DISCOVERING OUR DIVINE IDENTITY

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Yes, we come from the union of a man and a woman. But ultimately, our conception is the miraculous work of the Father of creation — a Spirit-breathed moment in time, a flash of divine light, a miracle.

Recognising Our Divine Genesis

While ancestry databases have made it easier to trace our heritage, I wonder whether what people discover reflects their true search or deeper longing.

Somewhere along the way, the Church has lost sight of our marvellous, divine origin as spiritual beings created by God. 

In Acts, Paul emphasises to the secular Athenians that their existence is deeply connected to their origin in Father God. We were all created in him, and as the Aramaic translation suggests, so that humanity might “investigate him through his creation”.

“And He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet He is actually not far from each one of us, for “‘In Him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed His offspring.’ Acts 17:26-28

It is worth encouraging one another to renew our minds in the truth, allowing God’s Word to shape our understanding of both our identity and our past. Let’s look at other verses that reveal the work of the Spirit of God: Psalm 104:30 – “You send forth your Spirit, and they are created.” Job 33:4 – “The Spirit of God has made me.” Psalm 139:5–6 – “From the beginning to the end, you have formed me and set your hand upon me. The knowledge and wonder are stronger than I and I could not master them.”

In personal investigation of this, any current anxieties about worthiness and un-wantedness would begin to fade in seeing the intentional work of the Spirit to give each of us life. The wounds and pains of the past would gradually diminish when we grapple with and grasp the depth of the Everlasting Father’s (Isaiah 9:6) love — abiding, perpetual, and unwavering.

By sharing this simple but profound truth about life and purpose, we can offer hope and healing to anyone who is seeking their true genesis. Never forgetting that the love of God may seem foolish to one, but to another it is the very power of God.

Look what AI (chat GPT) says about discovering our divine identity. I am impressed and will use it more in my study of God’s Word. Let me know about your experience. I will address it more in future posts.

CHAT GPT: Discovering our divine identity in Scripture is less about finding a label and more about learning who God says we are—and living from that truth. The Bible unfolds this identity gradually, relationally, and always in the context of God’s love and purpose. Here’s a clear, Scripture-rooted pathway.

1. Start with God’s Design: Created in His Image

Key texts: Genesis 1:26–27; Psalm 139:13–16

Scripture begins by telling us who we are before we do anything:

  • You are created intentionally, not accidentally
  • You bear the image of God (imago Dei), which gives every human dignity, worth, and purpose

Our divine identity is grounded in who God is, not in our performance or circumstances.

2. Understand the Problem: Identity Distorted by Sin

Key texts: Genesis 3; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 53:6

Sin doesn’t erase God’s image in us, but it fractures our understanding of it.
We begin to define ourselves by:

  • Shame
  • Fear
  • Achievement
  • Failure

Scripture is honest about this distortion so we don’t build our identity on illusions.

3. Look to Christ: Identity Restored in Him

Key texts: 2 Corinthians 5:17; Colossians 1:15–20; Romans 8:1

Jesus is the true image of God (Colossians 1:15).
When Scripture says we are “in Christ,” it means:

  • We receive a new identity, not just new behavior
  • We are reconciled, forgiven, and made new

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Your divine identity is Christ-centered, not self-constructed.

4. Receive Your Status: Children of God

Key texts: John 1:12; Romans 8:14–17; Galatians 4:4–7

One of the clearest identity statements in Scripture:

  • You are adopted, not tolerated
  • You are a son or daughter, not a servant earning approval

This means:

  • You belong
  • You are loved before you perform
  • You have access to the Father

5. Listen to God’s Voice Through Scripture

Key texts: Psalm 1; Joshua 1:8; Hebrews 4:12

Identity is discovered through ongoing exposure to God’s Word, not one-time insight.
Scripture:

  • Renews your mind (Romans 12:2)
  • Corrects false narratives about yourself
  • Anchors you in truth when feelings fluctuate

Ask as you read: “What does this passage say about who I am in relation to God?”

6. Live It Out: Identity Shapes Calling

Key texts: Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 2:9; Micah 6:8

Once identity is received, purpose follows:

  • Chosen → to proclaim
  • Loved → to love others
  • Set apart → to reflect God’s character

We don’t act to become God’s people—we act because we already are.

7. Walk It Out in Community and the Spirit

Key texts: Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12; Galatians 5:16–25

Divine identity matures through:

  • The Holy Spirit’s guidance
  • Christian community
  • Obedience over time

God reveals who you are as you walk with Him, not all at once.

In short

Your divine identity in Scripture is this:

  • Created in God’s image
  • Redeemed in Christ
  • Adopted as God’s child
  • Empowered by the Spirit
  • Called to reflect God’s glory

If you want, I can also:

  • Walk through specific identity statements (e.g., “in Christ” passages)
  • Help you study this theme devotionally
  • Explore how this applies during seasons of doubt, suffering, or transition

Just tell me where you’d like to go next 🌿

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ChatGPT can make mistakes

AI AND EXPECTED JOB LOSSES

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GPT 5.2 release will result in corporate collapse in 2026, and 1.1M job losses. CEO’s now need to consider that the jobs that most (up to 80%, maybe 90%) of their employees are doing can be done by generative AI. We are not at sentient AI as yet but computers can now learn from their mistakes.

AI and autonomous agents are taking on more and more roles. To support this new economic model, a new standard is being developed: Agent TCP/IP. This protocol enables agents to autonomously trade data, content, and proprietary knowledge, creating a decentralized knowledge economy. It allows agents to engage secure programmable transactions without human intermediaries, facilitating collaboration, trade, and resource sharing.

You need to watch Peter Diamandis (Moonshots) interview these three experts Dr. Alexander Wissner-Gross, a computer scientist and founder of Reified, Salim Ismail is the founder of OpenExO and Dave Blundin is the founder & GP of Link Ventures talk about the future of gen AI and jobs.

Chat GPT 5.2 beats humans at 11 times speed and 1% cost so job losses will escalate in 2026.

This is part of the Biblical prophesied chaos that will exist at the time Jesus returns to rescue Israel, the only nation that God established for His purposes. In order to complete the covenants God made with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and David their Messiah, Jesus will rule the nations of the world from a magnificent new Jerusalem. To get prepared to rule and reign with Jesus in His coming Millennial Kingdom go to http://www.millennialkingdom.net.

THE BOOK OF JOEL AND “THE DAY OF THE LORD”

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Joel was God’s spokes person during the reign of Joash (835-796 BC) over the southern kingdom of Judah. Joel stresses the sovereign power of God over nature and shows how God uses nature to get the attention of the people. When an ominous black cloud descended upon the land of Judah – dreaded locusts, Joel understood that it was God’s terrible judgement on the House of Judah for sin. In a matter of hours , every living green thing had been stripped bare. Likewise we should understand that when terrible floods and fires descend upon our land that it may well be the judgement of the Lord for sin, e.g. transgenderism, LGBTQ issues, gay marriage and godless laws.

For us Joel is an important book, because God showed him that as terrible as His judgement was with the locust plague it was by comparison nothing compared with God’s future judgements during “The Day of the Lord“. It will be a time when God not only destroys His enemies but He also brings unparalleled blessings to those who faithfully obey Him.

Biblical prophecy reveals that “The Day of the Lord” is fast approaching as persecution of Christians and Jews escalates and apostasy in the church is rampant with acceptance of homosexual pastors and gay marriage widespread.

The Hebrew name Yo’el means “Yahweh Is God” The name is appropriate to the theme of the book, which emphasizes God’s sovereign work in history. The courses of nature and nations are in His hand.

AS THE WORLD REJECTS GOD’S VALUES LAWLESSNESS ABOUNDS

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Youth crime and violence are on the rise across Australia. A recent article in The Guardian reads, 

The state’s overall offence rate has increased by 15% but youth crime has seen an even bigger increase.

“Youth offending also continues to grow, with crimes committed by children aged 10 to 17 up 17.9%. It is the second quarter in a row that youth crime rates have reached record levels. Police said children (10 – 17 yrs) only accounted for 13.1% of all offenders, but they were overrepresented in serious and violent crimes such as robberies (63.1%), aggravated burglaries (46%) and car theft (26.9%).”

A study in the USA called “Father Absence and Youth Incarceration” showed that boys who are fatherless from birth are three times more likely to go to jail than peers from intact families.  While boys who do not see their father depart until they are 10 to 14 years old are over two times more likely to go to jail than peers from intact families.

Interestingly, Dr Pat Fagan showed that states in the USA with a lower percentage of single-parent families, on average, had lower rates of juvenile crime. State-by-state analysis indicated that, in general, a 10 per cent increase in the number of children living in single-parent homes (including divorces) accompanied a 17 per cent increase in juvenile crime.

Fagan, in his article, “The Real Root Causes of Violent Crime: The Breakdown of Marriage, Family, and Community”, demonstrates the correlation between marriage and fatherhood and what the absence of both does to our children. Among married two-parent families, whether white or black, the crime rate was very low. The capacity and determination to maintain stable married relationships, not race, was the pivotal factor. Chaotic, broken communities resulted from chaotic, broken families.

Rejecting God’s ordinance for marriage: one man and one woman for life so they become one flesh (Genesis 2:24), is why we no longer have stable God fearing homes.

Jesus tells us what end times families will do: “And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.” Mark 13:12

“Victoria’s crime rate surges with young offenders contributing to record arrests”.

The state’s overall offence rate has increased by 15% but youth crime has seen an even bigger increase.

“Youth offending also continues to grow, with crimes committed by children aged 10 to 17 up 17.9%. It is the second quarter in a row that youth crime rates have reached record levels. Police said children (10 – 17 yrs) only accounted for 13.1% of all offenders, but they were overrepresented in serious and violent crimes such as robberies (63.1%), aggravated burglaries (46%) and car theft (26.9%).”

WELCOME TO COUNTRY

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Welcome to Country is controversial. Deeply. It divides Australians by ancestry, not allegiance. And Albanese knows it. He just doesn’t care, which is foolish, and it may cost him dearly.

He called it a “a hand warmly and graciously extended,” a symbol of unity. But how is it unifying to be told, day in and day out, that you need permission to enter your own country? How is it respectful to redefine Australians as tenants on ancestral land they supposedly never had a right to?

This isn’t some harmless courtesy. It’s a rhetorical landmine, paving the way for treaty, reparations, land vetoes, and perpetual grievance. “Always was, always will be.”

That’s how the slogan goes. That the land upon which the nation of Australia was built has forever been and forever will be under Aboriginal ownership.

But that’s not history. Rather, it’s a political claim of ongoing Indigenous sovereignty, directly contradicting High Court precedent and undermining the very legitimacy of the Australian nation-state. The Crown’s sovereignty is the foundation of our law. And yet we now begin our parliamentary business by implying it never existed.

And Albanese calls this uncontroversial?

Australians Have Had Enough

Aboriginal woman and Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price put it best: “Everyone’s getting sick of Welcome to Country.” It tells ordinary Australians they’re outsiders in the country they built, defended, and passed down through generations. The public agrees. Polling shows a clear majority now see these rituals as divisive.

A major poll of over 1,000 Australians conducted for the Institute of Public Affairs just last month confirms the shift: 56% of Australians now see Welcome to Country as divisive, while just 17% disagree. Fewer than one in three support the practice at events like ANZAC Day or sporting matches, and even among young Australians who normally support progressive fads, opinion is split.

Yet, despite the majority view, these rituals are conducted everywhere: before sports games, school assemblies, corporate webinars, and even weather forecasts. What used to be occasional is now obligatory. And like all forced rituals, its meaning has rotted into performance.

Let’s not pretend it’s “ancient” either. The modern Welcome to Country, body paint, didgeridoos, and scripted lines, is largely a 1970s invention, created by famous Australian Aboriginal Ernie Dingo and refined during the tourism boom.

And when we do these ceremonies, are we even sure that the so-called “traditional owners” are even the right one? Canberra’s “traditional ownership” is disputed between Ngunnawal and Ngambri groups, proving how shaky the whole edifice is. Look to just about any region in the country and I can show you warring groups of Aboriginals who claim that they are the rightful “traditional owners” over the other mob who claim the same thing.

The Financial — and Spiritual — Cost

If you’re Christian? Tough luck. Smoking ceremonies invoke spirits. They’re religious rites, not “cultural displays.” The Presbyterian Church has told its congregations not to participate. Yet we now open Parliament with them, as if the separation of church and state has been tossed into the firepit along with the gum leaves.

And the cost? It’s not just spiritual. The whole Welcome to Country farce also comes with a financial price tag. Freedom of Information documents show single ceremonies cost up to $6,600. Government departments are burning through taxpayer cash for smoke and theatre while remote schools rot and Indigenous literacy flatlines. One smoking ceremony could air-condition a classroom in Arnhem Land. But priorities, right?

Let’s not forget: Australians already voted on this nonsense. In the 2023 Voice referendum, they overwhelmingly rejected the entire race-based agenda. Sixty percent said no. Every state bar the ACT — the same bubble that hosts Parliament — voted it down.

But none of that matters to the elites. It’s not about truth. It’s about control. This is coercive speech. Refuse to recite it and you’re a bigot. Go along with it, and endorse a racial hierarchy where whitey is right at the bottom.

So when Albanese tells you there’s no controversy, he’s not speaking for you. He’s speaking to Canberra, to the elite, to the bureaucrats and boardrooms who recite the lines without believing them.

What we need is a national reset.

Start our events with this: “We gather as free and equal citizens of one Australia.”

And then acknowledge those who have fought and died for our nation.

No smoke. No spirits. No submission.

That’s unity. That’s patriotism. That’s truth.

And that, Prime Minister, is not controversial.

This post is taken from an article by George Christensen.

welcomed

Being Welcomed to Your Own Country Not Controversial, Says PM. on 24/07/2025.

George Christensen is an Australian politician and former journalist who was a member of the Australian House of Representatives from 2010 to 2022, as the member of parliament (MP) for the division of Dawson. He was a member of the Liberal National Party of Queensland and sat with the National Party in federal parliament, prior to leaving the party in April 2022, days before the end of his parliamentary term.

BIBLE APP IS MAKING GOD KNOWN IN OVER 2000 LANGUAGES

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The YouVersion Bible app has now surpassed 800 million downloads worldwide, and it has become so prevalent that it’s reshaping the future of Bible engagement. Before becoming one of the most downloaded apps globally, helping millions access the Bible in over 2,000 languages, YouVersion founder Bobby Gruenewald says it all started as a simple website attempting to solve a big problem.

But the solution he envisioned hadn’t yet been invented. “And so, Steve Jobs, in early 2008 announced it was going to be possible to develop apps for the iPhone and create some brand-new thing called an app store,” he explains. Not knowing what an app was, Gruenewald recruited a 19-year-old on his team to build what the world today calls the Bible app.

The Bible app was a hit, starting out as one of 200 free apps on the Apple store. In the first week, more than 80,000 people downloaded it. Today, the Bible app is opened more than 270 times each second. It supports 70-plus languages, with more than 2,000 Bible translations. “Between 10 and 12 million per month,” Gruenewald says. “These are new devices that are installing the Bible app.” If you’ve ever used YouVersion to follow a reading plan or find a daily verse, you’re part of a community that’s reshaping how we engage with scripture. On Easter Sunday alone, YouVersion saw a record-breaking 17 million users, with 3.5 million new installs. Gruenewald believes this surge in Bible engagement is part of a larger global trend. The narrative that people no longer read the Bible is simply not true. We have evidence and real data, that indicates that there is momentum globally around scripture engagement,” he says. “So we should be encouraged to know that God’s word is very alive and well, and if anything, more relevant to today’s culture than maybe ever before in human history.”

YouVersion offers three products: the Bible app, the Bible app for kids, and Bible app lite, designed for regions where internet access is limited. Now, the team is in beta mode with Bible app loop, geared toward tweens. It’s being tested in India. As the app continues to grow, its future is being shaped by one of the most powerful technologies of our time—artificial intelligence. “We’re being very careful to make sure that there’s good transparency, and that we can make sure that if it’s ever answering questions, or if we ever choose to have a feature that does that, that it does it with accuracy,” Gruenewald says. Beyond impressive numbers, YouVersion’s growth is driven by a deeper mission: to help people connect with God and his Word. The app generates no revenue and operates solely through donations. “Like I mentioned, almost 40,000 donors last year supported it around the tune of about $60 million, which is kind of the scale and scope of what YouVersion is today. That’s grown quite a bit in the last few years,” Gruenewald says.

That surge is in part coordinated between donors and Bible translation groups, working to accelerate the pace at which every single language could have some portion of scripture translated – hopefully by 2033, the 2,000th anniversary of the death and resurrection of Jesus, we could see every language have some portion of scripture translated. “It’s imperative, we think, to be able to have God’s Word in every single heart language, so that every single person has the benefit that we have of even able to hear God’s voice, hear Jesus’s words in their own language,” Gruenewald says. As YouVersion continues to expand, its mission remains the same: to use technology to make the Bible accessible to everyone. Gruenewald says YouVersion is working with nearly 1,000 companies to leverage AI for good – and to promote an ecosystem within the faith community around using tech to its fullest potential. “So until we can be sure of those things, our uses of AI are going to be much more in the realm of machine learning or ways that we use it to help us make recommendations around content or connect or label content in a way that makes it more useful for us when we search and look for things,” Gruenewald says.

PROPHECY AND THE ROLE OF THE CHURCH IN POLITICS

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The biblical mandate for political involvement

The Bible is replete with examples of God’s people being called to influence nations and governments. One of the most striking examples is found in the book of Daniel.

Daniel, a prophet, served in the courts of Babylonian and Persian kings, providing wisdom and guidance that shaped the course of entire empires (Daniel 2:48). His role was not just spiritual but also political, showing that God can use His people to influence leadership at the highest levels.

Similarly, Joseph’s rise to power in Egypt under Pharaoh (Genesis 41) demonstrates how God can elevate His chosen individuals to positions of political authority to fulfill His divine purposes. These biblical stories underscore that involvement in politics is not inherently dangerous but can be a means through which God’s will is enacted on earth.

Prophecy and political leadership

Prophecy has always been pivotal in guiding God’s people, especially in times of crisis or transition. The Old Testament prophets were often called to speak truth to power, offering divine insight into the direction of nations. Amos 3:7 states, “Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” This suggests that God uses prophecy to guide leaders and nations.

In the New Testament, the role of prophecy continues, with the Apostle Paul urging believers not to “treat prophecies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

Prophecy serves as a way for God to communicate His will, including matters of leadership and governance. Therefore, dismissing modern-day prophecies about political figures like former President Donald Trump could mean overlooking a vital aspect of God’s communication with His people.

The danger of political neutrality

The Newsweek article highlights concerns that endorsing political candidates from the pulpit could harm the church’s witness. However, political neutrality is not always the safer path. In fact, remaining silent on political issues can be just as dangerous, as it may allow unrighteousness to go unchecked. Proverbs 29:2 reminds us, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”

The Bible calls the Church to be the “salt of the earth” and the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16). This mandate extends beyond personal morality and into the realm of social and political influence. If the Church fails to engage in politics, it risks allowing ungodly leaders and policies to prevail, leading to the moral and spiritual decline of the nation.

Prophecy and the modern church

The rise of prophetic voices in support of former President Donald Trump has sparked controversy, with some Evangelical leaders warning against equating God’s will with that of a political party.

Yet, history shows that God has often raised up leaders who are imperfect but chosen to fulfill His purposes. King David, for instance, was far from perfect, yet he was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14).

The key is discernment — churches must prayerfully consider whether a leader aligns with biblical principles and values. Rejecting prophecy outright because it does not fit our preconceived notions of what a leader should be could mean missing out on God’s chosen vessel for a particular time and purpose.

Why churches must engage in politics

The Church has a responsibility to engage in politics, not for the sake of power but to ensure that God’s principles and justice prevail in the land. Prophecy is one of the ways God communicates His will for nations, and the Church must not ignore this vital aspect of divine guidance.

By carefully discerning the role of prophecy in political leadership, the church can fulfill its biblical mandate to be a guiding light in times of moral and spiritual darkness.

Rather than retreating from political involvement, the church should embrace its role as a prophetic voice, calling leaders to righteousness and ensuring that God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.   

This article is by Troy Anderson. His upcoming book, The Trump Code (Charisma House/FrontLine, September 17, 2024), delves into various prophecies and their potential connections to contemporary political events, providing a fascinating perspective on the 2024 Presidential Election.

Troy Anderson is a Pulitzer Prize-nominated investigative journalist, bestselling author of The Babylon Code, Trumpocalypse, The Military Guide to Armageddon, and Revelation 911, former executive editor of Charisma magazine and Charisma Media, and reporter at the Los Angeles Daily News and other newspapers. He’s the founder and president of the Inspire Literary Group and writes for Newsmax, Charisma, Townhall, and other media outlets. www.troyanderson.us and www.inspireliterary.com.

TRUMP BELIEVES IN DIVINE PROVIDENCE

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This is an abbreviated version of the article by Suzanne Bowdey which appeared in The Washington Stand on July 15, 2024 – Mike Johnson (Speaker): Trump ‘Seems to Have a Very Clear View of What This Meant. God Spared His Life.’

Americans woke up Sunday morning to a very different world. In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s literal brush with death, campaigns, Congress, and even political conventions seemed secondary to the deep horror at what we’ve become as a nation. And for once, after years of being at each others’ throats, a sober country has stopped to reflect: Is this really who we are?

In the days and hours since the bloody president emerged from the stage, fist in the air, everyone seems to understand the gravity of this moment. America was, as so many have pointed out, less than a quarter of an inch away from a national crisis from which we may never have recovered. “Sometimes the course of history depends on margins just that small,” the editors of the National Review remind us solemnly.

The miracle of his survival was not lost on Trump, who acknowledged, “It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.” In an interview less than 24 hours after the assassination attempt, the reality of what might have happened “is just setting in,” the former president told the Washington Examiner’s Salena Zito. “I rarely look away from the crowd,” he admitted. “Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

As he boarded a plane for Wisconsin, the former president also clarified that he understands this pivotal moment. “It’s a chance to unite the country,” he said solemnly. “I was given that chance.” God is giving Americans one more chance to repent and acnowledge Him as Lord over the nation. Will they respond? Based on the fact that America is absent from end times Biblical prophecy I doubt it.

Family Research Council, Chairman Tony Perkins, who’s been on the ground as a delegate in Milwaukee, agrees that the weekend’s shocking events have completely “changed the dynamics of the convention.” “It’s time to come together,” he said on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” Monday morning, and “not just for Republicans. It’s time to come together as a nation. It’s time for us to … as Jesus said, [to] love our neighbor. Now, that doesn’t mean that all of a sudden our differences go away,” Perkins underscored. “But you know what? We have an understanding that each and every human being is created in the image … of God. Therefore, they have value regardless of what political party they might be in.”

Trump agreed with Perkins, that democracy is a messy system. Democracy always will be. “[B]ut it’s still the greatest system in the history of the world. And the minute we abandon, try to shut one another down, or stifle debate, the pressure builds.” “You’ve got to allow for that vigorous debate, but it’s got to be within the confines of that system.”

Speaker, Mike Johnson believes the “key”, is to understand that we are all part of the same country. We are all brothers and sisters in that regard. I mean, if you look at it biblically we are supposed to love our enemies, right? Much less our fellow countrymen. You love your neighbor as yourself. If you do that, it solves a lot of problems.” Of course, that doesn’t mean we “change our perspective” or “abandon truths,” he was quick to clarify. “It just means we are civil in our conversation.”

That said, Perkins warned somberly, “I think we’re at a crossroads … a pivotal point. This could be the hinge upon which this nation turns, depending on how … Donald Trump addresses this moment. And he suggested that he’s going to take maybe a path less traveled.”

Frankly, the speaker replied, “I’ve been so heartened to see his thoughts and comments articulated over the last day or so since the assassination attempt. He seems to have a very clear view of what this meant. God spared his life. I mean, it was a miracle. We all saw it. Everyone saw it. It’s hard to deny.” Ironically, Johnson made these statements after very nearly losing his own sons last year after a visit to Mar-a-Lago — something he and the former president discussed at length last Thanksgiving.

“In Johnson’s telling, Will, who was 13, was drowning; 18-year-old Jack, prepared to give up his own life, tried to push his brother back to the surface. A parasailer happened to spot Will’s head from above. He hurried back to shore and alerted the lifeguards, who went out on jet skis to bring the boys in. Johnson arrived at the beach to find medical personnel hovering over his sons, pumping their chests. They would spend four hours in the emergency room before being cleared to go home,” The Atlantic wrote this spring in the first public telling of the near-loss.

“‘President Trump heard about it somehow, miraculously, this never made the news,’ Johnson recalled. The two got on the phone. ‘He was just so moved by the idea that we almost lost them, and we talked about it at great length. And we talked about the faith aspect of that because he knows that I believe that God spared the lives of my sons. That’s how I understand those events, and we talked about that.” Johnson continued: “And he said, he repeated back to me and said, ‘God — God saved your sons’ lives.’”

Eight months later, the former president has experienced the touch of divine providence for himself, and the young speaker who wondered where those conversations about God would go has a very poignant answer. “He said, ‘God has given me a chance here — and that is to unify the country.’ [Those are] his words, not mine. So I’m really excited to see how he articulates that and how we meet it out.”

Note how the media downplayed the assassination attempt: CNN: “Secret Service rushes Trump off stage after he falls at rally”. Washington Post: “Trump escorted away after loud noises at rally”. USA Today: “Trump removed from stage by Secret Service after loud noises, startle the former president..”

This messaging was meant to diminish and minimize the truth that a shooter attempted to assassinate President Trump.

BIBLICAL CREATION AND THE LAW

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Christianity is about Christ, who saves the world from sin, disorder, wrong, injustice, and oppression. The law is a God-ordained means to combat those evils in a fallen world.

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.” Romans 13:1-4

Creation Ministries International (CMI) asked Judge Alberto Boetti about the importance of biblical creation, and the need to defend it in the face of the evolutionary ideas saturating society. Alberto said:

“I’ve come to realize it is essential. I think of myself as very rational, and I can’t accept something which is contradicted by actual evidence. I’m confident that the Bible isn’t disproved by science. It simply isn’t accepted by people holding incompatible philosophies.

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JUDGE ALBERTO Boetti, LL.M., graduated cum laude from the University of Turin (Italian: Università degli Studi di Torino). He entered the Italian judicial bench in 2002. He has worked in many sectors of the legal system but specializes mainly in criminal law. He is currently Judge of the Criminal Investigation Magistrate Section of the Court of Cuneo in northwest Italy.

The Bible is the inerrant word of God. For resources to help you defend God’s Word, I recommend two excellent organisations. http://www.answersingenesis.org and http://www.creation.com.

GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART: EVERYONE THE FATHER GIVES TO JESUS WILL COME TO HIM

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“Jesus answered them. Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him, God the Father has set his seal.” John 6:26-27

When Jesus talked to the crowd about desiring “food which endures to eternal life,” the people only thought about sustenance to fill their famished bodies. The men and women listening that day could not believe that Jesus was who He said He was — the Bread of Life, the One doing the Father’s will, from Heaven. They sought after Jesus to fulfill their temporal problems.

The crowd wrongly believed that they had to do “the works of God” for this bread that Jesus was promising them. Even though the people still could not grasp His spiritual meaning, Jesus reversed their flawed theology by telling the multitudes that they, being mere sinful humans, could not do God’s work to obtain the bread that He was offering them. These people thought they could earn God’s favor and provision based on their legalistic obedience to the Mosaic Law, and Jesus used this interaction to expose their pride and self-righteousness.

The crowd in this narrative displayed the very position of many unbelievers who claim that they would believe if Jesus would just do “this” or “that.” These unbelievers fail to realize they do not have the power to change their own hearts. Unbelievers cannot believe based on external signs. They need an internal transformation; they require the work of God in their hearts. Men and women, boys and girls, must realize that until they put down their own dreams of self-righteousness, autonomy, and authority — and until they are willing to come to Jesus solely on His terms (not theirs), they will never believe. That willingness comes from God alone.

Jesus emphasized that their unbelief, which they conditioned on the appearance of a sign, was irrelevant to the plan of salvation. No matter how the crowd responded to Him, Jesus would not lose a single person given to Him by the Father that day. Jesus was on a divine mission — not to do His own will, but the will of the Father.

While the unbelieving crowd could not comprehend the meaning of Jesus’ words to them, these statements from our Lord should bring tremendous joy and peace in the hearts of all believers. The logic of this passage first demonstrates that every one the Father gives Jesus will come to Him. Not a single person will resist, reject, or refuse to come — at least not determinatively. All those given to the Son by the Father will come.

The passage also shows that all who come to Jesus will be received by Him. Jesus never rejects anyone who comes to Him because believers are a gift from the Father to the Son. As such, Jesus will raise every believer to eternal life on the last day. No one given by the Father will be lost. Jesus will remember all believers forever. This understanding should comfort every believer, that on their deathbeds, they can fade from this world in perfect peace, knowing with full assurance that Jesus will not abandon them in eternity.

When Jesus finished His discourse with these multitudes, He was left with 12 around Him — and one was a devil (Judas). Peter’s response to Jesus signified the heart of a true disciple: one who leaves everything behind, placing all hope and trust in their Savior and Lord. The response from Peter and 10 others highlights how true disciples respond to the Gospel.

Believers have been given an understanding of Jesus’ words — something that Peter proved with his response to Jesus. The crowd never accepted that Jesus was pointing to Himself as the true bread that came from Heaven; they kept thinking about physical bread to feed their growling stomachs, and that they needed to bring something to the table to manipulate Him into giving them what they wanted.

For believers, John 6 is such a beautiful and sobering picture of how we could never have obtained salvation of our own volition. When we were unbelievers, we were more concerned with our earthly needs, and we focused on what our works could do to gain us our temporal desires. We thought it was our plan that might move God to do what we wanted, when and how we wanted Him to act.

Only through Jesus, the Bread of life, can anyone come to a right understanding of who He is and receive the full and free forgiveness He alone offers through the eternal plan of salvation, what He accomplished on The Cross, salvation by His grace through faith in His name.

Adapted from the article “Earthly Concerns Will Blind You to Heavenly Realities” By Robb Brunansky, Op-ed contributor to Christian Post, Saturday, January 27, 2024