up real nice right here in the US for purposes that they will use later... completely outside of any government control, oversight or knowledge. Congress will be totally without a clue when we start having these kinds of killings and bombings on a daily basis. Racist intelligence officials working with sympathetic people in LE will drag their feet in any investigations and then do nothing when the recommendations are made to fix this. Our leaders must not allow that to happen. Nip this in the bud... NOW.

Look, I know some of these deep state people who have dealt with these Nazi's since that coup. So I am not just guessing... our American offiials (getting a Federal Paycheck) have their hands all over this.

This was a morally bankrupt policy then and God is my witness I warned folks about it. Nazi's are all over the Ukrainian government. Mind you, let me make this clear - many ordinary Ukrainians, they have no truck with these groups, they are scared of them and don't like them, but they are all over the government, military and the country's National Security establishment, an establishment the US continually sends, money, armaments and trainers to, including under the direction of President Trump, whose own association with White Nationalist's cannot be ignored.

The evil seeds we plant... Americans don't know and it too many cases, they don't want to know, not if you can't slap the right partisan or in the case of Obama, racial label on them. Have you ever heard of Black Nazi's?  Don't let skin color fool you, events seem to indicate that some have.
.

We are a nation who has sown a crop of sin and we will reap a tornado of destruction because of it, unless we repent. How many of these prophets in these you tube video's are calling for repentance? Now... how many tailor their message for partisanship? I make no claim to any prophetic anointing, I am a watchman and blogger, nothing else. But God has given me this rather unusual but powerful ministry to shine a light where it needs to be shown, and say what needs to be said, particularly when other Christians are too cowardly to, and put a more 'informational' and Biblical spin to the days events rather than the usual paid for partisan claptrap, lies, fake news and disinformation that permeates the internet, social media and cable news and 501(c)3 religious establishments that go by the name of Christian.

God will not acquit a nation, people or Church so ready to do evil and a people who work so very, very hard to bury their heads in the sand not to see it or even wickedly try and justify it.

This companion piece looks at the issue of belief and delves a but into Nazi-ism and I think those of you who know the Lord will get a lot out of it. It's called, And They Beleived Not.

I write this in the hopes that a few Americans will awaken. I don't think it possible as a whole and I think some groups in this country are beyond hopeless on this front. I can remember having a conversation with one individual on Obama and I was giving her some straight dope on him and you know what they said? "I don't want to hear that, I like my delusions." They simply did not want to hear the truth, they wanted to be lied to!! But that is where the heads of a lot of Americans are today. They don't want to hear the truth or anything close to it, they have found a comfortable delusion and will hold on to it come hell or high water.
Such people have made lies their refuge.

 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death,
 and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing
scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us:
for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood
have we hid ourselves:Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD,
Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone,
a precious corner stone, a sure foundation:
he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also
will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet:
and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the
 waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant
with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement
with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall
pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
(Isaiah 28:15-18 [KJV])

I also will choose their delusions,
and will bring their fears upon them;
 because when I called, none did answer;
when I spake, they did not hear:
but they did evil before mine eyes,
and chose that in which I delighted not.
(Isaiah 66:4 [KJV])

Deceit is everywhere and in America today, the potion of politics, economics, war, propaganda and vice all mix together to make a potent spiritual intoxicant that will kill those who drink too much of it.


Brainwashing? They will have you so crazy you'll be voting for a Black President who arms Nazi's and thinking that supporting him is 'The New Black' and have you wondering why your people stay at the bottom of every major economic and social statistic. Why?

They love their delusions and wouldn't have it any other way.

23 Nov

"A Pure Genocide": Extremist Persecution of Christians, June 2018

The Gatestone Institute does another one of its most excellent updates on persecution around the world.

Nigeria, Morocco, Bosnia, Indonesia, Pakistan and a host of other nations are covered in it.

Mexican Bishops Set Up Team To Protect Kids

The Mexican Church as not had the problems others have had but are still putting in safeguards to make sure. The Boston Pilot Reports.

Kachin Christians Persecuted in Myanmar

This piece looks at a group of Christians who have been badly mistreated yet have gotten very little media coverage. This piece if from a local paper called the Goshen News.

Catholic Church Is Throwing Chinese Christians To The Lions

This piece from LifeSite News looks at Pope Francis' agreement with China and what it will mean to the Church in China and her Christians.

These are sad times for the Church... and not just Catholics, but to be expected when the three C's control Church leadership - capitulation, corruption and compromise.

Christian Children Face the Dark Realities of Persecution

The ICC looks at the travails of Egypt's Christian kids.

Venice Illuminated Red For Persecuted Christians

To raise awareness of this pressing global issue. The Boston Pilot Reports.

Manila To Also Have "Red Wednesday"

Again to raise awareness of Persecuted Christians. The Manila Bulletin reports.

Sen. Paul Wants Pakistan Aid Cut Over Asia Bibi

The ICC shes light on what is still a major issue in the country, but she has been moved from jail to a 'secure facility'.

Hard-Line Sikhs, Hindus Persecute Christians in Northern India

HYDERABAD, India (Morning Star News) – Villagers hostile toward Christians in northern India falsely accused a pastor of an illicit relationship with a woman and, in another village, burned a church building, sources said.

As people throughout the country on Nov. 7 prepared to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, neighbors alerted pastor Satpal Masih that his Pentecostal church building in Giddi village, Gurdaspur District in Punjab state, was ablaze. - Continues at Morning Star News

20 Nov

Thinking The Unthinkable - Part I

Note: Rather than updating this, I will leave this in its original form. It was written back on Oct 11th, 2016 just a month before the Presidential election. It is meant to be both informative and useful. Part II should be up in a couple off weeks with a 'what to do' section. Keep in mind that Obama was still President when this was written and much has changed since then.

Blessings to all of my readers here.

Today, we are going to do just what the title says. We are going to think about the unthinkable. We are going to talk a bit about the possibility, or rather probability of some kind of nuclear war. Perhaps not a full scale one, but one where tactical or strategic nuclear weapons are released, on the commands of a nuclear power (non-accidental release) in times of international hostility.

Today, relations between Russia and the United states are at their lowest point since the cold war. In the view of many Russia watchers, they are worse. I don't quite share that view, but given the current trajectory of US policy and the mindset of those making it, I expect relations to deteriorate very significantly during the next four years of a Clinton Administration, should she win the White House. Right now, it appears that the establishment (left and right) is pulling out all the stops to make that happen. We will talk more about some contested election scenarios soon, but not today.

Consequently, I see that a war with Russia as pretty much inevitable. Where and when exactly no one can say with any degree of certainty. There are many hotpots and key underlying issues all throughout the world -  the situation with the unstable leadership of North Korea, the situation in the China Sea, the situation in Syria and Iraq, and while today, it may not be on our front pages, the thrust for natural resources now taking place throughout Africa and of course, one of the key drivers in the current conflict is the future direction and military alliance 'tilt' that Europe takes over the next decade and its effect on both the security posture and energy markets (Russia supplies the EU with much of its energy). These underlying issues are just some key drivers in the ongoing conflict between the two nuclear powers.

Nuclear weapons are nothing to speak or deal with lightly. They are enormously deadly and as almost all of you know, just one can kill millions if released with the right mega-tonnage, the place and at the right time (like during Rush hour over a major city).

Russia's Topol-M (Wikipedia)

Nuclear weapons strategy is one aspect that we all need to consider. The first is MAD or Mutually Assured Destruction. This was a key facet of Nuclear policy for many years, where each side knew that if one side released their weapons, the other side would release theirs and both sides would be assured total and complete destruction. Nations would try and ensure that their weapons systems (rather than population centers) were survivable during a nuclear strike so that retaliation was possible. Some weapons systems were placed in bunkers others were placed on mobile platforms. The Russians for example have resurrected their rail based nuclear systems. Russia has gone ahead with this plan, according to media reports, but others see problems with such a plan.

The reality? Putin is probably looking for the hugest degree of redundancy he can  get for the money and a rail based system, as crazy as it may sound, would indeed bolster that redundancy. A potpourri of media articles on this subject can be found here (recommended!). It is not clear if these new Trains will be carrying the new MIRV version of the Missile, the RS-24. For those of you who don't know what MIRV is, it is a single missile that can carry many different missiles that can be targeted independently. Once the missile gets to a certain point in it's flight path, the 'baby missiles' come out and target multiple cities/facilities, thus if say the Russians launch 10 MIRV'D missiles on the US and her anti-Ballistic missile systems can take out 8 of them, two missiles will still hit the US  or rather,  the two missiles that may carry 20 'baby missiles' that will still hit their targets. This is the idea of survivability and redundancy in action. If there is a first strike against your forces, you want to make sure you have the ability to strike back, making the other guy think twice about striking you in the first place.

MIRV (US Minuteman) Flight Path (public domain)

But this is just one aspect of one part of its nuclear policy. We should talk for a moment about the nuclear triad. For those of you who may not know, the nuclear triad refers to the three basic methods of delivering Nuclear weapons to a target. These are land systems (missiles), Air based systems (Nuclear bombers) and Sea Based systems (nuclear armed submarines, not to be confused with those that use nuclear power for propulsion).

This diagram gives you the basics of the nuclear triad. This document goes into unclassified detail regarding the ongoing review of America's nuclear deterrent, the why's wherefores and talks about the pluses and minuses of each leg, again all at the unclassified level. We are not going to get into the intricacies if each leg and its strengths and weaknesses and each does posses both. For those of you who ever saw the movie, Crimson Tide, will remember some of the issues dramatized in that movie and the rolling text at the end of that movie that dealt with the real world and dramatized in the court martial scene with Jason Robards playing the admiral.

Yet even today, while there is considerable tension between both Russia and the US, arms control is not totally dead. Here is an important snippet from the major review of nuclear weapons done by the US back in 2010.

New START.

The next step in this process is to replace the now-expired 1991 START I Treaty with another verifiable agreement, New START. An early task for the NPR was to develop U.S. positions for the New START negotiations and to consider how U.S. forces could be structured in light of the reductions required by the new agreement. The NPR reached the following conclusions:

•  Stable deterrence can be maintained while reducing U.S. strategic delivery vehicles – inter- continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs), and nuclear-capable heavy bombers – by approximately 50 percent from the START I level, and reducing accountable strategic warheads by approximately 30 percent from the Moscow Treaty level.
• Building on NPR analysis, the United States agreed with Russia to New START limits of 1,550 accountable strategic warheads, 700 deployed strategic delivery vehicles, and a combined limit of 800 deployed and non-deployed strategic launchers.
• The U.S. nuclear Triad of ICBMs, SLBMs, and nuclear-capable heavy bombers will be maintained under New START.
• All U.S. ICBMs will be “de-MIRVed” to a single warhead each to increase stability.
• Contributions by non-nuclear systems to U.S. regional deterrence and reassurance goals will be preserved by avoiding limitations on missile defenses and preserving options for using heavy bombers and long-range missile systems in conventional roles.

Maximizing Presidential decision time. The NPR concluded that the current alert posture of U.S. strategic forces – with heavy bombers off full-time alert, nearly all ICBMs on alert, and a significant number of SSBNs at sea at any given time – should be maintained for the present. It also concluded that efforts should continue to diminish further the possibility of nuclear launches resulting from accidents, unauthorized actions, or misperceptions and to maximize the time available to the President to consider whether to authorize the use of nuclear weapons. Key steps include:

• Continuing the practice of “open-ocean targeting” of all ICBMs and SLBMs so that, in the highly unlikely event of an unauthorized or accidental launch, the missile would land in the open ocean, and asking Russia to re-confirm its commitment to this practice.
• Further strengthening the U.S. command and control system to maximize Presidential decision time in a nuclear crisis.
• Exploring new modes of ICBM basing that enhance survivability and further reduce any incentives for prompt launch.

The above document can be found here.

Clearly the DOD and others are looking at ways of protecting the US and its allies, reducing the number of weapons on high alert, reducing the need for such weapons and eventually (hopefully) eliminating such weapons all together.

But let us keep in mind that this document was written back in 2010 and political tensions between Russia and the US has increased significantly since then. Additionally it is now stated US policy to modernize and upgrade US nuclear weapons with a proposed $1 Trillion upgrade.

The exact nature of this upgrade of course will be and will almost certainly remain classified for decades to come and this is understandable. But two of the key takaways from that document and of course the shifting geopolitical landscape is the fear of nuclear terrorism. That some non-state actor or state actor using a non-state actor as a proxy is able to detonate a nuclear weapon against the US or its vital interests. Let me take just one more snippet from the 2010 NPR.

The Threat of Nuclear Proliferation and Nuclear Terrorism The most immediate and extreme threat today is nuclear terrorism. Al Qaeda and their extremist allies are seeking nuclear weapons. We must assume they would use such weapons if they managed to obtain them. Although terrorist groups are currently believed to lack the resources to produce weapons-usable nuclear material themselves, the vulnerability to theft or seizure of vast stocks of such nuclear materials around the world, and the availability of sensitive equipment and technologies in the nuclear black market, create a serious risk that terrorists may acquire what they need to build a nuclear weapon.

To date, the international community has made progress toward achieving a global “lock down” f nuclear weapons, materials, and associated technology, but much more work needs to be done. n addition, the United States and the international community have improving but currently insufficient capabilities to detect, interdict, and defeat efforts to covertly deliver nuclear materials r weapons—and if an attack occurs, to respond to minimize casualties and economic impact as well as to attribute the source of the attack and take strong action. - 2010 NPR

This indeed is a potent threat and one that can no longer be ignored. Terrorists, particularly Islamic terrorists many of whom are hellbent on attacking America would not hesitate to use such weapons, even in a suicide attack. This has to be one of the more perplexing problems our military and intelligence leaders face today, to forestall such an attack. Such an attack need not be the actual detonation of a nuclear weapon, but could take the form of the the use of a dirty bomb - a regular bomb or dispersal weapon meant to spread nuclear radiation/waste over a large area. Death would not be instantaneous, it would be a slow death for those who were exposed to a lethal dose of radiation and probably long term debilitating illness for those who survive but were exposed to high levels of it.

Indeed the review noted above was undertaken in order to address what was described as a new security environment. Reviewing our posture has been ongoing for some time, as far back as the early 2000's under President Bush. For those of you who want a really good look at this review, the FAS has one here you may all find of interest.

Our posture is important, but looking at the posture of others is also important. First of all, we Americans especially her populace, but increasingly those in key analytical circles are incapable of looking at what others view as a strategic threat. We Americans tend to look at the threat to us, but don't look at how the world views the threat to them -  not with American eyes, but with Russian, Chinese, Indian, Pakistani, Israeli or even North Korean eyes. This is a critical failing in that other nations react to what they perceive to be a threat to them. At times, it is clear that our policy makers do know just what others view as a threat and then go out of their way to provoke others to hostile action as a result. This was the case with the deployment of the anti-ballistic missile system in Eastern Europe by the US, ostensibly to counter an Iranian missile strike, but viewed (correctly) by Moscow as threat to their nuclear arsenal and their ability to react/respond to an American nuclear first strike.

Despite the fine sounding words in the 2010 NPR and their desire to reduce nuclear hostilities as implied clearly throughout the document, the US decided it wanted to provoke Russia and her nuclear security with this lucrative hair brained scheme directed at a threat which was mostly illusory. Iran had no such desire to hit Europe, rather she eventually would love to export more of her energy to EU markets. Good business sense says you don't kill your customers... they tend to stop buying your goods while they are busy being dead.

What does this mean?

Well dear readers, this is written so that we as Christians may begin to start thinking the unthinkable. Russia has run a number of military drills and those drills included the training of her nuclear forces as well as responding in a civil defense fashion to such an attack. Russia knows that the next war with the west will employ such weapons. How do I see such a scenario happening.

I hate to envision such a dark future, but will do so only in the broadest terms.

If NATO (under US leadership and concomitant threats to EU member nations to go along) were to begin a massive deployment of troops into Eastern Europe along with what is seen (not by the US but by the Russians) as military hardware that is potentially offensive in nature, the Russians, as the US did during the Cuban Missile Crisis would probably adopted a very hard line stance. Keep in mind that Russia is a large nation. Geographically speaking it is massive, there is no larger nation on earth and as such it must be defended. Russian defense posture will entail military moves to preempt/counter any potentially aggressive moves along her frontiers. In short, Russia would react. She would make it plain diplomatically that such a deployment was unacceptable try and diffuse the situation diplomatically, but if she saw this would not work, she would strike and do so hard and fast. The risks here for Russia are real enough as she does not want to be viewed in Europe as an aggressor, but at the same time, she is not going to be threatened with large amounts of hostile troops along her border. She would do whatever it took to remove the offending troops and weapons systems.

It should be noted that Russia's entire economy during the times of the Soviet Union was built around its military and the ability of its economy to rapidly transform itself for war production in the event of hostilities. Russian history taught the Russians the need for constant vigilance in this realm. It should also be noted that that kind of economic structuring contributed significantly to the collapse of the Soviet Union. It should be noted that Russian observers (Schlykov ) believe that much of the basic features of the old Soviet System remained in place after the fall of the Soviet Empire (see If War Comes Tomorrow How Russia prepares for Possible Armed Aggression - RUSI).

That reaction would probably include the use of tactical nuclear weapons, if a conventional strike is unlikely to convince the offenders of the threat they posed. Such a move would not be taken irresponsibly nor foolishly, but in full keeping with what Russia views (key phrase) as a threat to her existence. Nuclear weapons are there just for that occasion. It is why the US has them. When there is an existential threat to the US, America, despite high sounding words and flowery sounding optimism, will use nuclear weapons to counter such a threat.

America having only two nations who border her does not have to worry much about hundreds of thousands of troops massed along our bombers with hostile fighters, bombers and stealth aircraft, tanks and special operations troops prodding and poking at us 24/7 as the Russians do. The problem is that when she reacts to these military deployments and 'exercises' along her border, the world then demonizes Russia and calls her 'aggressive'.

This is not to say that at times Russia cannot be aggressive, she can. But Russia knows this - she has not the resources for any kind of 'invasion' of Europe (or the UK). Russian troops are not going to come barreling over the border in waves of tanks and aircraft. It would serve no real long term purpose. She could not hold such territory if she did. This is one of the reasons the Russians did not remain in Georgia after the brief but geopolitical shocking invasion of that nation years ago. She knows it's one thing to attack a nation to remove a threat, quite another to remain and try and 'hold' a nation where you are not welcome. The Russians being fast learners know better than to try that. Americans still have not fully learned that lesson and the fiasco in Iraq (and our return) shows a rather severe learning disability in this realm. 

In short, the hysteria over Russia is mostly one that is being manufactured out of defense contractors who are being paid not to see the real threat so that a false one can be concocted so that billions can be spent modernizing our arsenal based partially on faulty assumptions of Russia's intentions.

But continued prodding and provoking of Russia will one day lead to a situation where they feel forced to demonstrate to a world who will continue to poke and prod Russia, just how seriously she takes these provocations and the release of just one single tactical nuclear weapon on an offending NATO facility, after months of diplomatic wrangling would send the message home in a way that even the most slow witted American military leader could understand.

Such a scenario I think is more likely to occur. That or some kind of attack on a US friendly nation in response to an attack on a Russian friendly nation (Syria) that rapidly escalates.

All that said, we must not ignore that China has also moved to place its small nuclear arsenal on hair trigger alert, something it had not done before. The global environment clearly demonstrated by the postures of the major nuclear powers, is getting much more dangerous.



...this will continue with a 'what to do in case of an attack' section in the near future, God willing!!

16 Nov

A Badge Of Shame: The Way We Treat Our Veterans

Antiwar.com looks at how many of America's veterans are treated. Suicide among vets and a VA that has a myriad or problems and in the opinion of many, broken are some of the issues talked about in this important piece. This piece also looks at how some see that the country has been engaged in a war on our veterans... in named government operations.

Operations that begun right after Obama took office.

This has been the problem in far too many cases - You serve honorably make many sacrifices for the country and they turn right around and screw you for the 'crime' of having done so.

This is not to say there are not some problems out there with violent vets. There clearly are as we saw the other day in the shooting in California. These things cannot be ignored, but at the same time I have seen first hand out this government treats peaceful, non-violent veterans who exercise the right to live and speak freely many gave their life's blood to protect - they get screwed by government bureaucrats who don't have anything better to do than find creative ways of silencing those veterans who speak truth to power, offer an opinion, a countervailing narrative or just want to gripe.

Too many vets get attacked by the enemy on the battlefield only to come home to get screwed by their own country.

We as a nation can do better than that and if this country wants to recruit a better crop of soldiers, airmen and seaman, then it needs to take stock of these things. What kind of message are we sending to our young people with our maltreatment of veterans? I will tell you what I see - smart people see this and the way vets who come back get messed over, mistreated, can't get care, help or even a job. Such young people who see this they will avoid military service. The dumb ones will run to it the first 'cool looking' recruiting advert they see on the TV. Hence the considerable personnel issues we are now having in all branches of the military.

Understanding the steady and troubling decline in the average intelligence of Marine Corps officers

How the Military Recruits when 70% of Americans Can’t Serve

Goal of 80,000 Recruits Won't Be Met, Army Secretary Says

You aren’t wrong: Our military officers actually seem to be getting stoopider

There are a lot of stories and studies out there on this and even some in government that will probably never see the light of day. We've got problems and one of the biggest I see is that military service these days is looked down upon more and more because of the way those who once served get treated. Who wants to be subject to federal investigations and surveillance just because you served... honorably? If I were young today, I would not serve. And yes, I am a Veteran and glad I served but am also glad I left when I did.

This is not your grandfathers military.  

Today? I just could not recommend military service to any family member, at least not the ones I liked (!). I would not openly discourage it, but warn them what awaits them when they get out  - "If ISIS don't get you, Uncle Sam will!"

Folks I have had family members show me hostility and open contempt for my years of service to the country.

It's not that I am down on such service, it's that these days any benefits that they promise you are outweighed by the intangible negatives that will haunt you all of your life... all for the hard work and many sacrifices you made for the country.

My word to the Defense Department and the President is this. You want better recruits? A better military? Then show the nation that those who have served in the past get some respect and are given the very same rights that they fought for on the battlefield; give those who need medical care what they need, otherwise the only people who will be drawn into service 10-20 years from now are those who are not fit for anything in the civilian world... except maybe jail.

I say these things not to denigrate our service members or even our decision makers who have some tough decisions to make and difficult choices in a highly charged political environment. I believe that our country needs a strong, highly skilled military. For that you need good and smart folks. There is only one way to attract that kind of person. Treat them right and let the nation see that you treat them right during and after their service. No one is going to serve in the military merely for the privilege of getting screwed and even mocked when they come home.

That is one of the best investments in future military personnel this country can make, doing our past and present service members right - clearly, publicly and in a verifiable fashion so when a young person asks his buddy or Uncle Bob if he should join, he can say without hesitation that they should.

A nation that refuses to honor and respect those who served, does not deserve the protection of a highly skilled, professional and successful military... and you know what?...

...They're not going to get it.

15 Nov

Nehemiah VI

Nehemiah gave the mockers and and sons of Belial far more than they deserved - he answered them. Nehemiah, needed to make sure the crowd around him knew where he stood against such vile men as these. The mighty man of God let them know that he placed his faith and confidence in God and as such would not be moved by the ravings of spiritual rejects. Then he makes it plain that God's people will build (active faith). Whereas the 'mocker lobby' has no portion, no right and no memorial. In short, what Nehemiah was saying was that they were not of the house of God. What were they? They were more like the enemy in the camp, or the foreign nations that Joshua had to overcome to get into the promised land, these were the enemies of God and his purpose and Nehemiah wanted it known by all within hearing distance. The answer that Nehemiah gave was pretty much the same one that Ezra gave long before.

But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the chief of the fathers of Israel,
said unto them, Ye have nothing to do with us to build an house unto our God;
but we ourselves together will build unto the LORD God of Israel,
 as king Cyrus the king of Persia hath commanded us.
(Ezr 4:3)

In Ezra, the propaganda against those charged with rebuilding the Temple had an effect, as Ezra 4:4 tells us. In Ezra 4:5 we see that the enemies of the Jewish restoration even hired 'counselors' against them to frustrate their works. Today, we see many of the same things in our world. The enemies of the Gospel hire all manner of lobbyists and propagandists to do their work. We saw that in the days of the gay marriage controversy. Christians only had a slight glimpse of the forces that were arrayed against them in that debate. They thought they knew what they were up against, but didn't. In fact, they were clueless and got mad when you tried to show them how they were going to lose this in the long run.  I know this because if they knew, they would have taken a completely different tact than the one they did. Instead, they went blazing across a spiritual, political and social minefield on pogo sticks thinking they would win a spiritual battle and not have their cause blown up forever in the process.

There was no hope of success in the way they went about it. They simply did not understand the lay of the land and many let their own personal indignation at the sin of homosexuality blind them to deeper issues they deliberately chose to ignore. Nehemiah as we saw, took some real time out and effort to get the lay of the land.

So in the days of Ezra, these efforts against God's people were highly coordinated. For Christians today, we often don't really internalize just how organized the devil and his people can be. They often are exceptionally organized, have money to hire troublemakers and get away with it.

I think here is a good time to give folks just a bit of history of both Ezra and Nehemiah. Both had the basic same charge but Nehemiah's was later. Here is how the introduction to Adam Clarke's commentary puts it.

He who succeeded Ezra in the government of Judah and Jerusalem was Nehemiah, a very religious and most excellent man; one that was nothing behind his predecessor, saving his learning and great knowledge in the law of God. He came to Jerusalem in the twentieth year of Artaxerxes Longimanus, about four hundred and forty-five years before Christ; and by a commission from him, superseded that of Ezra, and succeeded him in the government of Judah and Jerusalem. He had in that commission, by an express clause therein inserted, full authority to repair the walls, and set up the gates of Jerusalem; and to fortify it again in that manner as it was before it was dismantled and destroyed by the Babylonians. - Dr. Prideaux as quoted from Adam Clarke's Commentary

This site has an informative little piece on the timelines.

found at http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/bofbooks/booksch7.htm

Nehemiah, probably was completely aware that rabble-rousers would be present but was determined to not let what happened before, happen to him.

Nehemiah's words had the desired effects. The Priests got to work. Note here that these are not men in white robes who stand afar off and nodding in approval of the work others are doing. No, they rolled up their sleeves and got busy themselves.

They built the sheep gate and sanctified it (made it holy). Eliashib, who was the high priest was the grandson of Jeshua (Ezr_3:2; Neh_12:10). He is an interesting person who will will talk about later in this series. Where is the sheep gate? No one knows for certain and many have tried to determine it. What we do know is that there was such a gate in Jerusalem in Christ's time (John 5:2). This was where a pool there where Jesus performed a miracle of healing. Some believe the name derives from the fact that Phoenician traders as well as Galileans would arrive to sell their fish via that particular gate.

Because the Priests were involved in building this gate, it is assumed that it was in close proximity to the Temple. According to Albert Barnes - The Sheep gate was on the eastern wall, not far from the afore mentioned pool (Cambridge Bible).

I am not going to go through the rest of chapter three for obvious reasons but will put it here with a few highlights.

And next unto them repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah, the son of Koz.
And next unto them repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah,
the son of Meshezabeel. And next unto them repaired Zadok the son of Baana. And next unto them the Tekoites repaired; but their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.
Moreover the old gate repaired Jehoiada the son of Paseah,
and Meshullam the son of Besodeiah; they laid the beams thereof,
and set up the doors thereof, and the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
 And next unto them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite,
and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon, and of Mizpah,
unto the throne of the governor on this side the river.
Next unto him repaired Uzziel the son of Harhaiah, of the goldsmiths.
Next unto him also repaired Hananiah the son of one of the apothecaries,
 and they fortified Jerusalem unto the broad wall. And next unto them repaired Rephaiah the son of Hur,
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem. And next unto them repaired
Jedaiah the son of Harumaph, even over against his house.
And next unto him repaired Hattush the son of Hashabniah.
Malchijah the son of Harim, and Hashub the son of Pahathmoab,
repaired the other piece, and the tower of the furnaces.
And next unto him repaired Shallum the son of Halohesh,
the ruler of the half part of Jerusalem, he and his daughters.
The valley gate repaired Hanun, and the inhabitants of Zanoah; they built it,
and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and a thousand cubits on the
 wall unto the dung gate. But the dung gate repaired Malchiah
 the son of Rechab, the ruler of part of Bethhaccerem; he built it,
 and set up the doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof.
But the gate of the fountain repaired Shallun the son of Colhozeh,
the ruler of part of Mizpah; he built it, and covered it, and set up the
doors thereof, the locks thereof, and the bars thereof, and the wall of the pool of Siloah by the king's garden, and unto the stairs that go down from the city of David. After him repaired Nehemiah
 the son of Azbuk, the ruler of the half part of Bethzur, unto the place over against
the sepulchres of David, and to the pool that was made, and unto the
 house of the mighty. After him repaired the Levites, Rehum the son of Bani.
Next unto him repaired Hashabiah, the ruler of the half part of Keilah, in his part.
After him repaired their brethren, Bavai the son of Henadad, the ruler of the half part of Keilah. And next to him repaired Ezer the son of Jeshua, the ruler of Mizpah, another piece over
against the going up to the armoury at the turning of the wall. After him
 Baruch the son of Zabbai earnestly repaired the other piece, from the turning
 of the wall unto the door of the house of Eliashib the high priest.
After him repaired Meremoth the son of Urijah the son of Koz another piece,
from the door of the house of Eliashib even to the end of the house of Eliashib. And after him repaired the
priests, the men of the plain. After him repaired Benjamin and Hashub
 over against their house. After him repaired Azariah the son of Maaseiah the son of Ananiah by his house. After him repaired Binnui the son of Henadad another piece, from the house of Azariah
unto the turning of the wall, even unto the corner. Palal the son of Uzai,
over against the turning of the wall, and the tower which lieth out from the
king's high house, that was by the court of the prison. After him Pedaiah
the son of Parosh. Moreover the Nethinims dwelt in Ophel, unto the place
 over against the water gate toward the east, and the tower that lieth out.
 After them the Tekoites repaired another piece, over against
the great tower that lieth out, even unto the wall of Ophel.
From above the horse gate repaired the priests, every one over against his house.
After them repaired Zadok the son of Immer over against his house.
After him repaired also Shemaiah the son of Shechaniah, the keeper of the east gate. After him repaired Hananiah the son of Shelemiah, and Hanun the sixth son of Zalaph, another piece.
After him repaired Meshullam the son of Berechiah over against his chamber.
After him repaired Malchiah the goldsmith's son unto
the place of the Nethinims, and of the merchants, over against t
he gate Miphkad, and to the going up of the corner. And between the
going up of the corner unto the sheep gate repaired the goldsmiths and the merchants.
(Neh 3:4-32)

I will not give much comment on this rather long section for several reasons. One many of the people and genealogies are not known in our time. Two, many of the places they rebuilt simply are not known today with any certainty and three -  other than the fact that many did build and did so in what appears to be a highly organized and determined fashion, there is not much of spiritual value I can glean from it. In short, Nehemiah had plan and the people believed in their God, they did the work and God prospered them. The scribe here writes down for posterity who did what.

God willing, we will continue out look at Nehemiah soon!

13 Nov


Uganda: Two Kids Abandoned After Dad Poisoned

He was a Christian convert. His wife wanted him to come back to Islam. The ICC reports.

Such familial, peer and social pressure is very common in the Islamic world.

 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law
against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they
of his own household. He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or
 daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
(Matthew 10:35-37 [KJV])

Algeria: Update on Christians facing proselytism charges

(Middle East Concern) In October, MEC requested prayer for four Christians, including three from the same family, who were to appear in court on 6 November in Province of Bouira, in the Kabylie region. The case has been postponed until 27 November.

These Christians are accused of “inciting a Muslim to change his religion,” an offence under Ordinance 6-3 of 2006, punishable with a prison term of two to five years and a fine of 500,000 to 1 million Algerian Dinars ( approx. US$4,350 to US$8,700).

The charges follow accusations made in July 2018 by a woman (aged 40) whose husband (50), the main defendant, had converted to Christianity. She and members of her family accused her Christian husband, together with a Christian family that had attempted to mitigate the conflict between the couple, of wanting to convert her to Christianity.

Also in October, MEC requested prayer for a young Christian (29) from Tizi Ouzou, who has been charged with “illegal importation of Christian materials.” The young man was returning from a visit to a Middle Eastern country in the summer of 2016, and had with him some items, such as keyrings and scarfs, with Christian inscriptions. He was tried and acquitted, but in September 2018 the prosecutor decided to appeal. He appeared before a court of appeals in Algiers on 18 October and was once again acquitted of all charges. - MEConcern

***

8 Nov

Nehemiah V

Then said I unto them, Ye see the distress that we are in,
how Jerusalem lieth waste, and the gates thereof are burned with fire:
come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach.
Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me;
as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said,
Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work.
(Neh 2:17-18)

Nehemiah having just returned from his secret mission to survey the damage in Jerusalem many decades after the Babylonian invasion, now makes his plans for the future known to them. He comforts the Jews living there, letting them know that he now can see first hand the troubles they are having. The word here for distress is a pretty powerful word (H7451)

The key here is that the Jews were exposed to their enemies, a prey to their foes and they were a held in contempt. They had become just as the prophets foretold a reproach (i.e, Jer 42:8). But now that the 70 years had expired God had a new plan for his people. He saw that abysmal condition of the city, its wall and fortifications and wanted to strengthen the hands of his people. God wanted for Jerusalem and her people to no more be a reproach to the kingdoms round about.

Nehemiah then gives credit where it is due, to God who moved upon him and favored him with this task and the kings favor in accomplishing it.  Nehemiah's words and encouragement had a powerful effect on the people who obviously were sick of being mistreated and being the butt end of jokes and being treated like scum. They knew that they had to rebuild the nation and the way to do that was to get busy rebuilding the infrastructure.  The good news was that the people did not mock or disbelieve Nehemiah, they heard and had the faith to act. This is what faith is - ACTION. Now the kind of faith we have today, the people would have bobbed their heads and agreed with Nehemiah, and gone back to their homes and waited for the rocks and stones to levitate into rebuilding themselves. Those who heard Nehemiah and acted, that was real faith, Today, too many Christians want a magic potion... sold to them by a 'Jesus Genie' that springs out after rubbing a lamp.

The good news is that one by one, more and more western Christians realize the need to put their faith into real action in service, not of the world system and in humanist causes, but for the work of the Kingdom, which is in need of dedicated workmen who are full of faith, the Holy Spirit and love of the Lord.

Are you such a person?

Did it occur to any of you that one day soon, the Lord may really begin to judge his house, the fake, corporate Christianity that is increasingly rejecting the commandments of God? Did it occur to you that we may see the hand of the Lord fall, first on the Harlot religious institutions in our nation before God deals with the nation as a whole (1Peter 4:17)? Did it occur to you that when that day arrives he is going to use a small, ordinary group of seemingly rag-tag people who know their God and obey his voice to build something new, Biblically sound and filled with the Holy Spirit?

I hesitated to do both Haggai and Nehemiah, because frankly I always found this period in the Bible as less interesting than say the book of the Kings or the Major prophets. But in our times, we can see how God used men do rebuild the Temple in those times of religious, cultural and ethnic embarrassment. We can also understand that even if God has to judge/destroy the old, he has a plan to rebuild if he can find people of faith who honor and obey his voice.

But when Sanballat the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite,
 and Geshem the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us,
 and said, What is this thing that ye do? will ye rebel against the king?
(Neh 2:19)

Once God's plan is set in motion, the devil will always stir up his rabble to denigrate and put down the work of God's people. I will tell you right now, the quickest and surest way to come under a demonic assault is to start doing whatever it is called has called you to do. This is what happened here. The Lord raised up Nehemiah to get the work started and run the political and logistical administration of it, but once he did, the children of Beelzebub ranted against the work of the Lord.  But I think this little aside is in order. Consider the last statement made by these mockers. They insinuated that they would rebel against the King. Now they clearly knew Nehemiah's mission as we seen when he first arrived (Neh 2:9-10) and knew that this work and mission was not rebellion against the king, but rather Nehemiah was carrying out a Royal charge. But being 'bronze age' propagandists, they had to create some lie (a false narrative - they are rebelling against the king! rebelling against the king!) in order to stir up some kind of hate. In short, they like another group of people in our times, have made lies their refuge as do all scornful men, who mock and scorn God's work and his people.

Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men,
that rule this people which is in Jerusalem. Because ye have said,
We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement;
when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us:
for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone,
a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet:
and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
(Isa 28:14-17)

 I will quote Matthew Henry's views on the passage as I think it instructive.

Nothing is a greater vexation to the enemies of good people, who have misrepresented them to princes as turbulent, and factious, and not fit to live, than to see them stand right in the opinion of their rulers, their innocency cleared and their reproach rolled away, and that they are thought not only fit to live, but fit to be trusted. When they saw a man come in that manner, who professedly sought the welfare of the children of Israel, it vexed them to the heart. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved. (2.) When he began to act they set themselves to hinder him, but in vain, Neh_2:19, Neh_2:20. [1.] See here with what little reason the enemies attempted to discourage him. They represented the undertaking as a silly thing: They laughed us to scorn and despised us as foolish builders, that could not finish what we began. They represented the undertaking also as a wicked thing, no better than treason: Will you rebel against the king? Because this was the old invidious charge, though now they had a commission from the king and were taken under his protection, yet still they must be called rebels. - Matthew Henry (Public Domain)

Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven,
he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build:
but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem.
(Neh 2:20)

Nehemiah answered them in faith and with courage. He was not going to concern himself with the 'forked tongue' lobby.  He knew his God would prosper his work and made it plain that such as they had no portion in this work.

Now each of these mockers were foreigners and as such, were probably behind much of the derision and hatred that the Jews felt back then. So they had to do what they could to discourage God's people from accomplishing their divine task, which was to do God's holy will, by rebuilding the walls and fortifications of Jerusalem.

There are Sanballat's and Tobiah's everywhere. They come into our churches and our prayer groups to stir up trouble and bring in discouragement to God's people. They mock the work God has called his people to do and bring nothing but trouble.

Our job is to pretty much ignore them, but Nehemiah, because others were looking on had to respond and his response was excellent.

Are you serving God in a way you know he wants you to? Is your job hard and do you have your own Tobiah's and Sanballat's to deal with?

That's a good sign!!

Rejoice! The devil has you marked as one of his enemies.

... and God as one of his friends.

We will continue as God gives grace!

7 Nov

Asia Bibi: Despite Court Win, She Remains In Jail

Yes, its true she is still in prison. She is also banned from leaving the country so clearly her ordeal is hardly over. There have been some violent protests over her win before the High Court and her lawyer has had to flee the country because of death threats.

As the above linked report implies - this travel ban appears to be in reality a death sentence by stealth.

Her husband has called on President Trump to offer her Asylum

Democracy In Decline

A few years ago I opined that our world was seeing a reduction in democracy and moreover American policy was one of they key drivers of that trend, having spent considerable money and covert effort to overthrow those that did not tout the US line (Syria) or could be used as geopolitical tools against others (Ukraine). This paper out of the CRS talks about these trends with a more comprehensive, if a bit antiseptic way. It provides an excellent view of US policy in the past and how US security and democracy promotion went hand in hand.

For decades U.S. policymakers have connected U.S. national security and other core interests with the spread of democracy around the world. Reflecting this, the promotion of democracy has been a longstanding and multifaceted element of U.S. foreign policy, and one often interrelated with U.S. efforts to promote human rights. Congress has often played an important role in supporting and institutionalizing U.S. democracy promotion by passing key legislation, appropriating funds for foreign assistance programs and other democracy promoting activities, and conducting oversight of aspects of U.S. foreign policy relevant to democracy promotion.

Widespread concerns exist among analysts and policymakers over the current trajectory of democracy around the world and multiple hearings in the 115th Congress reflected bipartisan concern over this issue. For the past decade, experts have debated whether, and to what extent, the heretofore global expansion of democracy has halted or even begun to reverse. Many argue that the world has been in the midst of what has been termed a global “democratic recession” that began around 2006. Proponents of this view cite data from global measures of democracy as well as qualitative trends that have heightened concerns over the state of democracy, particularly in recent years. Frequently cited concerns include the rise of authoritarian populist and nationalist leaders, the potential negative influence on democracy from internationally assertive authoritarian states, questions over the enduring appeal of democracy as a political system, new tools nondemocratic governments are using to stifle potential democratizing forces, and others.

Experts vary in their assessment of the impact of these and other perceived trends and in their appraisal of what current conditions may portend for the future trajectory of democracy around the world. With regard to U.S. policy, there are disagreements over the extent to which the United States should respond to negative trends, as well as over the U.S. capacity to influence them meaningfully and effectively. - CRS

The document  goes on to note how Trump removed any concerns for Democracy in his National Security Strategy (NSS).

Trump Administration Policy

Unlike the NSS documents of previous administrations, the Trump Administration’s December 2017 NSS does not articulate a general intention for the United States to actively promote democracy. The NSS does, however, include references to promoting related elements such as improved governance, anti-corruption, and the rule of law, and states that the United States, “will continue to champion American values and offer encouragement to those struggling for human dignity in their societies.” It also describes the United States as engaged in “political contests between those who favor repressive systems and those who favor free societies.” Echoing to some degree the arguments from previous administrations, it states that “governments that respect the rights of their citizens remain the best vehicle for prosperity, human happiness, and peace,” and conversely that “governments that routinely abuse the rights of their citizens do not play constructive roles in the world.” Many argue that the Trump Administration has deemphasized democracy promotion relative to other foreign policy priorities, an issue that is discussed in the “Issues for Congress” section. - CRS

This is a very interesting read for those of you interested and gets beyond the soundbites and looks at some concrete possible reasons for the decline. Here is a snippet I think readers here will find interesting.

The rising international influence of authoritarian states is being accompanied to a certain extent by challenges to the idea that international norms relating to democracy and human rights are universally applicable. Although concerning for democracy proponents, the overall scope and impact of these efforts to date is unclear.

Both China and Russia in particular actively emphasize norms of state sovereignty and “noninterference” in international relations. Russia’s emphasis on noninterference can take the form of defending respect for “traditional values.” Within Russia, “traditional values” have been invoked to justify discriminatory policies against particular groups, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. Internationally, Russia has pushed for acceptance of its “traditional values” concept within the U.N. Human Rights Council. Russia’s restrictive policies for civil society groups operating within Russia, justified on the basis of protecting against foreign influence, have also arguably engendered replication elsewhere (see discussion in the “Modern Methods of Political Control” section).

China’s general posture is characterized by one scholar as offering “a critique of Western-style capitalism, liberal democracy and ‘so-called universal values,’ while presenting itself as a pragmatic, nonjudgmental partner interested only in ‘win–win cooperation.’” China’s principles of noninterference and respect for what has been termed “civilizational diversity” are said to undergird its engagement with foreign aid recipients such that this aid is largely free of governance conditions. Notably, according to one analysis, the top recipients of Chinese aid from 2000 to 2014 were nearly all nondemocracies. Principles of noninterference also appear to be manifest in China’s efforts to promote the concept of “cyber sovereignty,” arguably implicit within which is the notion that countries should be free to censor or otherwise control internet content within their borders. As with Russia, China has begun to introduce resolutions and amendments at the U.N. Human Rights Council that some researchers and human rights advocates argue aim to undermine respect for universal human rights norms.

The multilateral Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which includes China and Russia as influential member states, also operates according to these principles of respect for sovereignty and noninterference. A 2006 joint statement by the SCO reads: “Diversity of civilization and model of development must be respected and upheld. Differences in cultural traditions, political and social systems, values and model[s] of development formed in the course of history should not be taken as pretexts to interfere in other countries’ internal affairs.” Although the SCO has traditionally been a regional grouping with members composed of largely authoritarian states in Central Asia, India and Pakistan joined as member states in 2017. According to some analysts, SCO’s promotion of “civilizational diversity” norms may be undermining regional respect for democratic principles and having a negative impact on the democracy-related work of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

Source: Congressional Research Service

3 Nov

The Elephant In The Room

    Source US Treasury (Debt 21,195,070,000,000 as Of 31 Aug 18) - Chart is hot-linked to The St. Louis Federal Reserve.

This was the debt just two months ago. Since then, it has gone up half a trillion dollars. Don't believe me? Check here.

Yes, the debt problem is still here, though you would never know it watching the news. Everyone is caught up in the manufactured crisis/publicity stunt of the day designed to sway voters. What does all the debt cost us in interest? Again, it's right there in official government reports.


 

How does that stack up with the past?


   Source: US Treasury

I know I can hear your exasperation (!) as I post these every so often, but it's good to see where we are at from time to time. Hardly anyone else is talking about it, yet this economic 'H-bomb' has already left the bomb bay doors and only needs the force of economic gravity to deliver it to the target - US!

These are numbers and it's hard to emotionalize this for the ordinary person/voter. But if you want to know what happens to someone who is a bankrupt and can't pay his bills, you can head on over to skid row in any major American city and find people who will explain to you just how devastating it can be.

Donald Trump? He has added significantly to the problem, no doubt about it. Granted, he felt that the tax breaks were needed to stimulate economic activity and jump start it. To a large degree he was right, it worked fairly well. But that does not take away from the charts above. He digging us into a hole faster than his predecessors.

Some have said we can grow our way out of debt. If we were sitting on only one or two trillion dollars of it, the answer would probably be yes, we probably could. But not with the numbers we are dealing with, those who say we can either can't count or don't think you can.

Critical Mass

So when do we get to a critical point? Two events to look for. When we can no longer afford to service our debt or when lenders demand much more money in interest to finance our deficits.

Let's take a look at those interest payments and how they effect our deficits. Here is just one aspect of the situation as described by the St. Louis Fed.

Why might interest rates rise in response to deficit financing? When you rule out monetary accommodation of the deficit, the government needs to create an incentive for the private sector to buy more government bonds. If the private sector's purchase of government bonds does not increase one-for-one with the higher deficit, the government must borrow more money, which leaves less money for financing private projects, such as investment in residences or factory equipment. This is sometimes referred to as the "crowding-out" effect. - St. Louis Fed

So understand when I talk about these issues, they are issues well known in government circles, just not talked about much in the mainstream media. They are issues that are likely to become very important over the next few years.

The federal government’s net interest costs are projected to climb sharply as interest rates rise from their currently low levels and as debt accumulates. Such spending would about equal spending for Social Security, currently the largest federal program, by the end of the projection period. - CBO

These days, everyone is on the Fed's case on rising interest rates. The President and many libertarian voices like Ron Paul and others have lit into the Fed saying they don't get it and that they are messing things up for the economy. Well, on one level they are correct. The immediate and short term effect on higher rates of interest does significantly impact business borrowing and creation as well as investment. It effects the housing market as people have to pay higher rates of interest and the housing market starts to stumble, as we are starting to see now. But it also effects car loans, student debt as well.

But the big picture is that the artificially low interest rate environment we saw after the crisis of 2008 was good while it lasted, but like all good things, they must come to and end.


      Source: CBO


Note the interest payment increase over the years. We can see also in the other charts (above from St. Louis Fed) from the Treasury that higher payments are already happening.

I am not going to belabor this issue today, but given the discourse in the nation today or lack thereof, this issue along with our constant war spending just never seems to get addressed in DC. No one is going to fix this. Not until we get to a crisis point with our lenders and remember, we rely on borrowing not just to finance pet projects, but also to run the day to day affairs of the government.

People talk about the next crisis and what causes this or that market downturn and what will cause a major issue in the future. This is the main one - that the nation that controls the world's most held currency is fiscally insolvent and can only continue to pay her bills if people come to the Treasury and lend her billions of dollars every day.

If the only way you could pay your mortgage, your car note, your insurance and grocery bill is to run up your credit cards what kind of financial state are you really in?

That is just where we are at as a nation.

Treasury Borrows More Than 1.3 Trillion In 2018

Nearly one and a half times more than last year. It's as I said before - it's that gap that Trump has put in our budget. He is using borrowing to fund the gap. The Fed has to raise rates to attract borrowing. The above link is from the Fiscal Times.

National Debt: It's Time To Worry

The Weekly Standard looks at the national debt and tells us why we had better start paying attention to it.

2 Nov

Gunmen Replicate 2017 Bus Attack Against Egyptian Christians

Believers Suffer Second Violent Attack While Traveling to St. Samuel Monastery

11/02/2018 Washington, D.C. (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on November 2, 2018, masked gunmen attacked a bus of Coptic Christians traveling to St. Samuel Monastery from Minya City, Egypt. According to the Coptic Orthodox Church, seven Christians were killed during today’s attack and 13 were wounded, including children.

St. Samuel Monastery Egypt (where the Christians were traveling to)
Source: Wikipedia/Roland Unger

Today’s assault had many similarities to the bus attack which occurred on May 26, 2017. Both buses were traveling to the same destination and the attacks occurred in same location. In last year’s attack, 28 were killed and 23 were wounded. The precision of the 2017 attack led many to believe that it was carefully planned in advance.

No group has claimed responsibility for today’s attack, which resembled similar attacks conducted by ISIS in Egypt.

“Oh God, these children were students in my school!” wept Magda, a local teacher. “I can’t imagine they are dead now!”

“The micro-bus was from my church,” said Mina, a local Christian. “The gunmen shot the men in their head and some of the injured are women. They had a nervous breakdown of what they have seen and they are in the hospital. Some women also were killed.”

“Who can accept these incidents?” asked Kirolos, another local believer. “Every day, there are many incidents harming Christians. We must leave our land and get out of here. I’m so exhausted… it’s so dull and dark these days.”

Coptic Christians make up approximately 10 percent of Egypt’s population of 92 million. They have frequently complained that the authorities have embraced a position of appeasement toward hardline Islamists, thus encouraging an environment which is dangerous for Christians.

“Every official must take the responsibility,” another believer told ICC immediately after today’s attack.  “All at fault must be punished. I think that if every mistaken official was dismissed or fired after every incident, the numbers of these incidents would be decreased.”

Victims of today’s attack are currently being treated at a local hospital and officials remain on the scene of the attack.

Claire Evans, ICC’s Regional Manager, said, “Today’s attack was a message sent to Egypt’s Christians that they are not welcome in a land where they have lived for centuries. Deliberate acts of violent persecution are, tragically, the norm in Egypt. Unless the government is more intentional about protecting the rights and security of Christians, these sorts of attacks will continue. We pray for healing for the victims of today’s attack, as well as for their families, and the safety of Egypt’s Christian community.”

***

You are free to disseminate this news story. We request that you reference International Christian Concern (ICC) and include our web address, www.persecution.org. Please give proper attribution for photo.

Please let us pray for Egypt's Christians but also let us pray for our persecutors as our Lord commanded (Matt 5:44).

1 Nov

Protests In Pakistan Over Asia Bibi Acquittal

Schools closed and roads blocked over the case.

Some have called for her to be killed.

There is such hate out there. I just cannot understand it except in light of the scriptures and how in the last days we will all be severely persecuted for our faith. More here.

Asia Bibi Acquitted In Pakistan Court

She was convicted of 'blasphemy' eight years ago and faced the death penalty. The ICC carries the story.

Let's all thank God that justice here while very slow, finally arrived.

Former Imam Help's Muslim Converts To Christ

This is a very interesting story of a man out of Uganda. It also shows you the tactics being used against Christians there. The well known tactic of false accusations and another, food poisoning. The ICC carries the story.

Another tactic? The acid attack.

Uganda: Boy Strangled, Threatened with Death for Refusing to Convert to Islam

NAIROBI, Kenya (Morning Star News) – Radical Muslims in eastern Uganda left a 12-year-old Christian boy unconscious on Thursday (Oct. 25) after threatening to strangle him to death unless he converted to Islam, sources said.

Emmanuel Nyaiti was on his way to pick up some plates from his grandmother’s house 200 meters from his home in Moru village, Kiryolo parish in Kaderuna Sub-County, Budaka District, when four area extremists ambushed him shortly after 9 p.m. and took him to a cassava plantation less than a mile away, his father said.

The boy said he was able to identify one attacker as Ali Lukuman and another as Abdul.

“Ali Lukuman tried to persuade me to become a Muslim, which I refused, and he slapped me and I started screaming,” Emmanuel told Morning Star News last week from his bed at Budaka Health Centre, his speech made difficult from strangulation and possible chloroform the assailants used on him. “They continued threatening me that they will kill me if I will not convert to Islam.” - continues at  Morning Star News Service

Chinese Christians Arrested For Street Witnessing

First those who witnessed were arrested, then 30 more members from a Church in Guangzhou were harassed by plain-clothed officials. ChinaAid, a ministry that focuses on Chinese persecution shares the story.

Church In Sudan Under Attack

The ACLJ looks at events in Sudan that have kind of gone on under the radar. These stories include imprisonment and torture.

Trump Backtracks On Protecting ME Christians

NBC looks at the actions of the administration that have taken place away from the headlines. This administration while claiming to want to help Iraqi Christians apparently is instead, deporting them.

What's it like for Christians in Post ISIS Iraq? This Iraqi pastor tells us.

Desperate Pakistani Christians Languish in Thailand

These are people who fled the persecution in Pakistan who are described as people without a country. This interesting piece from the National Review looks at the situation in Pakistan and the fate of these Christians who reside in Thailand.

As this piece at the end states - it's easy for us to forget how blessed we are in this country and that we are still a haven for persecuted people the world over.

Pastor Murdered In Front Of Wife In Cameroon

American pastor goes to Africa to be a missionary. The Christian Post has the story.

The nation has been racked by violence as this story makes clear.

31 Oct

Halloween And The Forces Of Darkness

The above link was written many years ago by  the late David J. Meyer. It's quite good and though old, very timely. I posted this a couple of times before but in light of the things going on today and the occult activities that grow with every year, it's good to get a reminder as to what exactly Halloween is really all about and where it came from. Those of you who have kids... be careful  - some very dark forces are gaining ground in the hearts of people and as we saw in the story I posted yesterday about the teens who were according to reports, may have been planning a sacrifice; the young people are being seduced as well. So in the name of Jesus Christ... be on your guard with your kids!! - MSW

Nehemiah IV

We begin the next section of Nehemiah looking at the the rest of the exchange the kings cup-bearer had with the king and the rest of his request. When we left off last time, Nehemiah was bold in telling the king what was troubling him and was quite honest with the king about it. This led to the the King allowing/directing him to go to Jerusalem to see for himself how things were and moreover, by the look of the request that Nehemiah was making to the king, he was being given not just an 'investigatory' charge, but one where he would be allowed to rebuild as well. Nehemiah had probably been in the court all of his life and thus knew the intricacies of high political intrigue. He knew that he had to get official permission, in writing from the king not just from the governors to make sure his passage was safe, but also that once he got there so that there would be no 'administrative' and 'bureaucratic' barriers set up to prevent him from getting his work done. A imperial order to a governor or a forester had to be complied with, or they may find themselves looking up from within a small basket at the rest of their body - neck down falling lifelessly from the chopping block. Those who saw the order would know they had to comply or face the music. In those days, anyone who defied a king in such a way often was forfeiting his life.

Nehemiah being in the kings presence for so long would certainly have seen this kind of thing happen time and time again and knew the ropes. If he was going to get this done and keep low level bureaucrats and the local rabble from stopping or hindering his work, he had to get the Kings direct permission and imperial orders to make it happen. Nehemiah obtained all of this. I personally don't think the Queen was totally un-involved. It is likely that the 'Jewish Lobby' within the kings court had probably found a way to get a message to the Queen to let her know what was happening. Who knows? She may have 'buttered up' the king just before this royal interchange and softened his heart for the request she knew was coming. Granted this is mostly conjecture, but conjecture that fits the kind of royal court political intrigue of those days and long thereafter. Nehemiah knew he would need the protection of the kings orders because if some knew what he had intended on doing without it, Nehemiah may never have arrived or had an accident soon after he did.

The King granted his request and Nehemiah gave thanks and credit to his God for the things that he had done for him. He knew that this was a 'God thing' and acknowledges this. This was a direct answer to his prayer in the earlier versus. God did hear the prayer of his servant and answered him accordingly.

As an aside, the word for 'forest' in the above passage is this one.

H6508
pardês
par-dace'
Of foreign origin; a park: - forest, orchard.

Here is what Gill says about this

Neh 2:8 - And a letter unto Asaph the keeper of the king's forest,.... The forest or mountain of Lebanon, which, because of its odoriferous and fruit bearing trees, was more like an orchard or paradise, as this word signifies, and so it is translated in Ecc_2:5 and at the extreme part of it, it seems, there was a city called Paradisus (r); such an officer as here was among the Romans, called Saltuarius (s), and is now among us: - Gill

Then I came to the governors beyond the river,
and gave them the king's letters.
Now the king had sent captains of the army
and horsemen with me. When Sanballat the Horonite,
and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, heard of it,
it grieved them exceedingly that there was come a man
 to seek the welfare of the children of Israel.
So I came to Jerusalem, and was there three days.
(Neh 2:9-11)

Nehemiah, traveled to Jerusalem and we are not given details about his journey, which was rather far, by the standards of those days. Nehemiah was traveling as a royal official and he had a military escort with him. Clearly both he and the king realized that he would need them. Given the report he was given back at the palace at Susa, he had to know there would be considerable prejudice and resistance to both is presence and his mission. As we will see, this was indeed the case. The same kind of men who had harassed and annoyed God's people in the original report were still in positions of influence. It's a good thing Nehemiah had a military escort and was operating under the direct orders of the Emperor.

Even with imperial orders there was clearly resistance here, verse 10 shows us how two men reacted to Nehemiah's mission. They were very upset. The attitude of these two men, Sanballat and Tobiah paves the way for the drama and intrigue that is to follow. Here is how the K&D commentary puts it.

These two individuals were undoubtedly influential chiefs of the neighbouring hostile nations of Samaritans and Ammonites, and sought by alliances with Jewish nobles (Neh_6:17; Neh_13:4, Neh_13:28) to frustrate, whether by force or stratagem, the efforts of Ezra and Nehemiah for the internal and external security of Judah. Nehemiah mentions thus early their annoyance at his arrival, by way of hinting beforehand at their subsequent machinations to delay the fortifying of Jerusalem. - K&D Commentary

These two men clearly did not want to see the Israelite's gain back their Temple, land or national identity. We should note that Sanbalalat was from Moab (see Isa 15:5) and the other was an Ammorite. Neither had any love for the Jews, being some of the earliest forms of anti-Semites. One thing anyone who has served the Lord can tell you, as soon as God gives you a job to do, the devil will move with lightning speed to hinder and stop your work. He will use government officials, enemies, other 'Christians', friends even family members to attack you. Nehemiah was no different. But he had a job to do and he made up his mind he was going to see it all the way through.

 
And I arose in the night, I and some few men with me;
neither told I any man what my God had put in my heart to do at
Jerusalem: neither was there any beast with me, save the beast that I rode upon.
 And I went out by night by the gate of the valley, even before the dragon well,
and to the dung port, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem, which were broken down,
and the gates thereof were consumed with fire.  Then I went on to the gate of the fountain,
and to the king’s pool: but there was no place for the beast that was under me to pass. 
Then went I up in the night by the brook, and viewed the wall,
and turned back, and entered by the gate of the valley, and so returned. 
And the rulers knew not whither I went,
or what I did; neither had I as yet told it to the Jews,
 nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers,
nor to the rest that did the work.
(Nehemiah 2:12-16)

This is an interesting passage. Again, Nehemiah has long been in the Kings court and had seen palace and political intrigue first hand, probably on a daily basis. This was not some naive political amateur, but someone who was clearly quite politically astute. He knew that if he wanted to see the conditions of things, he had to do it secretly and quietly. God had picked the right man for the task at the right time.

The whole feel of his passage says that Nehemiah wanted secrecy. He did not want any one to know he was out surveying the land. Why the secrecy? Probably he did not want some intrigue against this survey. Someone stirring up the locals against him and his mission in a 'rent-a-mob' kind of situation. His secrecy was most prudent and note that while there were a few men with him, only Nehemiah was on an animal (probably a mule). Again this would make travel much quieter and would not elicit any excitement. He had been in Jerusalem just three days and then undertook this secret survey. He went to all the then known important places to see the true condition, not by report, but first hand. Again, this was probably another thing Nehemiah learned while at court. He had probably seen many a head fall into a basket of those who brought false and misleading reports before the king. He knew such things can and do happen so the best thing was to go and see for himself... in secret making sure that no one of any importance knew where he was, what he was doing or if possible, that he even went.

Nehemiah understood treachery. He did not trust anyone there, not even the Jewish leaders or priests. He kept them out of the loop. Why? Nehemiah knew that there were probably some Jews there who had turned both on God and their own people. They probably had a comfortable life, lived well and knew that if the existing order were changed with the reanimation of the Jewish life and return of the people and their identity, they could find themselves no longer living in comfort and perhaps even found out for the traitors to their own people that some probably really were. This is sad, but it does happen. Look at the holocaust, there were many Jews who turned in their own people and were used by their oppressors. Nehemiah was smart enough to know that many Jews who had full bellies and nice clothes may not be as patriotic as he was and would fight him to keep their positions, wealth and influence. Thus he kept his plans secret.

Secrecy at times is necessary. Those doing jobs that are important and have opposition  do well to play things close to the vest. I guess we could almost call this a reconnaissance mission and as such, it needed to be done secretly.

We will continue Nehemiah soon!

28 Oct

Mid Terms

What is wrong with the American voter? They follow the fake narratives and PR stunts just before an election (like pipe bombs that never explode and migrant caravans, and engineered market crashes) rather than the cold, hard cash. I hate to sound too cynical, but in politics money will foretell the political future and is the light that can shine into the political soul of those you vote for.

I do apologize to many of you who want me to spend more time talking about the election. I don't see much sense in talking about which party is going to bomb, kill and borrow America into God's judgment. It's not an issue that is as important to me as it is to others who can't see the beast for what it is -  either the left hand of the beast or its right hand... they are both tools of the same beast.

So forgive me if I look at other issues as we move into the election season and seem curiously unconcerned with group of politicians get to vote us into war and bankruptcy. No one is ever going to do what is needed because what is needed to put the US economy on a permanent economic road to repair will be painful. Pain does not get you elected.

Promising the moon with a silver lining does.

Rather than spend the days reading  and talking about the latest PR stunts, or going over the latest lies and falsehoods coming over the News networks just before the mid terms, I think it wise to rather look at what is happening in the real world. I do beg your forbearance.... I just can't deal with the crazy that has become our elections. I got an email for an older Christian last night and he said he has his wife just could not believe the things they were seeing in this country. 

I could not agree more, it is so sad and tragic. But at the same time, not unexpected. I think what we are witnessing is the death of our democracy. The kinds of leaders I see coming to power in 10 years; the lack of history they possess, the lack of basic manners and fair play, the lack of common sense in the voters who will still in droves, vote for the same two parties that keep the nation heading down 'bankruptcy boulevard' and 'warmonger way'. I don't see democracy lasting much longer, not as it stands now. Either democratic input will be neutralized, or a more limited number of people will be allowed to vote or the Federal government itself will become and abstraction with little real power as others, perhaps state governments or major corporations with a presence in most states will step in to fill the void and ignore the foolishness in DC. I think we are already seeing just a small touch of that out in California with some of the things they are doing with the environment and net neutrality. Understand this, I am not hoping for this, but it is what the social and political trends in our nation portends.

But one of the biggest issues I see is that the nation has not taken the issue of foreign interference in our elections with the degree of seriousness it needs. Russiagate I see as one giant distraction from the real issues. With so many foreign nations dumping cash into our system, legally and illegally no one in power does anything. Rather it focuses on a few bloggers, drag them into court over a few posts that probably influenced no one, instead of the billions of dollars spent by foreigners to buy up our elections from abroad. The whole investigatory system is broken and so heavily politicized between left and right that they can't see how others are gaining a foothold in the nation... and I am not talking about Russia, whose influence was extremely insignificant compared to the influence of others, despite all the horror stories you have been told dutifully pushed by those with an agenda.

The saddest part is you can't point it out to people. The Democrats only want to hear it when you can point the finger at the GOP and the GOP-ers only want to hear about when you can blame the Democrats. Both sides have been selling us out for foreign money; both sides lie about it and both sides have pressured the DOJ, FBI and others to not investigate it, though under Trump that may be changing... slightly.

So forgive me if I don't join in the bandwagon of left-wingers or conservatives who think some great victory will be won in the mid-terms. The only winners I see will be the Saudi's, Israeli's, The Drug Cartels, the Chinese, the Indians, the Europeans and a host of others who know how to legally launder money into the American political system and buy our candidates and our policies.

Which nations do you think are pushing for sanctions on Iran... and pushing very hard? It's not hard to figure but you'll have have to do something novel to see it... turn off the Cable news and learn how think for yourself. I did not say repeat some fake news coming over Cable News, some fake theory or some false narrative. That isn't thinking - that's being fooled. One must learn how to to dig... DIG for answers on the internet. There are indeed some excellent tools out there that have never been available to ordinary people before, if people would only use them. Some excellent sites are out there if only people would go to them and use them. Instead they flock to what I call the digital garage heap of Twitter and Facebook to get their daily shot of fake news and political rant to start their day. Too many Americans need that jolt of political 'hate' to start their day, like a junkie needs his fix.

Yes, it's hard to find the good sites and the deep state is working overtime to make it harder but the truth is out there if you are reasonably curious, reasonably intelligent and are emotionally capable of internalizing negative data that may challenge what you think you know about the candidates and parties you have fallen head-over-heels in love with. If you possess those traits, you are ready to learn, if you don't you will stay fooled.

No brothers, the real problem with this country lies in the money that flows into the system, the legal bribery that comes in from overseas and those who have been buying up our politicians for years while no one marked it. It's still happening both legally and even more so illegally. There are many semi-legal and illegal ways to get money into our system and the most adept nations and political 'fixers' know how to do it and not get caught.

So I beg all Americans to put aside your partisanship. I don't care if you are with the GOP or the DNC; if you have come to the place where you can't even listen calmly to the other side without some quick reflexive retort you that heard on Cable or Facebook, I hate to break it to you and you don't know it and probably don't want to internalize it, but you have indeed been brainwashed. It's the most subtle and most effective method of brainwashing and it is very pervasive in the country. Propaganda becomes effective when the propagandist has changed your attitude to 'negative' when you hear truths and basic facts to the point that you will not accept them under any circumstances, particularly if they come from a source whose 'label' you have been trained to reject. Attitudes and labeling - these are two but only two tools of the propagandist. Remember that next time you read a political news story. It's so simple to see and it works so well because people don't think it can work on them, but it does. Facts -  hard, cold easy to see and understand facts become the enemy when you have been sucessfully brainwashed.

The good news is that more and more people are seeing it and are indeed coming out of the 'matrix' and seeing the system for what it is. Witness the growing number of people who vote outside of the two party, billion dollar, foreign controlled (I did not say influenced) political parties.

Me? I will vote. I always do, but I came out of the matrix back when I was 20 years old. I never was really in it. My first Presidential election was for an independent. I still vote third party or as I would put it the none of the above'  (NOTA) party. No candidate I have seen since I started voting has ended the wars, put a stop to our borrowing and  there is trouble on that front, well hidden from most Americans before the elections. But both parties ignore the issue. This way, when after the votes are counted a new war can be started by borrowig yet more money. A new health care program can be promised without a way to pay for it, a new infrastructure program can be envisioned without the funding... except more borrowing. 

No my fellow Americans we are on a train to crazytown and most Americans wouldn't have it any other way...


... until the pain sets in. 

25 Oct

Nehemiah Part III

23 Oct

Occult Watch

Beyonce's Drummer Accuses Singer Of Extreme Witchcraft
You have to take these reports with a grain of salt, but there does seem to be some very dark and occult symbology in her shows and attire. I had an old picture of her giving the sign of the horns. That file along with a few others that showed occult connections with the nations rich and powerful got deleted with the deep state scanned my hard drives couple of years ago. You can't even find them online in search engines anymore.

 Do you use a modern browser... one of the ones everybody else uses?

They can do the same things to you and delete your files.

Witchcraft Rising While Christianity Declines In America
I have long maintained that when the antichrist arrives and a totalitarian state gets here, people will run into its arms with a wild embrace, not knowing what they are embracing. Men and women will get their moral poles reversed as the years roll on and evil will be the new good and good, the new evil.

Satan knows that as long as you let men and women screw anything they want to, let him smoke, shoot up and pop any drug he desires and keep him clothed, fed and entertained, most people will slide into an apathy and stop caring if their neighbor is picked up and exterminated or not. As long as they keep their pleasures they adopt a perfect 'I don't give a you-know-what' attitude or worse, try and justify it. In a more broad sense, this was the trick the Nazi's learned and why they were so successful in converting millions of ordinary Germans.

Charmed Show Will 'Reboot' Witchcraft
I did not look at the video, but other stories out of Europe are saying the basic same thing. This show and new Sabrina both appear to me to be part of an effort of the ' satanic wing' within the entertainment industry and the deep state (they work together) to 'evangelize America' for the forces of darkness.

Take note brothers and sisters, I expect to see a literal explosion of this stuff over the next decade.

I post these stories not just to scare you, but to prepare you. The devil is recruiting a whole generation of Americans into his service, usually these are unwitting recruits. They don't know the spiritual forces behind witchcraft and the occult. For the most part, they can't. They don't know God and most never have. They have heard about Christianity but to them that is just 'religion'. Knowing of the existence of religion and knowing God are hardly the same thing.

But for us Christians, those of us who know our God... I mean really know him not just some spiritually lost church-goer, but we who been born of the spirit and washed in the redeeming blood of Christ, know the times. We have been given the light and wisdom to understand our times and what God has prepared both  for his people and those who rebel against him. We know the lateness of the hour.

We must be fully aware of the times brothers. The lateness of the hour and be aware that we live on enemy territory. We must never let the facade of a fake or political 'Christianity' deceive us as to what time it is and where we are.

Your best weapons in these times are two. Prayer and your faith in God's word. I did not say faith in your pastors word, or faith in the administrative structures of some Church. The Church these days as often as not is either soft peddling God's truth or is preaching error. So your best bet is to get into the word of God yourself, obey his word and when you do that and only when you do that, do you have the right to lay claim to his precious promises.

We must always keep ourselves in prayer and remember that God honors our obedience and our faith. You want God's protection in these times from the forces of darkness that are growing in prevalence in our world? There is only one way to get it - obey the Lord and do the things he commands.

Keep in mind that God is in control of our lives. Satan could not attack Job until the Lord gave the go ahead. But we must do our part - be watchful and mindful of the times.

One thing I can say that we should all do is pray constantly. Keep praying. If you are walking with him, he hears you. God knows all things and see's all things and understands your problems. More to the point, he knows the threats out there that you and I are not even slightly aware of.

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities:
 for we know not what we should pray for
as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession
for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
(Rom 8:26)

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth,
but my understanding is unfruitful.
(1Co 14:14)

What is it then? I will pray with the spirit,
and I will pray with the understanding also:
 I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with
the understanding also.
(1Co 14:15)

Pray without ceasing.
(1Th 5:17)

Brethren, pray for us.
(1Th 5:25)

Wherefore also we pray always for you,
that our God would count you worthy of this calling,
and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness,
and the work of faith with power:
(2Th 1:11)

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord
may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:
(2Th 3:1)

I will therefore that men pray every where,
 lifting up holy hands, without wrath
and doubting.(1Ti 2:8)

Brothers, there are many examples of prayer in our Bibles. The Old and New Testament are full of them and how men and women of faith obtained God's favor. We who know our God must always remember this. For saints of God, we have a special place with God. We can come boldly into God's presence and make our requests known.

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
 that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help
in time of need.
(Heb 4:16)

These may be frightful times with people who are equally frightening being given power and space as our cultural icons, but we can have full confidence in God who is able to protect us from the enemy, his wiles and his servants who exist in human form.

Witches, A Senate Candidate and A Protest

Wonderwoman And Occult Themes
Never underestimate the power of these social cues; hero's and heroin's and the power they have on youth.

Witchcraft Is On Serious Rise Among Millennial

Occult America: The Secret History Of How Mysticism Shaped Our Nation

Billy Graham On the Occult

18 Oct

Nehemiah, Part II

What was reported to Nehemiah was news to him (last section). Clearly he was completely unaware of just how bad things were in Jerusalem at the time. Keep in mind that This prayer and information came to him long after the first attempt to rebuild the Temple was made and was arrested due to significant opposition (Ezra 4:6ff).

I think it important that I state this clearly for any of you who have ministries great or small that no matter how insignificant it may seem to you. Nothing that you attempt to do for the Lord and his son Christ Jesus will go unopposed. The devil will send his imps and those who are influenced by them to come against you and your work. Here, the devils efforts caused the work to be delayed by many decades.

Nehemiah's reaction after hearing the report was to get before the Lord in Prayer. It was a deep sincere and heartfelt prayer that was accompanied by fasting. When something troubles one of God's saints, we would do well to imitate Nehemiah, who got down on his knees and prayed.

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God,
that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe
his commandments: Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes
 open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray
before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants,
and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee:
both I and my father's house have sinned. We have dealt very corruptly
against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes,
nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.
Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant
Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations:
 But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them;
though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven,
yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that
 I have chosen to set my name there. Now these are thy servants and thy people,
whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand.
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant,
and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper,
I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.
 For I was the king's cupbearer.
(Neh 1:5-11)

This is a long prayer and it contains the key elements of effective prayer. First it acknowledges God for who he is as well as his attributes (ie, power, lovingkindness). Nehemiah asks God to hear what he has to say, that is not so much that God would literally hear him but would pay particular attention to his request as from one who acknowledges his sin and shortcomings of both himself and his people and as being one who is being one of the children of Israel (God's Chosen people). Nehemiah also reminds God of the covenant he made with his people and again acknowledges God faithfulness to his covenant.

The more important aspects of prayer is to humbly come to God, give honor to who he is and acknowledge your subservient position in the conversation, acknowledge your sins and seek God's mercy on your behalf.

I think this is important today because too many preachers and teachers are turning God into something more like a Genie than the creator and ruler of all things. This new 'rub-a-lamp' version of Christianity is more and more in vogue as materialism has set in and sound doctrine is being cast out. We must not come to God demanding things of him - a new car a new house a promotion, etc. We must rather, entreat him and understand that God will answer our prayers in his own way and in his own time.

Here Nehemiah acknowledges God and clearly places himself as a suppliant before a throne before which he and his people are not even worthy to come before. Why unworthy? Because in this prayer, Nehemiah lays out his sins and the sins of the people for which he is interceding (Neh1:7).

Nehemiah goes on to lay out the saints of the past (Moses) the commandments broken and the promise made to them if they repented and returned to the Lord.

After Nehemiah does these things, only then does he make his specific request. That being

1. That God would really hear his prayer.
2. That God would hear the prayers of all his servants.
3. That God would be merciful and prosper him.

The word prosper (verse 11) may not really have the Hebraic connotation that it does today. The actual Hebrew word is H7356

So Nehemiah, the kings cupbearer makes his sins and the sins of this people known to God and acknowledged his individual and their collective guilt before God and seeks God's forgiveness for their rebellion.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another,
 that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer
of a righteous man availeth much.
(Jas 5:16)

This is the same thing we as Christians are exhorted to do when we come to the Lord in prayer. To confess our sins. That last sentence is so telling and I think is indicative of a man like Nehemiah, that when a righteous man gets on his knees and prays, things really begin to happen. When Daniel did it, God sent a mighty angel to him to explain deep prophetic mysteries. When, Joshua did it, the sun stood still. The scriptures are abundantly clear that when God's people pray and do so from their hearts, God will move in powerful and miraculous ways.

Nehemiah was about to get an answer to his prayer and his life was about to change significantly by virtue of that deep and sincere fast and prayer.

Brothers, let me tell you this. When you pray, expect God to move. When you ask to be used by him, you had better be ready to have your world turned upside down. Don't pray like Nehemiah did and not expect some major changes in your life.

When I prayed many years ago to get back on track back in the early 90's from Germany, God heard and things really began to happen. Truth be told, I think it was the prayers of my mother and my aunt together that called me back from a total, complete and irredeemable spiritual disaster.

But God heard them and me and a great shifting began in my life. Miracles would appear strange and unexpected things would come to pass and I did not understand them at first, but did much later.

I say this to all of you, when you pray expect God to move. He may not move at the pace you want or in the way you expect, but know that God will move and move mightily for the prayer of a righteous man.

We will continue our look at Nehemiah next week, God willing!

Saudi's Stonewall On Khashoggi

The Moon of Alabama has a great read here on some of the political lines of fracture in the whole affair. What is interesting is hearing Sen. Graham light into MbS.

Clearly Trump has got a major problem.

This is real good, don't miss it.

Turks Report: Dismembered While Still Alive...

...Accessory After The Fact?

If I were advising the President, I would slow down considerably any support to the military operations in Yemen with an eye towards ending that support, which has been considerable.

MbS needs to go, plain and simple. Everything he touches turns to death or dung.

I am a big fan of his attempted reforms within the kingdom, but simply put, its hard to say if these are real or if they are mostly just a PR stunt to win Western approval and run as a cover for his other darker activities.

FBI Looking At Bribery Scandal In NY DA Office

Lots of money appears to have changed hands and then later the DA decides not to investigate.

When you see stories like this remember that this President has set the rooting out of corruption as a top National Security concern. This means that he is going to move against it but not in ways you or I will hear about. Considerable secret and covert efforts will be made to root it out.

Love him or hate him, he looks like he is moving forcefully in this direction.

Have you noticed a lot of resignations in government of late  - shock and surprise resignations over the past year and a half or so? Top people in key positions?

Just thought I would ask...

Sudan: 13 Christians Arrested, Church Told To Hand Over Property

(WWM) Sudanese security officials arrested 13 Christians in the western region of Darfur on Saturday, 13 October.

The Christians were taken from a home they share in the city of Nyala, southwest Darfur, by officials belonging to the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) but it is not clear on what charges, a local source told World Watch Monitor. Three of them have since been released without an explanation, the source said.

Sudanese laws allow NISS to hold people in detention for up to four and a half months before they have to either charge or release them. - continues at  World Watch Monitor

Treasury Official Charged With Leaking Data On Manafort

Trump is sending a clear message - don't leak. Do so and if we catch you, we will send you to jail.

Ask Reality Winner.

McConnell: Deficits Not A Republican Problem

The Senate leader blames both parties and entitlements.

America's massive military expenditures did not get mentioned.

Khashoggi Affair Shows Trump's Limited World View

Yes it does and just how much he is in bed with the arms industry.

The Top Ten Russiaphobes

Russiaphoia is a dread disease and in the end it could kill us all...

... in a hot war and nuclear holocaust.

How The FBI Silences Whistleblowers

This is pretty good but hardly news.

What do I see as the biggest or one of the biggest problems within our deep state, intelligence and counter intelligence system?

That those programs that were supposed to be used to catch and root out the traitors, scum and spies in our intelligence and LE systems was being used to go after those who were exposing the traitors. They called such people whistleblowers.

Now not all or even most whistleblowers are exposing traitors, but some are and when they do, the counterintelligence system in the past has often worked to protect not the whistleblower, but the traitors. This does happen and has happened in the past and I don't know how much they have been able to clean out the rot. Looking around I would say a little, but not much.

So next time you hear whistleblowers dragged though the mud ask yourself who would want them silenced and why and why is that what they expose is rarely fixed.

There are many ways they deal with people who tell the truth and try and root out the traitors and scum in our nation. Take a look at the following story and then read my comments.

A Facebook Post and An Visit From An Anti-Terrorism Unit

A story how a Facebook post lead to a guy getting a visit from the Cops based on the 'see something, say something' mentality that the DHS is trying to instill in all of us. The story is from Techdirt.

The cops should have put the complaint in the 'retarded complaints' or 'jokes for mid-shift' folder and moved on unless there was some credible threat to life or property.

But this is an old 'deep state' trick, make a complaint -  say they are dangerous and armed and try and get someone 'swatted' by trigger happy, frightened cops. "There's a nigger with a gun whose dealing drugs in that home!" The next thing you know some innocent person just got gunned down in his bed over a false report. A guy who never owned a gun, never took anything more harmful than cold medicine being shot 25 times in his bed.

Look, this is what those 'deep state' pricks tried to do to me. Fortunately the local cops didn't go for it and I lived to tell the tale.

I have never owned a gun,  never been violent, never even been arrested. But niggers with a brain and a blog need to be shot - that is the mentality of too many Federal and Military intelligence and counter intelligence officials. The message to me was - "be an Uncle Tom for us or get yo' ass shot or put in jail on some trumped up and manufactured  crap"... and they were working very hard on that part of it.  That was the not so subtle message the nigger control patrol was sending me. "We'll tell you what to write and what to say and who to say it to. We'll even give you two slices of watermelon everyday if you do."

I guess they thought I would shuffle my feet and say, yessuh massa!

They don't know me very well... at all. I ain't never going to be anyone's lawnjockey. Such Black men may be a dime nickle a dozen in 21st century America, but I can assure you, I am not nor will ever be one of them.

I will and have always respected and obeyed the law, so if you ever hear about me getting shot dead or being put in jail on some BS, know that Christians like me and Black men with sense and brains and some courage will always be a target of some the few but dastardly, low down and dirty dogs in government and draw a Federal paycheck.

16 Oct

Yemen/Khashoggi/Saudi Watch

Yemen Experiences Sharply Higher Food Prices

Top Map  - Sept 18
Bottom Map -  Oct18-Jan 19

Key Messages:

Large populations in Yemen continue to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) acute food insecurity, the latter of which is associated with increased acute malnutrition and an increased risk of excess mortality. In a worst-case scenario, significant declines in commercial imports below requirement levels and conflict that cuts populations off from trade and humanitarian assistance for an extended period could drive food security outcomes in line with Famine (IPC Phase 5).


Increased conflict in and near Al Hudaydah in recent weeks has driven concern that key infrastructure may become damaged and/or that staple food imports and trade may become disrupted. Restrictions on access to mills operated by the Sea Silos Company, damage to a WFP food warehouse, and closure of the main road between Al Hudaydah and Sana’a City are all of serious concern.

The Yemeni Rial depreciated sharply on the informal market in August and September, reaching 596 YER/USD in September 2018 compared to 496 YER/USD in July 2018. Wheat flour prices have increased considerably in September, following the recent currency depreciation as well as the closure of the main trade route between Al Hudaydah and Sana’a City. Across most markets in Yemen, wheat flour prices increased by approximately 20 percent between August and September. - Famine Early Warning System


The UN has additional reporting here on the humanitarian situation in Yemen. Why is this? The Saudis and Americans are targeting food production and storage in their raids. More here. Poke around, but you are best to stay away from US search engines. When a story like this starts to gain traction, the truth will disappear into the 20th page of your search results and a government sponsored false narrative will often appear first. It's why I chose to give you this EU search page and not a US one. Your worst censors are the ones you trust. They are doing it now and much of it is in your face. I have seen this so many times even with links even from this small site. I go back and check the results I posted just a day before and they are totally different results using the same engine and same search terms, results that run a narrative that is as phony as a 9 dollar bill.

The Saudi's and the Trump administration want the Yemeni's to starve off camera.

Trump To Continue Arms Sales To Saudi's'

It's moves like this and Trump's moves in Yemen I think that reveal the real Donald Trump. America in his view is a bomb maker with torturer standing beside it waiting to kill and torment the poor man, the Human Rights activists and anyone else that gets in the way of the American arms industry.

More and more there appears to be a black hole in that man's soul and the thing of it is, I don't think he realizes it. And frankly, the exact same things can be said about Trump's predecessor who assisted the Saudi bloodbath in Yemen from its inception, Barak Obama. But look at the man this President is protecting. Evil men walk hand in hand when evil deeds can be done for profit. I say these things by way of warning, not of judgment. I can only see things on the surface, but truly we have only seen the surface of the bloodshed and evil that the so called allies have wrought in Yemen.

Let me make this clear brothers and sisters - The same God who is in the blessing business, is also still in the cursing business. There are plenty of examples of both in your Bibles. I would hate to see a curse fall on this administration or nation because of the consistent pattern of evil we have been engaged in and the apathetic, ho-hum response 320 million Americans have to it.

But not all in the west are as souless as this administration and millions of Americans appears to be.

Brothers and sisters,  God is still on the throne and knows how to get a message to us if he feels he has to when words of warning no longer suffice.

Oh yes, God see's and will repay. This storm did you know that it made a mess of a significant part of our most advanced fighter, the F22?

Michael Makes Tyndall AFB A Complete Loss, F-22's Unaccounted For
55 of the AF's most advanced fighters were there. They cost a third of a billion dollar EACH.

You know, I really think God is trying to get a message to this nation, has been for some time... and it's not to 'vote Republican or Democrat' as some so-called prophets imply in their messages.

I really do think God is trying his best to get the nation's attention.

More here and here.

He will also note these false prophets in the 'kings court' who sat silent while all this went on while kissing the kings backside trying to get him re-elected so these atrocities in places like Yemen can continue. 

I hesitate to say this but must. There is just something evil and highly seductive about the power centers in DC. I watched people go in and over decades turn into violent, crazed, racists willing  to hang out with Nazi's and gun innocent people down in cold blood, knowing exactly what they were doing and who they were helping. I have seen the same people who get close to power turn and justify the most unspeakable crimes, break laws, set up innocent Americans (some of whom died in US custody) and other sundry crimes.

Vengeance is mine. I will repay, saith the Lord.
(Romans 12:19b)

There is a demonic stronghold over our nation's power centers and it seduces those who stay in there too long. This includes evangelists, pastors, prophets, priests and others. They stage manage their message to conform to the spirit of DC... and it is not a Godly spirit.

We have been commanded... COMMANDED by our God to come out and be separate.

Wise is the man who hears and obey's God's clear and easy to understand commandment.

Yemen War: Strategies Of The Coalition

The above link is one of those interesting studies (pdf) that is not walking in lockstep with the US policy establishment yet comes out of the US. It shows the risk of famine and how the conflict is contributing to it.

The war on these people is wrong and the Saudi king is being protected by Donald Trump. Even now he is making excuses for the Saudi's and the death of the journalist in order to protect massive arms contracts.

Meanwhile, MbS is still on his killing spree.

The Killing of Saudi Journalist Khashoggi Could Spell the End for MbS

(Strategic Culture) The death of famous journalist Saudita Jamal Khashoggi is likely to have important repercussions, revealing the hypocrisy of the mainstream media, tensions inside the Saudi regime, and the double standards of Western countries.

On October 2nd, 2018, Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was allegedly killed inside Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Turkey. The sequence of events seems to show that the murder was premeditated. Two days before his death, Khashoggi went to the Saudi embassy in Istanbul to obtain documents pertaining to his divorce in preparation to remarry in the United States. The Saudi embassy instructed him to return on October 2nd to collect the documents, which he duly did. He entered the embassy around 1pm on October 2nd but never exited. Khashoggi’s fiancée, after waiting several hours, raised the alarm as Khashoggi had instructed her to do should he not reemerge after two hours.

It is from here that we should start to reconstruct this story that resembles a science-fiction novel even by Saudi standards, a country that does not hesitate to kidnap heads of state, as was the case with the Lebanese prime minister, Saad Hariri, about a year ago.

Jamal Khashoggi is a controversial figure, a representative of the shadowy world of collaboration that sometimes exists between journalism and the intelligence agencies, in this case involving the intelligence agencies of Saudi Arabia and the United States. It has been virtually confirmed by official circles within the Al Saud family that Khashoggi was an agent in the employ of Riyadh and the CIA during the Soviet presence in Afghanistan.... continues at  Strategic Culture

So what does this mean for the Saudi's?

This new leader in Saudi Arabia, I think he is immature and spoiled  He wants things his way, and I suspect it's a trait of many people like him who always had everything they wanted or desired in life, having been born fabulously wealthy. It's certainly a possibility he ordered Khashoggi murdered. This would indeed be a very shocking development and it flies in the face of international law. Using an embassy for a murder and the murder of a journalist no less.

Well, I think it is just the kind of violent recklessness we have seen (blowing up school buses with kids on it, hitting food storage, using embassy's to murder journalists) that has come to typify the misrule of MbS. The murder of a journalist like this shows you just how sensitive to criticism the Saudi Regime is and Kashoggi was a critic of the regime.

But let's remember there has been a very serious row between the KSA and Canada of late which has demonstrated a key failing in this new leader. The row was about hypersensitivity to legitimate criticism. Rumors are that MbS is in constant fear for his life and has to sleep on a boat to avoid assassination attempts. Such things and fears, day in and day out... they can deeply effect a persons mental state and this may be part of his problem. Some people get power and start to kind of well... lose their grip on reality.

Let's not forget this, the disastrous war in Yemen that the US has been violently supporting was the brain child of MbS. This is his baby, heck he was even running the defense ministry from its inception. It's a military and international public relations disaster as the Saudi Military seems intent on targeting hospitals, schools, Mosques and kids in a free-for-all bloodbath. Well, its not just my opinion. One almost gets the impression that he is doing int just be because he can and no one can stop him. This guy is a walking, talking disaster and one that has almost certainly had full US support when it 'purged' the other royal bloodline to come to power. (more here).

Saudi Arabia? Well, they may wish to have a regime change in Tehran and may try and bring one about, but I would look to see something rather drastic to happen in Riyadh along the same lines but domestically rather than foreign driven. MbS has to battle with others in the Royal family as well as the conservative clerics whom he has angered by relaxing some parts of the country's religious laws and the authority of the religious police. More here.

The Saudi's may be trying to play geopolitical 'major power' in the region, but its political stability at home is in my view, an open question. The purge that he had to implement can only have created a seething and bitter resentment towards him. Couple such a group with others who are more ambitious or are deeply concerned with where he is taking the nation and well, there could be a struggle for the succession if MbS suddenly meets with a most untimely accident, arranged by his enemies.

Let us all pray for both President Trump and MbS, so that all this killing and this meticulously orchestrated famine can be avoided.

Finally, it's not my point here to get into the left-right political foolishness in this criticism of the President. I have little respect for that kind of idiocy and considerably less for those who engage in it. Rather this is directed at a specific policy and what it reveals about the Saudi's, President Trump, President Obama and the apathy of 320 million Americans who think 'getting back' at the other party for imaginary wrongs at election time is more important than dealing effectively with a deliberate policy of starving millions of people to death.

For you lefties out there who will use this issue to go and beat up on the President, keep this in mind before you go on an unhinged rant against Trump. A Democrat, President Obama started this mess in Yemen and should we get a Democrat in the White House, they are certain to continue it. So get a grip on reality and realize that there is far less of a difference in the two mainline than most people think... or want to think.

- MSW

12 Oct

Trials And Tribulations

Per request.

We all must endure them and there is no way around them. What am I talking about? Personal trials. I know I have been through some real tough ones and failed one big one long, long ago. I know that no Christian can get into the kingdom, unless he was saved on his deathbed, without going through trials and perhaps some tribulations.

First of all, let me say this clearly. There are no ABC's, no checklist and no 'easy list of ways to get through a trial' booklets that are going to work 100% of the time. There are many different kinds of trials, tests and trouble we must go through. Those looking for a manual on how to pass a trial, speed up the process so it ends quicker or how to pass with flying colors if you just follow these steps... well... you are going to be disappointed. Mainly because in many trials, as with Job's we are not always given the reason why we are  being tried. Often we just have to endure them. At times as he did with me, he gave me the purpose of what he was going to do without telling me how he was going to do it, many months before he did it. It was via a trial, but without that Trial I probably would never have realized how evil and dangerous some of the people I was associated with were. One thing the Lord did tell me before hand was this - the best friend you can have is in Jesus Christ. The implication was, in the future lean on him and no one else. I knew then that God was going to strip away some people out of my life and he was behind it and I was not resist it, but welcome it.

I say this so that you may know one thing. That God is in control of the 'trial process' in our lives. If you are going through one, it's because God has either allowed it or directed it. I say again, if you are going through one, God has allowed it. Don't get upset with God. Rather try and find out what it is he is wants you to do, if anything. Are you in sin? Have you been wandering from the paths of life, spending too much time with friends and associates who know not God? Are you too wrapped up in your job, your new ride, that new home you just bought? Has it been a while since you really prayed to the Lord? Sometimes our own behavior can elicit the trial process. More often than not, it is other factors usually beyond our control. But one factor that many of us often don't consider is the one I want to talk about today.


Preparation.

One person in our great Biblical history, testament and the witnesses that God has left behind for us in our bibles is King David. Here is a man whom God raised up from nothing to be King. There was one problem with this. David was not ready. Going from shepherd to king, this was a big step and one that he had to be prepared for. This did not take away from the divine Anointing. David was indeed God's anointed, but clearly God was going to send him through some tests to prepare him for rulership over his people. This was in stark contrast to the way Saul was dealt with. He moved right into the Crown without those trails. Look at what happened. He started off OK, but slipped further and further away from trusting in God and finally lost his anointing and his kingdom.

David was going to be different. He was going to have to go through many a trial and tribulation, nearly lose is life, become and exile, a hunted man and fight many a battle before he would sit in the Throne. David was going to have to learn one of the most important lessons one can learn in any trial. That lesson was the same one that the Lord relayed to me before he put me through a trial, that being to lean on the Lord and to not think we know it all or have it all figured out as we saw with Job's miserable comforters. How did Solomon Put it?

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding.
 In all thy ways acknowledge him,
 and he shall direct thy paths.
Be not wise in thine own eyes:
fear the LORD, and depart from evil.
(Pro 3:5-7)

The wise man then adds these important and oft ignored words quoting this verse.

It shall be health to thy navel,
 and marrow to thy bones.
(Pro 3:8)

The idea here is that such faith in God is good for both a man's spiritual health as well as his physical health.

David had to learn this key lesson. That when the chips are down, he must learn to trust in God. This is a lesson he had ingrained in him over years of serious sometimes life threatening trails.

One of David's first trials was surviving the sin of jealousy. King Saul was jealous of David because he was winning the praise and the hearts of the people. Once that happened, Saul wanted to get rid of David. This may not always be looked upon as a trial by many commentators, but what would you call a king throwing a javelin at you in order to take your life... twice?

And it came to pass as they came,
when David was returned from the slaughter
of the Philistine, that the women came out of
all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet
king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with
instruments of musick. And the women answered
one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain
his thousands, and David his ten thousands. And Saul
was very wroth, and the saying displeased him;
and he said, They have ascribed unto David ten thousands, and
to me they have ascribed but thousands: and what can he have
more but the kingdom? And Saul eyed David from
that day and forward. And it came to pass on the
morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul,
 and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and
David played with his hand, as at other times: and
there was a javelin in Saul's hand. And Saul cast the
javelin; for he said, I will smite David even to the
wall with it. And David avoided out of his
presence twice.
(1Sa 18:6-11)

We all know the story, David was a mighty warrior and was highly regarded by the people. When you begin to rise high and have a degree of respectability, people will do all they can to denigrate you, humiliate you and destroy you. In this case, the king was way beyond normal jealousy, he wanted to kill David and tried, twice. You know why I never went into politics or went into government service or tried to rise up the corporate ladder? I don't like pedestals and don't want to rise high in man made institutions. Once you do, a thousand people are going to do all they can to pull you down... so they can stand on it themselves.

This is the peril of any person who rises. Kings in particular. Kings in the middle ages often had to fight many wars to fend off pretenders and usurpers. It was a constant problem for men who would be king. But the fact is this and we Christians must get this right if nothing else. We are destined for a Throne, a mighty throne and we who are redeemed and are risen with him shall sit on those thrones. Like David, we are going to have to go through many trials and  tribulations before we can sit on that throne. Many of us will have to give up our lives for our testimony of Jesus Christ. This too is a trial of our faith - an important one. Trials like this are real and they will come and they do so because of the very high place God is preparing for us. Keep in mind that the devil and his host know what God has prepared for us.  They have been to heaven and have stood in the presence of God. God is looking for David's to sit on the throne, not Saul's. David was tested and tried. Saul was not.

This is one key reason for our trials in Christ. They are to teach us and to prepare us and yes, to test us in preparation for what he has in store for us. But also to make sure that when we do get on those thrones, we are faithful to what God would have us do, not to what we want. This too is one of the important aspects of preparatory trials. They are to teach us submission to God's will. They teach us to rely on God and his wisdom and not upon ours. Though we shall be kings we shall also be subservient to God and his son Jesus Christ. It's a lesson that we cannot forget.

When we go through personal trials, this is what we need to always remember. What we suffer here is nothing compared to what God has prepared for us. Absolutely nothing. It will be like nothing we have ever experienced.

But as it is written, Eye hath not seen,
nor ear heard, neither have entered into
the heart of man, the things which God hath
prepared for them that love him.
(1Co 2:9)

One of the things we must keep in mind that many of our trials, they are there not because God hates us or is angry, but because he wants to prepare us. James wanted us all to consider our trials a joy!

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into
divers temptations; Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
But let patience have her perfect work,
 that ye may be perfect and entire,
wanting nothing.
(Jas 1:2-4)

This is a hard one I think for any of us to understand. For when we are going through trails, there is nothing joyful about it... at all! But yet James is trying to relay something here to us, that these trails are there to mold our character. This is one of the reasons why David went through what he did, God was molding his character and teaching him faith among other things. He knew the prophet anointed him King, yet there he was an exile, a hunted man and one who could be killed in battle any day now. Yet he kept faith, he did not quit and leaned on his God.

David wrote many Psalms when he was going through those trails. Some of them are preserved for us in the book of Psalms, here is one when he had fled before Saul and had to hide in the wilderness.

A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:
my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee
in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;
 To see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen
thee in the sanctuary. Because thy lovingkindness
is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my
 hands in thy name. My soul shall be satisfied as
with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall
praise thee with joyful lips: When I remember
thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the
night watches. Because thou hast been my help,
therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice
. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand
upholdeth me. But those that seek my soul, to destroy it,
shall go into the lower parts of the earth.
They shall fall by the sword:
they shall be a portion for foxes
 But the king shall rejoice in God;
 every one that sweareth by him shall glory:
but the mouth of them that speak
 lies shall be stopped.
(Psa 63:1-11)

Now take a look at that Psalm. Here is a man who has been run out of the capitol, has is life sought after by the King and what is his attitude. Did he have a pity party? Did he have a whine-a-thon? Nope! David went right on to praise God and give thanks unto him.

Now let me let you in on a secret. God loves it when we praise his name and give thanks. The devil... he absolutely hates it. Once we cease to honor and praise God and cease to give thanks to him, we have handed the devil a major, major victory.  David is a person we need to imitate when we face trials. His mindset? No matter what was going on in his life, how hard things were, he praised God, brought his supplications before him and gave thanks.

No matter the serious issues we face in our jobs, our families, marriages, our ministries our health, our friendships or reputations, know that God see's all and wants us to maintain a strong, unalterable and unshakable faith in Jesus Christ. When we adopt an attitude of gratitude and a predisposition of praise, we have taken a major first step on the road to a victory over our trials and situations.

Let us remember this brothers. Our trails are here primarily to prepare us. Yes, also to test us as the devil will stand in accusation over us as he did with Job. But in the broader sense, he is looking for people who are faithful to him and have proved it by going through the fires of trial and temptation and passed the test and kept the faith of Jesus Christ. He is looking for people who love him and he can depend on to help run his kingdom.


I hope this helps you, particularly the reader who asked for something on personal trials. The Lord willing, I will do another section on this in the near future.

God be with all of you in Christ Jesus!

Brother Mark

10 Oct

Nehemiah Introduction

Note: Over the next year of so I will post parts of a look at Nehemiah. This is one remarkable man of God and often, not one people think of when we think of the great men who did wonders for God and his people. This is a long study with about 50 sections, so this will take some time [it was done back in 2016 for insiders]. But I will tell you that I got so much out of doing this study. It had been many long years since I had really sat down and studied this book and going over it and seeing how this man overcame great odds to accomplish his task, was a major encouragement to me. - 10 Oct 2018

First off, let me start out by saying the Nehemiah is not considered a prophet. Until now, I have dealt only with minor prophets in the Old Testament. I take on the task of dealing with the men who rebuilt the temple because of the recent work. I have already done Haggai, who was a chief prophet that spurred the rebuilding of the second temple.

We don't know a great deal about Nehemiah's ancestry, though he does give his fathers name. The way the book begins, is reminiscent of the way many of the prophets began their works, with their name, the name of their father and the date of the work or words/vision given to them. Additionally, we are not certain of which tribe Nehemiah belonged. Some think he belonged to the tribe of Judah others point to perhaps Levitical lineage, citing the book of 2 Maccabees. But the truth is, we don't know and the Testaments do not make it clear as to his lineage. 

We should also keep in mind that his title as Kings cupbearer may have a slightly different connotation for some of the cupbearers to the King of Babylon's court were eunuch's and as we know, from the day the King of Babylon took captives of the Jews, many were taken to the palace and made eunuch's to the king, some of whom were of royal blood.

Indeed, it is possible that Daniel was a Eunuch when he and his friends were brought to Babylon. Let us remember that they had to report to the Chief of the Eunuchs when they arrived and this chief was intimately involved with their 'assimilation' into court life (see Dan 1:3; Dan 1:7; Dan 1:8; Dan 1:9; Dan 1:10; Dan 1:11; Dan 1:18). We cannot say for sure that Daniel or Nehemiah were or were not Eunuchs, what we can say is that many of those who typically held the positions they apparently held, were. We can also say that one of the Divine Judgments on Israel for their sins back in those days was that many of their sons would be made eunuchs.

And of thy sons that shall issue from thee,
which thou shalt beget,
shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs in the
palace of the king of Babylon. 
(2Ki 20:18)

And of thy sons that shall issue from thee,
which thou shalt beget,
shall they take away; and they shall be eunuchs
 in the palace of the king of Babylon. 
(Isa 39:7)

Many would rather not believe that these men of God were eunuchs as it is considered such a shameful thing to be. But I tend to think they were by virtue of the position the held in a foreign court and being, from the perspective of the Babylonians/Assyrians, of a foreign and conquered race. Additionally, Nehemiah's interaction with the Queen, indicates that he may have been one. Nevertheless, Nehemiah's rank was rather high, to come and go into the presence of the king.

It is also interesting to note that the Septuagint refers to him as being a Eunuch rather than a cup bearer, though translators have dismissed this as being an error. In short, we cannot be certain any of them were, but in my view, the circumstantial evidence seems to indicate that they were. Scribes, including the scribe who probably set down and transcribed this work, may have had difficulty with their status as eunuch's and omitted this fact, lest it take away from the importance of these books. But that is just my personal opinion.

It must be noted here, that while the books authorship is ascribed to Nehemiah, many believe that it was actually transcribed from Nehemiah's lips by someone else. But given Nehemiah's background (residing in the emperors palace) and his abilities (later governor) it seems more likely that the book itself was indeed actually written by Nehemiah.

Nehemiah's name means, the consolation of Jehovah or Jehovah comforts.

The importance of this man, his work and this book will become apparent as we go through this book.

The words of Nehemiah the son of Hacaliah.
Now it came to pass in the month Chislev, in the twentieth year,
as I was in Shushan the palace, that Hanani, one of my brethren, came,
he and certain men out of Judah; and I asked them concerning the
Jews that had escaped, that were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.
(Neh 1:1-2)

As mentioned above, Nehemiah, the kings Cupbearer identifies himself and the date of these events as well as the place. This was in the Palace at Sushan. Today, this is located in modern Iran.

Map KDE Marble/ Base map Atlas (public domain)

Those of you wanting a little more archeological information, may find this page of some use (now a dead link). Some pictures of the site can be found here.

This was the same palace the Daniel was in when he was held captive and also ministered to the King. Indeed, it is at this palace located in the ancient province of Elam, in Modern Iran that Daniel had his famous vision of the two horned ram (Dan 8:2ff).

The twentieth year in the passage above would have been the 20th year of Xerxes Longimanus.

While at this palace, clearly in service to the King, he asks one a fellow Jew and his companions who had just returned from Judea what conditions were like for those who had remained. This was probably a very casual meeting and as the K &D commentary opines, Nehemiah may have been out walking around the palace grounds and heard men talking in Hebrew and after hearing them for a moment or two, discovered that they had just came back from their homeland. Nehemiah, as we will see, being an intensely devout and patriotic Jew wanted to know just what things were like for his brethren and countrymen were were left in Judea and Jerusalem.

It seems that from Nehemiah's curiosity, he had no idea of conditions in Judea. Why he was not aware we can only surmise, he probably lived a very insular life in the Kings palace and probably did not come in contact with many other Jews who were not captive or part of the Kings entourage like himself. To hear other Jews who just came from there speaking his native language (they probably did, but we don't know for sure)  he was most curious as to their condition. What he heard disturbed him greatly.

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity
there in the province are in great affliction and reproach:
the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof
are burned with fire.
(Neh 1:3)

The report was one that troubled him. We should keep in mind that the commission given to Zerubabbel and Ezra, years before only applied to private dwellings and to the Temple. In short, those attempts had ceased and for the most part, things were still in shambles. I think what should also noted is that the reference here to the broken down walls probably also meant some of those that had been rebuilt subsequent to the Nebuchanezzarian destruction, as that destruction was already known to Nehemiah.

I think it may be important to note that living in the Kings palace certainly meant Nehemiah was in a privileged position, he probably had a soft bed, plenty to eat, could enjoy the Kings entertainment when the King did - life was probably pretty good for him. Indeed, for many Jews who lived in Babylon/Assyria at that time and later. It is very likely that many did not wish to return to Judea. Many people living there in that time had never been to Judea, Nehemiah among them. In the minds of many, it may have been like some far off 'never never' land as many probably lived well under Xerxes.

Yet the Jews who lived in Jerusalem were probably badly treated, mocked and often humiliated. This was often the custom of conquerors then. But now it was happening to his people. What was Nehemiah's reaction to this news?

We will get to that in the next section.

4 Oct

Persecution Watch

Churches Across China Harassed by Authorities

Churches in Henan, Guizhou, Guangdong, and Sichuan in Turmoil

10/02/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that several churches across China were raided and had their crosses removed by authorities over the past week. Additionally, the pastor of a Beijing house church that has already been shut down was hit by a scooter allegedly orchestrated by the government.

On September 27, the government forcibly removed the cross of Zhenxi Street Christian Church in Lankao County, Henan province. Though the church is state-sanctioned, with its walls painted with government slogans such as, “Persist in following the Sinocization of China’s religion,” it could not escape the ongoing crackdown against churches.

On September 30, local authorities disrupted the Sunday service at Lamb Returning Home Church in Guangzhou. The preacher, Cao Zhichao, was one of the signatories who recently signed his name on the joint statement among house churches affirming religious freedom in China.

On the same day, China Aid reported that six officials visited Guangzhou Bible Reformed Church (GBRC), interrogated Pastor Huang Xiaoning, and recorded his ID number. The congregants were upset and challenged the authorities on their actions, “accusing them for trespassing and demanding them to show warrant and IDs.” The officials left after members called the police. GBRC was forcibly shut down earlier last month.

In Guizhou, the Guiyang Love Reformed Church was disbanded by local religious affairs bureau officials who visited during their Sunday service, claiming that the church violated the religious regulations. - Story Continues At International Christian Concern

(Comment: Xi and his communist cohorts look like they may be stepping up their program against Christians. With China, it's not always easy to tell if this is directed from the top or if it's local officials trying to win points with higher ups in Beijing. But the trend is clear, increasing persecution in China.

But Xi is taking China into dangerous waters, with trade issues with the Americans, his neighbors upset with him over his actions in the China Sea, international attention on the treatment of Muslims in Xianjing. He is leading China into a period of future uncertainty and perhaps internal instability with his 'great leap backwards' towards a more Maoist China.

Let's remember that communism and Maoism are at its heart, atheistic and often down right antichrist. At its center lies the satanic imperative to deny God his place in the affairs of men and to value men as part of his creation. Granted, they have tried to make some exceptions, but the reality under Xi seems clear - Churches will fall in line with Communist dogma and the policies of the Central Committee or they will begin to have problems from authorities. 

This is and will always be the fundamental disconnect between Xi's Neo-Communism and the Christian Church and its why Francis' actions of late with China, giving them a strong say in appointing Bishops needs to be looked upon for what it is, giving the godless (Atheists) a say in who runs the Church.

China is also 'rewriting the Bible' to infuse Buddhist teachings, according to this news piece. This is a new trend in China's state-run Churches known as the 'Three Self Patriotic Movement'

Let us pray for China's Christians and the Catholic Church which is being misled by men who know not God, have never known him and appear to have no intention of knowing him.

 
And he said unto them in his doctrine,
Beware of the scribes, which love to
go in long clothing, and love salutations
in the marketplaces,  And the chief seats
in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms
at feasts:  Which devour widows' houses,
and for a pretence make long prayers:
these shall receive greater damnation.
(Mark 12:38-40 [KJVA])

Hundreds of Chinese Kids Forced To Declare 'No Religion'

The above story is from FaithWire. World Watch Monitor also has a story on which it is based.

(World Watch Monitor) More than 300 Christian children in two high schools in Zhejiang province, which has been referred to as the “Jerusalem of the East” for its strong Christian presence, have been asked to fill out a form stating that they did not follow a religion, World Watch Monitor has been told by a trusted local source.

While “it is normal for a school to ask parents to fill out a form which includes questions of faith when a child is first enrolled in school, for many years this hasn’t been an issue”, our source, who wished to remain anonymous, explained.

Schools in China are government-controlled and financed and therefore communist in ideology, and Christian children have sometimes faced “shaming” incidents, “but the extent of such shaming was to prevent them from joining the Communist Youth League, thereby denying them any of the perks that come with a progression to Communist Party Member later in life”, World Watch Monitor was told. - Story Continues at World Watch Monitor

Trump’s Refugee Policy Also Hurts the Most Vulnerable Christians

The Atlantic (link above) looks at the unintended consequences of Trump's policies. So far only a small trickle, less than a hundred have been admitted into the country.

Trump talked big on the campaign trail about helping persecuted Christians, but the reality has been a very different affair.

Christian Today has the story as well here.

Turkey Airstrikes Hit Christian Villages

The above story is from the Christian Post and is based on a report out of the ICC, which in part says...

09/30/2018 Iraq (International Christian Concern) – September has seen an increase of Turkish airstrikes in Iraq’s far north. Local sources estimate that 7 predominately Christian villages were targeted. Turkey attempts to justify these airstrikes by claiming that these villages support or have a PKK presence. Turkey is occupying a significant swath of land in Northern Iraq and is deepening its presence daily.

Northern Iraq is agricultural and sparsely populated. The PKK, which the US recognizes as a terrorist group, has long been active in the north. Christian villages there have traditionally faced challenges driven by the Kurdish government and PKK. Their situation has worsened as Turkey gains territorial control in Iraq’s north... story continues at the ICC

Burma: Rebels Detain 90 Christian Leaders, Shut Down Churches

(World Watch Monitor) The United Wa State Army (UWSA) in late September detained the Christian leaders and students in territory it controls in Shan state, leaders of the Lahu Baptist Convention said in statement released on Tuesday (Sept. 25). Some students were also forced to serve as UWSA soldiers, according to the statement.

The 52 churches in Mong Pauk Township have been shut down, and the UWSA destroyed three church buildings and removed all Christian symbols such as crosses, according to the ethnic Lahu Christian leaders. A few religious schools also have been shut down.

Earlier in September, the UWSA troops shut down at least 10 churches, including six belonging to the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC).

“The Wa officials instructed Christians in Mong Pauk not even to worship at home these days,” a local Christian leader based in Keng Tung told Morning Star News on condition of anonymity. “So, some Christian members dare not to live in Mong Pauk any longer. They came to stay in Keng Tung town as they are fearful.” -  World Watch Monitor

International Blasphemy Day Marked As Persecution Continues

Newsweek covers the story and looks at how Blasphemy laws in Muslim nations effects others. In some nations, there is a death penalty for the crime of 'blasphemy'.

Egypt: Why Are Christians Targeted So Often

09/27/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – In Egypt, reports are constantly flooding in that, once again, Islamic hardliners have gathered to attack churches. They demonstrate when there is a whisper of church legalization or that Christians are praying in an unauthorized building. When the presence of Christianity offends, for no other reason than existing, extremists indiscriminately attack the entire Christian community.

One Christian lamented, “The question begins to emerge as the Church begins to ask why this is happening to the Church in Egypt? The Church is simply teaching people not to hate their enemies and to love others, yet are being victimized. Why are these Christians being robbed, beaten, and even killed? The idea of living in peace among Muslim neighbors is vanishing every day.” - Continues At ICC

Kenya: Local Muslims Stone Three Christians To Death

09/25/2018 Washington D.C. (International Christian Concern) – On September 22, 2018, a family in western Kenya laid one of their kin to rest after he and two other men were attacked by a Muslim mob and stoned to death. Fredrick Mukanda Bahati was a mason in Elwak, Mandera, a town close to the Kenya-Somalia border. He worked in Elwak for six months before his death.

The Muslim residents of Elwak were engaging the police after three suspected al-Shabaab militants were found killed outside of town. In retaliation, the irate protesters turned their anger toward three non-local Christians at the construction site. - International Christian Concern

Sudan Releases Bibles Held In Port For Six Years

Finally! These are Bibles in Arabic. World Watch monitor has the story on this and some of the latest developments in the relationship between Sudan and the US and the general state of Human Rights in the North African nation.

2 Oct

On the spiritual front. What can I say that has not already been said. If there is confusion, division, hatred and mass murder in the land (in the form of abortion and never ending wars) it's because the nation has forsaken the Lord and has sinned against God and has shown a remarkable love affair with death (Prov 8:36). What we are seeing is nothing more than a spiritual cause and effect relationship that has born itself out to be incredibly accurate over many centuries. America, as great as she once was, is no exception. 

I hear so many get on Trump's case, but he is only a reflection of what America has become. So was Hillary as corrupt as she is was, as an alternative. Each are perfect reflections of an ugliness that is (present tense) America. Those who don't like Trump? Go look in the mirror.  If he is brash, rude, seemingly out of control and as stories seem to indicate, is a serial fornicator and adulterer... how is he really different from millions of other Americans including and in particular, his major detractors on the left?

Our political system is a reflection in the mirror of our character as a nation. If it's ugly, that's because for the most part, so are Americans. Drug addicted, sex addicted, violent, foul mouthed, prevaricators, willing to do just about anything for a buck. No, most will stand on their hypocrisies and say that these things are true of others, not themselves. But simply put, as I look around this once great nation, I see a spirit arising that is not of the God of heaven, but of the god of this world, better known as the devil, who is very good and making people believe he is good and has their best interest at heart, while he gets his minions to dig a grave for those who were foolish enough to trust him.

Black or White, Rich or Poor, the devil has hoodwinked Americans. He has put a black cloth over their heads so they can't see the spiritual shotgun he has aimed at their heads while he whispers sweet nothings in their ears.

I don't see Donald Trump as any kind of Savior of America's greatness, only a continuance of the crimes and evil's that have put us in God's crosshairs. I see in him a spirit of arrogance and a complete disregard for the poor man and an obsession with war making and violence and the revenues it generates. It's the same spirit that was part and parcel of Clinton, Bush, Obama and Trump. If Trump has any redeeming qualities its that he is not a hypocrite about it, unlike others who promised to change things and delivered a drone on a poor man's home.

No brothers, people think they can bring in change by changing parties at election time, not knowing that for the most part, the same money interests who control both always win as long as the people vote for either.

There have been no calls to repentance, no calling out of national sins, no rebuke  by America's pastors and supposed 'prophets' at America's self destructive course, as evidenced by the murder stats in our inner cities, millions hooked on drugs - legal and illegal;  industrial scale murder in the form of Abortion, wars that continue to kill the poorest of the poor. America's institutional religious establishments are too comfortable, they make too much money and have too much political respectability to rock the boat, so they don't. The preach pretty little homilies, prosperity gospels, race gospels and any other gospel but the whole unvarnished and complete gospel of Jesus Christ.

Where are the true prophets of God who are speaking out about these things? Where are the shepherds? Where are the pastors? They are eating with 'Herod' in the Palace, they are cavorting with Pontus Pilate. That is where they are. They have a privileged place in power, like the Pharisee's of old.

Is this too hard of an indictment? I never saw any of the Apostles carrying on in power circles like we have had under the last few Presidents? When a real prophet came along, they slew them. They didn't welcome him to a White House, party, ball or other celebration, except perhaps to present the prophets severed head to a pretty girl as a present to the King's lady friend (Mark 6:21ff).

I say these things because they are important. The country is sliding into spiritual no man's land, yet where are the voices who should be speaking out? At the White House partying, sitting silent while the President (Black or White, left or right) blows up people who never meant us any harm with increasing reckless abandon.

No brothers, when a true prophet arrives on the scene he will be lambasted, persecuted, slandered, mocked, set up and eventually killed... and the false pastors will celebrate his death... if they didn't help plot it, as the Pharisee's did the death of Christ.

I say these things brothers because the Church more and more seems to be going into a stupor, a spiritual stupor and can no longer discern God's purpose because they are listening to pastors who are undercover government agents sent to control Christianity for the purposes of others and not decidedly NOT the purposes of Jesus Christ. Or men and women whose only goal is to 'grow their church' to increase its revenues and buy a bigger house and nicer car.

If modern Christianity in the west is dying, the pastors, priests and denominational leadership are to blame. They are not doing what they are called to do, preach the word and sound doctrine - not popular doctrine but SOUND DOCTRINE to their congregations.

 Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man,
but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly
 and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers
 of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
For whoremongers, for them that defile themselves
 with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured
persons, and if there be any other thing that is
contrary to sound doctrine;
(1Ti 1:9-10)

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine;
but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers,
 having itching ears;
(2Ti 4:3)

Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught,
that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort
and to convince the gainsayers.
(Tit 1:9)

But speak thou the things which become
sound doctrine:
(Tit 2:1)

Brothers, I know many of you want me to be a little more fiery and preachy, but that is not my ministry. I am a watchman and not a classical prophet, though I do bear the testimony of Jesus Christ which is indeed the spirit of prophecy (Rev 19:10).

No brothers, one day I think he will raise up such a man of God who will be forceful, powerful in his words and deeds, not unlike Elijah or Elisha who will be fearless before the enemies of the Lord. I think God will give America that one last chance to repent and send such a person, at least that is my hope and prayer. The sad part is that ministry will almost certainly end in the prophets death. This is how most real servants of God are dealt with who call nation's to national repentance.

Let us pray that God raises up voices across the land to call this nation to genuine, heart rending repentance and that death, greed, sex, lust, witchcraft and dope cease gaining such a foothold in this one great nation.

 29 Sept

Kananaugh

(Note: This was written on Thursday evening, soon after the testimony of Kavanaugh).

I know many of you want me to comment on this. Not today, A few of you may be a little upset because I just did not find the poorly remembered, uncorroborated accusation of someone who never filed a police complaint credible in such a highly politicized environment by politicians who will do just about anything to push their agenda, get votes or make Trump look bad.

I am still unconvinced that these allegations at Kavanaugh are nothing more than a coordinated political attack instigated by the DNC and Abortion activists to derail this guy from a seat on the court.

I am no fan of many of Kavanaugh's stances on the bench (affirmative action, net neutrality, etc) , so this is not about left and right, GOP or DNC.  This is about a process that no longer requires some kind of evidence and corroboration to destroy a person who has served on the bench for years; has been investigated, background checked, re-investigated numerous times.

I am sorry, I just don't think this is right. It's rather scary to me, you know why? Now, anyone can be paid a slew of money in underhanded money exchange operations (paid only after the nomination is sunk) to sink a nomination. I don't mean to say that this is what is happening here, but if this succeeds, it will in the future.

The only people who will get a nod are those who can silence or yes, even kill their accusers before they make their accusations. There are political machines out there that specialize in those kinds of things. That is where this leads if only an uncorroborated accusation is enough to sink a nomination.

I am sorry to you ladies out there. I take allegations of rape very seriously but I know as any rich guy will tell you, false allegations are not uncommon when a check can be written to silence someone who can cause you a lot of grief if they start to accuse. No, this is not about money, this is about the highest court in the land and when there is that much power at stake in our twisted 21st century American morality, there are no rules but 'win'.

If he were indeed a rapist, a serial rapist as these seemingly coordinated allegations imply, he would not belong on any Federal bench, except a work bench on a work detail at a Federal Pen.

If she had some real corroboration, some witness who were there at the party (she cannot recall the date or the place) who saw this then I would say his nomination should be placed on hold or his name removed. But an uncorroborated accusation... 30 years old... not even reported at the time? This smells of a political set up. The same with these other women  - fuel to the fires of uncorroborated witnesses to derail Trump's nominee. It's something I would expect 'sewer level' DNC hatchet men would instigate. Again, I don't know that this is what is happening, but that is what it looks like to me.

Again, I am not saying this alleged rape did not happen, it might have. I was not there, neither were any of you. The key is to get people to believe that he is a serial rapist that years of FBI investigations and background checks missed or these women are either mistaken, looking for a few weeks of fame (and a book deal) or are being used by political hacks to derail a conservative who might be key in overturning Roe V. Wade.

This whole charade is why good people refuse to serve in Government. Who wants to be subjected to death threats and character assassination like this?

This is a sick political system in a sick nation full of sick people.

I want to make this plain once again, I am not exonerating a possible rapist, I would never do that. I am only saying we may not need a level of evidence of 'beyond a reasonable doubt' as this is not a trail, but we need at least some corroboration - real corroboration, some evidence or no one can ever hold high office like this again, once the hatchet men get done with them and a parade of accusers are finished. 

Fairness works both ways not just for an accuser but also for the accused. An accusation does not mean that she was raped nor does a denial mean she wasn't. In the overall scheme of things I would have to say this -  when someone comes forward with some real evidence against this alleged 'serial rapist' -  and there should be some somewhere with all the women coming forward, we can stop this process and get another nominee. But without that evidence, this looks too much like a political set up hatched out of the DNC.

But if you really want to know what I think much of this is about... it's this. and this.

There are some powerful and evil forces behind the abomination of abortion. Put nothing past them.

Close up the hearings, have the vote and lets move on.

ZeroHedge has a blow by blow of the hearings and spin on their front page today for those of you interested. Me? I am tired and am going to bed!

Kenyan Kids, Vaccinations And Sterilizations

Yes, it's true and it looks like the Kenyan Gov't knew exactly what it was doing. More here. Take a look at how many look to have been sterilzed.

27 Sept

Church Sex Scandal

Yes, the Catholic Church has a new scandal and it is turning out to be a real problem for Pope Francis. The latest scandal has arisen by one former Archbishop (a very high office in the Church) who has accused Pope Francis of some pretty serious missteps, essentially implying that the Pope is protecting and befriending serious sex offenders. Here is how Wikipedia sums up the accusations.

Viganò says that in 2007 he wrote a second memo that included material from clerical sexual abuse expert Richard Sipe.[38] Viganò says this led Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 or 2010 to place severe restrictions on McCarrick's movements and public ministry, not allowing him to venture beyond the seminary grounds where he was living, and not permitting him to say Mass in public. Nevertheless, according to Viganò, Pope Francis removed these sanctions and made McCarrick "his trusted counselor," even though Francis "knew from at least June 23, 2013 that McCarrick was a serial predator. He knew that he was a corrupt man, he covered for him to the bitter end."


In the letter containing these allegations, Viganò called on Francis and all others who covered up McCarrick's conduct to resign. Viganò stated: “In this extremely dramatic moment for the universal church, he [Pope Francis] must acknowledge his mistakes and, in keeping with the proclaimed principle of zero tolerance, Pope Francis must be the first to set a good example to cardinals and bishops who covered up McCarrick’s abuses and resign along with all of them... We must tear down the conspiracy of silence with which bishops and priests have protected themselves at the expense of their faithful, a conspiracy of silence that in the eyes of the world risks making the church look like a sect, a conspiracy of silence not so dissimilar from the one that prevails in the mafia.”- Wikipedia

His accusations go beyond just these. I won't recount the dirty laundry. Naturally the Vatican has struck back.

The key here is that someone who has very high up in the Church is speaking out about how trivial the Vatican appears to have taken the whole sex abuse affair and that public pronouncements of shame and guilt did not match what was going on behind closed doors with top officials.

So what is going on? Well, let me start off by saying that I was at the very beginning a semi-fan of this Pope, but that was mostly because I was given some false information about him from a demonic source that I at the time lacked discernment to see, though some of you here warned me about this individual and his double dealing. That was totally my fault and I have apologized for it and be assured, I will have nothing more do to with that individual or the people who was working for ever again.

But since then, Francis' true colors have shown themselves. His election was a choice made by those who were the enemies of the Church and who were seeking to use the Vatican to be an arm of the left leaning political policy. He was to be a bull in the China shop and was to destroy the conservative stances of the Church to help ease the march of Western sexual liberalization and western political power by being an apologist for those policies - neutralizing the impact the Church would ordinarily have against those policies.  Mind you the Pope has done some good, and moving to clean out the Vatican bank is an excellent first step, so was paying much more attention to the poor. Yet now, those very same enemies who pushed the audit of the Church have all the information on the Church businesses and finances which can be used to attack the Church... at a later date of their choosing.


So what is this latest scandal all about? Why now? Well first we must remember that very recently a gran jury issued a major report that outlined not just sex molestation, but the production of child pornography by some priests.   You can read the whole (redacted) report here, its large, over 1300 pages. What one comes away with is a pattern of official Church behavior that was designed to cover up and even facilitate these crimes, rather than root them out. It is as though child abuse and sexual predatory behavior was part and parcel of the culture of the Church. The whole administrative and legal structure was used, this report clearly implies, to ensure legal and administrative arm of the Church would be used to discredit victims and protect those accused of serious sexual crimes.

Well, I am not going to recount the abuses, the Report linked above will tell you all you need to know. I see the public mea culpa's that the Vatican has issued lacking sincerity and necessary 'follow through' when it comes to making sure bad actors are punished, removed from positions of any authority... and contact with minors. No, I see a system more concerned about public relations than in ensuring that those who are giving spiritual guidance to the Church are qualified to do so. Those who molest kids and engage in Homosexual activity, particularly when they are bound by vows of chastity - they commit two major sins - sacrilege and fornication not to mention the serious crimes our society attaches to those who abuse minors.

A Church with leadership like this is no pathway to God, it's a doorway to spiritual error and abomination. I say these things knowing full well that many Protestant Churches and denominations have some of the exact same problems, so this is not directed at Catholics per se, but at much of Institutional Christianity that has lost sight of their purpose or simply exchanged it for money, political power and or serial sex crimes.

The Vatican also seems to have provided a legal and administrative protective arm to make sure bad actors get away with it.  I will tell you that this was one of my mother pet theories about why these things go on and she told me that well over 15 years ago. She always felt that the Church had trouble along these lines. She grew up in the South and attended Catholic schools. She told me many people knew of these things and which Priests were a problem, but in the deep south back in the 40's... who was going to listen to Black Americans?

So what is happening now slowly, most slowly is the covers are coming off of a long running scandal.

But I do want to leave you all with this thought. Francis has had a very controversial papacy, he has overturned much within the Church and made the Church much more worldly, and I don't mean that in a positive light because true Christians are not to be part of this world, Christ has called us out of it (John 15:19). The Pope has made powerful enemies.

One thing I can tell you is that those who put Francis in power would never have done so without an 'insurance policy'; something they could use against him, blackmail him with or embarrass him with if he refused to follow orders. This is how the devils workman always operate. I have leaned over many years of serving God is never give the devil what he wants. Never ever do it, whatever he wants no matter how trivial it seems, make sure he never gets it from you.

I suspect that Francis may be under some pressure to make new reforms he may be hesitant to make or perhaps he has finally begun to become more of Bible based Christian rather than a political image and tool used by others. If this is so, then powerful forces would work against him and his papacy to undermine it... like scandalize him.... like now. 

Whenever you see scandals like this, always keep that in the back of your mind. It often means that the scandalized person has angered someone evil who has been blackmailing the person. I am not accusing anyone of this, at least not on their own. Rather I am saying that this is a possibility to be considered. Powerful men will do what they can to destroy a person who works against their interests. Look at what some have unleashed on the President.

So I am not going to be quite as hard on the Pope as many of his detractors are. I think the Church has been woefully misguided under his leadership. But conservatives would hardly do any better, they may preach one thing but run their dioceses and parishes in quite another manner.

Institutional Christianity has got a lot of problems and the key one in my view is that it is often led by men who know not God, but have risen to the heights of their institutions by playing 'game' and kissing up to the right people, rather than doing the will of God. This problem is not just in Catholicism but throughout institutional Christendom and it's why the Church in many places is dying a slow and miserable death. Many of these Churches, they are little more than Houses of Ichabod. I say that because we have too many Phinehas' And Hophni's in America's pulpits today. These were the sons of Eli of whom the scriptures said...

Now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial;
they knew not the LORD.
(ISamuel 2:12 [KJVA])

The word Belial has this meaning

H1100
bliya`al
bel-e-yah'-al from
1097 and 3276; without profit, worthlessness; by extension, destruction, wickedness (often in connection with 376, 802, 1121, etc.):--Belial, evil, naughty, ungodly (men), wicked. see HEBREW for 01097 see HEBREW for 03276 see HEBREW for 0376 see HEBREW for 0802 see HEBREW for 01121

They were priests but they knew not the Lord. God required holiness in his Priests under the Old Covenant. These two men were not. The book of Samuel gives us an example of those who take their religious duties without seriousness after having been anointed by God to serve in his Temple. So what did God do with these worthless priests?

 And this shall be a sign unto thee, that shall
come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas;
in one day they shall die both of them.  And I will
raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according
to that which is in mine heart and in my mind: and
I will build him a sure house; and he shall
 walk before mine anointed for ever.
(I Samuel 2:34-35 [KJVA])

In my view the child molestation scandal is a symbol of a much deeper problem within the Church, but it has taken something as vile and as emotionally objectionable as this to get the attention of the world as to the real state of the Church. It's almost dead. The State of the Church reminds me of that of the Church at Sardis. Other than a few souls who had not gone astray, the Lord had nothing good to say about it.

 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write;
These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God,
and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a
name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful,
 and strengthen the things which remain, that are
ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.
  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard,
and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch,
I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour
I will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis
which have not defiled their garments; and they shall
walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
  He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in
white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of
the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father,
and before his angels.  He that hath an ear,
let him hear what the Spirit saith
unto the churches.
(Revelation of John 3:1-6 [KJVA])

I want to stress this. I don't do the Catholic bashing thing here. Their sins may be more public and open, but wait a while, the same may one day be revealed about some protestant denominations one day.

Let us pray for the Pope and the Catholic Church that they can find God and the firm foundation for the Church in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

25 Sept

Biowarfare

I have long had a strong suspicion that Ebola was indeed a genetically engineered virus that was to be used as a bioweapon or perhaps a population control weapon. I have long had an audio of Dr. Horowitz on this site here that talks about his work in uncovering a long and convincing trail of evidence that this is so. More here.

Flu Season Made Worse By Ineffective Vaccine

Let me tell you something. Biowarfare exists. It is not a conspiracy theory and it is not a joke. Real nations with lots of money and people who are willing to work in secret for good pay and good benefits to destroy other people using diseases is one of the biggest threats human and animal life on earth is faced with.

This is a real war. A terrible war. A war where death is the instrument no less than with a gun or a tank. We saw many of America's top biological scientists take out one by one and killed or kidnapped by foreign powers.  yes, I realize there are many other theories out there and some of them are put out to deflect from the real reason. I will tell you some key reasons why they died.

They were killed to prevent targeted nations (not just the US) from creating responses to the bio warfare assault that enemies were preparing to unleash. Some others who were highly specialized were kidnapped to work for the enemy.

The key here is that these weapons exist and that it worries some people. The President has been lambasted by the Pro-China media here in the US (media organizations who run interference for China in the hopes of getting a larger market share inside China) for him pointing out that some virus samples have been withheld by China for the US to study a specific pathogen. I won't point you to the media's attacks on the President for saying this and pointing it out. This is a very serious issue and one that should not be politicized by anyone, particularly the 'China lobby' here in the US. Many of these firms will take their orders from Beijing. This is quite interesting as well.

There is a specific pathogen that has people worried. It is appears to be a mutated version of Bird Flu -  H7N9. The CDC has a paper on it here written by biologists. Here is a news article on it. NewsMax has an interesting take here.

It is unclear if this particular version was enhanced by Scientists or mutated naturally. The second seems more likely in this instance. Bioweapons usage can take strange and unfortunate paths in both mutation and location and bring in unanticipated results. 

Many of you remember I talked about Disease X a couple of months ago. I also mentioned that this new strain of Bird Flu may be it.

Would the US be prepared if such a highly virulent form of the disease hit the US? A disease that kills about a third of those who contract it? While the President was lambasted by many in the Media who tried to 'fact check' the President based on an incomplete (and unclassified) and data and yes those attacks are bolstered by a pathological anti-Trump narrative; but they miss the point. There is something out there that is very deadly and it could kill a lot of people, just as the President said.

We have been fortunate in the 20th and early 21st century. We have not had the kinds of pandemics that occurred in the past. Some of them were extremely devastating. We have not seen anything like the Black Death. We don't know for sure how many millions it killed but a figure of 100 million people may be about right, if a little low.

The Black Death, also known as the Great Plague, the Black Plague, or the Plague, was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia and peaking in Europe from 1347 to 1351. The bacterium Yersinia pestis, which results in several forms of plague, is believed to have been the cause. The plague created a series of religious, social and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history.  - Wikipedia

The death rate was about 60% of those who contracted it. In other words, if you got it, you did not stand a great chance of surviving. 

Then there was the Sweating Sickness in England during the time of the Tudors. Henry VIII older brother Prince Authur, the one who was supposed to be king instead of Henry probably died from it.

How many of you have heard of the Plague of Justinian? Well it was very devastating and took place during the Byzantine empire. It was actually a form of the bubonic plague. Its effect on the empire crippled it as so many within it died. It took place at a critical juncture in the empire's history as the plague aided the Goth's and their war on the empire. No, the Goths did not bring in the Plague, but the disease sure did work in their favor.

This is the general idea of biological warfare. To introduce diseases into a target nations population in order to gain some kind of economic, military or geopolitical advantage and this is the theme we will be looking at intermittently over the next few weeks and months in a-periodic updates.

Bioweapons are illegal under International Treaty, the Biological Weapons Convention. While illegal, it there is no verification system and many have signed it, many nations still develop such weapons, but usually under the reasoning of of 'countering potential pathogens' or peaceful uses. It's a loophole big enough to drive several manmade global pandemics through. 

So the convention is there but since many nations are doing this and all are breaking the treaty in so doing, the threat remains and it is a major threat.

But lets get some history on state sponsored biological research. One of the best documented is Japan's unit 731 which existed during the second world war. Like today's 'peaceful use' of biological weapons, the Japanese also had a peaceful sounding name for their work. It was part of the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department. You can read more about Unit 731 here.

This program is a perfect example of biowarfare for a military objective.

The Soviets as well had a massive biological warfare capability and one that was finally admitted to under Yeltsin.

Reports indicate that Soviet development of biological weapons (BW) dates back to at least 1928 when the Red Army ordered Soviet scientists to find a way to deploy typhus as a weapon. The Soviet BW program expanded in the 1930s; there are strong indications that weapons testing involved some prisoners in Stalin’s labor camps. As the program further expanded after the war, the primary known site for BW testing became Vozrozhdeniye Island, which is located in the Aral Sea near Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan...

...Revelations about the Soviet/Russian BW Program In 1979, at least sixty-eight people died when anthrax spores were released from a Biopreparat production facility in Sverdlovsk, Russia.18 Although suspicions were raised from 1979 onward, the United States did not verify that the deaths had been connected with the Soviet biological weapons program until 1992. Some information became available in 1989, when Vladimir Pasechnik, the former director of a Biopreparat facility, defected to Great Britain. He revealed that the magnitude and lethality of the Soviet/Russian BW program far exceeded the assessments by U.S. and British intelligence sources.

Early in 1992, Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin publicly acknowledged the existence of an active Russian BW program. He vowed to end the program, but his efforts were reportedly thwarted by some in his military establishment, who continued the program. In September of 1992, these military officials represented Russia in negotiations with the United States and Great Britain that sought to establish an inspection process to confirm the absence of BW production. Russia initially consented to U.S. and British inspections at Russian BW facilities, but then refused to sign the “Trilateral Agreement” unless the United States and Great Britain accepted reciprocal inspections at private pharmaceutical companies in their countries. Some in Russia claimed that the United States and Great Britain were violating the BWC. After inspecting U.S. facilities, Russian inspectors claimed they found evidence of an American BW program. Yet Russia never gave U.S. and British inspectors access to military BRPC’s in Russia.

In 1992, Kanatjan Alibekov, who has changed his name to Ken Alibek, defected to the United States. He had been second in command in the Soviet/Russian BW program. In his debriefings with U.S. officials, Alibek confirmed and expanded on Pasechnik’s revelations. Alibek has frequently testified before Congress about the Soviet/Russian BW program and about U.S. efforts to mount a defense against biological attacks.22- CRS

But let us be fair. While the Soviets had accidents and did indeed experiment on prisoners inside their vast labor camp system (Gulags), the US was hardly innocent. We infected Black folks with Syphilis (Tuskegee Experiments) just to see what would happen. We have all heard of that. Have you heard about the experiment on San Francisco where they sprayed microbes into the air? They experimented on Jews in the sixties, Blacks in the 1800's and beyond. And in kids in 1908, yes they were injected with Tuberculin at St. Vincent's House orphanage in Philly.

But to give you a sense as to how sick and mentally disturbed this people are within our intelligence community take a look below. The things they did were as sick as they come. Here is how they conducted mind control experiments.

In one case, Cameron forced a person to listen to a message non-stop for 101 days. Using CIA funding, Cameron converted the horse stables behind Allan Memorial into an elaborate isolation and sensory deprivation chamber where he kept patients locked in for weeks at a time. Cameron also induced insulin comas in his subjects by giving them large injections of insulin, twice a day, for up to two months at a time. Several of the children who Cameron experimented on were sexually abused, in at least one case by several men. One of the children was filmed numerous times performing sexual acts with high-ranking federal government officials, in a scheme set up by Cameron and other MKULTRA researchers, to blackmail the officials to ensure further funding for the experiments. - Wikipedia

So lets stop the moralizing. The Russians and Chinese are bad, but we certainly aren't any better. Perhaps worse.

The point here is not to horrify you but to give you perspective. Many of the people who operate, control and are employed in the agencies who create these diseases are no less diseased than the substances they create.

Moreover we must not allow ourselves to fall for the trap of expecting evil men and women to behave as though they operate with some kind of moral compass that does not point to their own personal career or power. Often they are not motivated by anything but those things. The worst of them tend to rise very high and this is why we have seen such horrific experiments on people done by our own government on their own citizens.

Thus in our times we must be prudent and know our bibles.

One would have thought it strange that Christ would warn of Pestilences right after he warned that nation would rise against nation (Matt 24:7). But today, the connection is increasingly clear. That nations would begin to use these kinds of weapons on each other to inflict damage.

We will look at other aspects of this kind of warfare and its significance for all of us in the coming weeks, the good Lord willing (for insiders).

__________