The Front Page Cover
Featruring:
Christians, don't quit the game at halftime!
by Minister Michael Brown
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. This Just In: The FBI Is Investigating
By Paul Albaugh: FBI Director James Comey testified before Congress Monday. He discussed the allegations of Russian meddling with our recent presidential election, as well as Donald Trump's accusations of being wiretapped by Barack liar-nObama and the possibility of a foreign ally being involved with that alleged wiretapping during the presidential campaign.
During his testimony before the House Intelligence Committee, Comey acknowledged that his agency is conducting an investigation into possible coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin in a "counterintelligence probe that could reach all the way to the White House and last for months."
This, of course, is not the "breaking news alert" the Leftmedia couldn't wait to trumpet. We've known for weeks that there is an investigation, and it began in July 2016. And, as Mark Alexander wrote two weeks ago, "Despite all the fake media hysterics, keeping the 'Trump and Putin rigged the election' myth alive has nothing to do with facts. But it has everything to do with delegitimizing Trump's stunning victory, keeping his administration off-balance and derailing his agenda."
On that note, it's all well and good to investigate, but the most important objective for U.S. intelligence is stopping the leaks that have plagued Trump's first weeks in office. Intelligence leaks perpetrated by liar-nObama's deep state operatives are so far the only crime uncovered in any of this mess.
During the hearing, Comey also dismissed Trump's foolish and distracting Twitter claims of wiretapping at Trump Towers. Comey stated that there is "no information that supports those tweets." Comey added, "We have looked carefully inside the FBI" and there are no agents who have found anything to support Trump's claim. On Friday, the Justice Department provided documents to Congress, which, according to several high-ranking members of the House Intelligence Committee, offered no proof that liar-nObama had ordered wiretaps of Trump Tower. As if liar-nObama would be so careless as to get caught ordering the Code Red.
We still wonder if this isn't a case of innocence on a technicality — that Trump's wording was too specific and just wrong enough to provide an escape hatch.
Unfortunately, despite providing no proof of his claims, Trump continued to make noise on Twitter and even added more fuel to the fire late last week when he accused the British of being involved with the alleged surveillance on his campaign. He even attempted to joke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying, "As far as wiretapping, I guess by this past administration, at least we have something in common." Trump was referring to reports that liar-nObama's National Security Administration had tapped Merkel's phone in 2010. Merkel wasn't the least bit amused.
Unfortunately, Trump's wiretapping claims served only to derail his own momentum after his well-received address to a joint session of Congress. That sort of self-inflicted wound is going to be a recurring theme with this president.
But it's not all bad news for Trump. As National Review's David French points out, the confirmation by Comey that the FBI is conducting an investigation into possible links between Russia and the Trump campaign is good news for three reasons:
"First, by making this announcement, the FBI has ended months of sometimes-irresponsible speculation about its activities. Second, the FBI is informing America that it is doing its job." We should want the FBI to investigate thoroughly into whether or not a foreign government interfered with a presidential election and we should want them to follow all of the evidence.
"Third," French adds, "since the Trump administration's DOJ authorized this announcement, it is a sign to all Americans that the system is still working as intended."
Whether it's Russian meddling or liar-nObama's hacking or deep state leaking, what most Americans want to know is the truth. Right now, many people don't know who to believe or trust, other than to view with intense skepticism the Leftmedia and career bureaucrats deep within the bowels of our own government. As it stands, we've got nothing but Trump and Democrats yelling "wolf!" at each other. Hopefully the FBI, DOJ and intelligence community will find out the truth, plug the leaks, and move forward.
Oh, and by the way, instead of Trump focusing on promoting his nominee to the Supreme Court — the whole reason most people voted for him — he's fending off bad news about phony wiretapping claims and foreign election interference. The reality TV star has lost control of the script. ~The Patriot Post
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Muslims Invade Texas Church, Force Christians
to Witness Something SHOCKING
{jewsnews.co.il} ~ First, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) demanded that Austin give the Muslims a big church in which to hold their event... Seriously. There are mosques in Austin. Why did they have to hold the event in a church unless their entire aim was to provoke Christians? Next, Infowars reporter Joe Biggs discovered that what the Muslims were being told inside that church was that Sharia Law is the same as the US Constitution, and will either be merged into it or replace it altogether...
Vice President Mike Pence Rails
Against liar-nObamacare...
by Onan Coca
{constitution.com} ~ Vice President Mike Pence made an appearance in Jacksonville, Florida to do a couple of things. First, he wanted to stump for President Trump and make sure that the administration is doing everything it can to keep its voters energized and ready for a fight... Secondly, he wanted to connect with the Governor of one of the most important GOP led states in the country. Finally, he was in Florida to rail against the travesty that is liar-nObamacare and to call for all Floridians, particularly the business owners, to support the GOP effort to repeal and replace liar-nObamacare. His speech was very well received and it’s easy to see why President Trump chose Mike Pence to be his closest ally during the presidential election process... http://constitution.com/vice-president-mike-pence-rails-obamacare-calls-support-gop-repeal-effort/
.‘Yes’ — Nunes Confirms liar-nObama Admin.
Incidentally Collected Trump’s
Personal Communications
by Christian Datoc
{dailycaller.com} ~ Congressman Devin Nunes confirmed Wednesday afternoon that some of President Trump’s personal communications were in fact collected by the liar-nObama administration during the 2016 election... Earlier in the day, Nunes — the chairman of the House Intelligence Community — said POTUS’ communications might have been included in those reports, yet he adjusted his statement when asked during a media gaggle outside the White House. “Are you suggesting that Mr. Trump’s communications are in those reports?” a reporter directly asked Nunes. “Second, are you saying you’re concerned enough that this will trigger a different separate investigation, and third, why did you not discuss this with a ranking member before you came to the White House?”...
VIDEO: at the site
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Russia Responds to Comey’s Testimony
by Philip Hodges
{eaglerising.com} ~ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Tuesday that “the hearing participants are confused about the situation,” adding... “They are trying to find confirmation of their own conclusions but can’t find either proof or confirmation and are going round in circles.” Comey confirmed for the first time Monday to the House committee the existence of an ongoing counterintelligence probe into links between advisers to Trump and Russian officials. The Kremlin has dismissed claims from U.S. intelligence agencies that President Vladimir Putin authorized a campaign to influence the U.S. presidential election last year in favor of Trump...
.China issues warning to US bomber flying
in East China Sea
by foxnews.com
{foxnews.com} ~ The Chinese military issued a warning to a U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber flying in the East China Sea Wednesday morning amid escalating tensions in the region, two U.S. officials told Fox News... The Chinese said the U.S. bomber was flying in international airspace. American officials tell Fox News the bomber was flying in international airspace and continued on its mission---albeit without its wingman. Fox News has learned that two B-1 bombers were supposed to launch a patrol from Guam to the Korean Peninsula as part of training exercises with the South Koreans, hours after the failed North Korean missile launch... http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/03/22/china-issues-warning-to-us-bomber-flying-in-east-china-sea.html
.>.
by Minister Michael Brown
Christians, don't quit the game at halftime!
by Minister Michael Brown
{wnd.com} ~ Whenever I hear Christian leaders talk about the inevitable collapse of the church of America or elsewhere I ask myself, “But hasn’t Jesus risen from the dead? Didn’t He ascend to the right hand of the Father? Hasn’t all authority in heaven and earth been given to Him? And aren’t we commanded to go and make disciples in His name and by His authority?”
If so, how then we can speak of any inevitable collapse of the church or, specifically, of Christian society, regardless of how inevitable that collapse appears to human eyes?
I therefore differ strongly with conservative journalist Rod Dreher who has written that, “The culture war that began with the Sexual Revolution in the 1960s has now ended in defeat for Christian conservatives. … Don’t be fooled: the upset presidential victory of Donald Trump has at best given us a bit more time to prepare for the inevitable” (my emphasis; from his new book “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation”).
The culture war has hardly “ended,” and there is nothing “inevitable” about the collapse of Christian society in America, although, without question, the patient is mortally ill and in need of radical surgery and rehabilitation. But the heart is still beating, there are millions of committed believers throughout the land, prayers are ascending to heaven 24/7 for another great awakening, and it’s actually possible that America’s best days are still ahead, regardless of how bleak things look right now and without a doubt, they look very, very bleak. Are not all things possible to him or her who believes?
What makes today’s spiritual pessimism all the more galling is that, in my view, the biggest reason for America’s current moral and spiritual decline is the backslidden, unengaged, carnal state of much of the church. In other words, America is messed up because the church has been messed up, because we who profess faith in Jesus have all too often been superficial in our commitment, as a result of which the world has changed us rather than us changing the world.
When it comes to the mainline denominations, in many instances there has been a wholesale departure from the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Jesus, leading to the abandonment of our moral compass.
When it comes to evangelical Christians, we have often preached a narcissistic, “what’s in it for me” gospel, a self-centered message that bypasses the cross and calls for virtually no sacrifice or service, a message that empowers the sinner rather than transforms the sinner, leading to “Christian” rappers who talk about Jesus in the midst of profanity-laced rants all while still getting high, going to strip clubs and partying, and to “Christian” models and actresses who strip down in the most seductive poses, simply because it’s part of their job – and I assure you they can find big churches in America who will welcome them with open arms and celebrate their “liberty” in Jesus. It’s one thing to welcome the worst of sinners into our midst with open arms and without condemnation; it’s another thing to celebrate carnality and compromise.
Little wonder that the rest of the public is so confused. After all, the church is supposed to function as the conscience of the nation.
When it comes to social issues like abortion and homosexuality, the vast majority of Christian conservatives in our country have almost no regular engagement with women having abortions and engage in very little compassionate outreach to those who identify as LGBT. As for those of us who do get involved in social issues, we tend to do it politically, looking to the government (especially the Republican Party) to fix things, as if passing a law alone would “fix” the desecration of life or reverse the breakdown of the family.
In that regard, Dreher is quite right in urging us not to put our trust in the political system, and I wholeheartedly affirm his conclusion: “We are going to have to change our lives, and our approach to life, in radical ways. In short, we are going to have to be the church, without compromise, no matter what it costs” (his emphasis).
But being the church means heeding the words of Jesus, who calls us out of the world when it comes to participating in sin but into the world when it comes to fulfilling our mission, which is to shine like lights in dark places, to boldly proclaim the message of redemption, to reach out to hurting and suffering sinners, to make a difference in the communities in which we are planted, and to stand for truth and righteousness “without compromise, no matter what it costs.”
After all, we’re here as the Lord’s ambassadors, declaring the gospel to a dying world, and if we back down and retreat, who will reach this generation with the Good News?
But to say, “We’ve failed so far so let’s concede the war” is like a coach saying to his team at halftime, “We hardly played at all in that first half, which is why we’re way behind, so let’s quit now before it gets worse.” To the contrary, he sounds a loud wake-up call, urging his team to play like never before, since the rest of the game is still ahead.
As theologian Douglas Wilson said, “I am against surrendering in any case, but I am really against surrendering before the battle is really joined.”
The solution, then, is not to retreat into some kind of monastic refuge but rather to repent of our sins, to give ourselves afresh to the Lord, and to let our light shine before an onlooking, skeptical, and mocking world. That is the gospel way.
In the words of Jesus, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16; for further scriptural exhortations).
I’m all for separating ourselves from the pollution of the world as much as possible. At one point, 95 percent of the families in my home congregation homeschooled their children, and for many years of our marriage, Nancy and I chose not to have a TV in our house; I have other friends who live in shared community, while still others have left business and careers to serve and live among the poorest of the poor. At the same time, I am not for withdrawing from our calling to go into the world and touch the lost.
By all means, then, let us live with a sense of holy urgency after all, we’re here for a moment and then gone, with eternity ahead of us, and let us make a fresh, complete and uncompromising commitment to our Lord. But let us stand up, not shrink back, raising our voices for the world to hear and living our lives for the world to see. And if America is determined to go to hell, then let it go to hell over our dead bodies.
As Charles H. Spurgeon famously said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
To our knees, then, in holistic repentance, and to our feet, in wholehearted obedience. This generation desperately needs the message of new life in Jesus – the message you and I have. Don’t hide it under basket!
If so, how then we can speak of any inevitable collapse of the church or, specifically, of Christian society, regardless of how inevitable that collapse appears to human eyes?
I therefore differ strongly with conservative journalist Rod Dreher who has written that, “The culture war that began with the Sexual Revolution in the 1960s has now ended in defeat for Christian conservatives. … Don’t be fooled: the upset presidential victory of Donald Trump has at best given us a bit more time to prepare for the inevitable” (my emphasis; from his new book “The Benedict Option: A Strategy for Christians in a Post-Christian Nation”).
The culture war has hardly “ended,” and there is nothing “inevitable” about the collapse of Christian society in America, although, without question, the patient is mortally ill and in need of radical surgery and rehabilitation. But the heart is still beating, there are millions of committed believers throughout the land, prayers are ascending to heaven 24/7 for another great awakening, and it’s actually possible that America’s best days are still ahead, regardless of how bleak things look right now and without a doubt, they look very, very bleak. Are not all things possible to him or her who believes?
What makes today’s spiritual pessimism all the more galling is that, in my view, the biggest reason for America’s current moral and spiritual decline is the backslidden, unengaged, carnal state of much of the church. In other words, America is messed up because the church has been messed up, because we who profess faith in Jesus have all too often been superficial in our commitment, as a result of which the world has changed us rather than us changing the world.
When it comes to the mainline denominations, in many instances there has been a wholesale departure from the authority of Scripture and the lordship of Jesus, leading to the abandonment of our moral compass.
When it comes to evangelical Christians, we have often preached a narcissistic, “what’s in it for me” gospel, a self-centered message that bypasses the cross and calls for virtually no sacrifice or service, a message that empowers the sinner rather than transforms the sinner, leading to “Christian” rappers who talk about Jesus in the midst of profanity-laced rants all while still getting high, going to strip clubs and partying, and to “Christian” models and actresses who strip down in the most seductive poses, simply because it’s part of their job – and I assure you they can find big churches in America who will welcome them with open arms and celebrate their “liberty” in Jesus. It’s one thing to welcome the worst of sinners into our midst with open arms and without condemnation; it’s another thing to celebrate carnality and compromise.
Little wonder that the rest of the public is so confused. After all, the church is supposed to function as the conscience of the nation.
When it comes to social issues like abortion and homosexuality, the vast majority of Christian conservatives in our country have almost no regular engagement with women having abortions and engage in very little compassionate outreach to those who identify as LGBT. As for those of us who do get involved in social issues, we tend to do it politically, looking to the government (especially the Republican Party) to fix things, as if passing a law alone would “fix” the desecration of life or reverse the breakdown of the family.
In that regard, Dreher is quite right in urging us not to put our trust in the political system, and I wholeheartedly affirm his conclusion: “We are going to have to change our lives, and our approach to life, in radical ways. In short, we are going to have to be the church, without compromise, no matter what it costs” (his emphasis).
But being the church means heeding the words of Jesus, who calls us out of the world when it comes to participating in sin but into the world when it comes to fulfilling our mission, which is to shine like lights in dark places, to boldly proclaim the message of redemption, to reach out to hurting and suffering sinners, to make a difference in the communities in which we are planted, and to stand for truth and righteousness “without compromise, no matter what it costs.”
After all, we’re here as the Lord’s ambassadors, declaring the gospel to a dying world, and if we back down and retreat, who will reach this generation with the Good News?
But to say, “We’ve failed so far so let’s concede the war” is like a coach saying to his team at halftime, “We hardly played at all in that first half, which is why we’re way behind, so let’s quit now before it gets worse.” To the contrary, he sounds a loud wake-up call, urging his team to play like never before, since the rest of the game is still ahead.
As theologian Douglas Wilson said, “I am against surrendering in any case, but I am really against surrendering before the battle is really joined.”
The solution, then, is not to retreat into some kind of monastic refuge but rather to repent of our sins, to give ourselves afresh to the Lord, and to let our light shine before an onlooking, skeptical, and mocking world. That is the gospel way.
In the words of Jesus, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:14-16; for further scriptural exhortations).
I’m all for separating ourselves from the pollution of the world as much as possible. At one point, 95 percent of the families in my home congregation homeschooled their children, and for many years of our marriage, Nancy and I chose not to have a TV in our house; I have other friends who live in shared community, while still others have left business and careers to serve and live among the poorest of the poor. At the same time, I am not for withdrawing from our calling to go into the world and touch the lost.
By all means, then, let us live with a sense of holy urgency after all, we’re here for a moment and then gone, with eternity ahead of us, and let us make a fresh, complete and uncompromising commitment to our Lord. But let us stand up, not shrink back, raising our voices for the world to hear and living our lives for the world to see. And if America is determined to go to hell, then let it go to hell over our dead bodies.
As Charles H. Spurgeon famously said, “If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”
To our knees, then, in holistic repentance, and to our feet, in wholehearted obedience. This generation desperately needs the message of new life in Jesus – the message you and I have. Don’t hide it under basket!
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