Author Archives: Marsha West

About Marsha West

Marsha West is the owner and managing editor of Christian Research Network, Apprising Ministries (the late Ken Silva’s blog) and On Solid Rock Resources. She is also co-founder of Berean Research. For two decades Marsha was the owner and managing editor of Email Brigade website as well as the EMB News Report, a bi-weekly email report for conservative people of faith. For many years Marsha was a regular contributor to several blogs including CRN, RenewAmerica, News With Views and Web Commantary as well as popular websites she no longer endorses: American Family Association, Worldview Weekend, Stand Up For The Truth, The Christian Post and Christian Headlines. Although Marsha still blogs, her primary focus is CRN. Marsha also writes Research Papers (White Papers) on various topics that are published on CRN, Berean Research and On Solid Rock Resources. Visit Marsha’s other sites: On Solid Rock Resources https://www.onsolidrockresources.com/ Apprising Ministries http://apprising.org Marsha’s RenewAmerica Column http://renewamerica.com/columns/mwest Marsha’s Facebook Page http://facebook.com/marsha.west.77

A Willing Spirit

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me (Psalm 51:12).

Several years ago, while I was preparing to preach a sermon on this psalm, I received an anonymous letter from someone in my congregation saying that he was a Christian but was involved in a very serious and continuing moral failure. The letter was an attempt to be honest and tell me the trouble in his life. I didn’t know if that person would be in the service the next Sunday or not, but I hoped he would be.

I decided to refer to the letter in my sermon for two reasons: first, because it was anonymous, and I could do it without betraying a confidence; and second, because the problem was of such a serious nature that I wanted to help the person if I could.   View article →

 

The Boys Are Back In Town

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

They’re baaack!

Carl Trueman, Todd Pruitt and Aimee Byrd, hosts of Mortification of Spin, discuss why disgraced pastors Mark Driscoll and Tullian Tchividjian remain disqualified from ministry.

What does it take to disqualify a man from ministry? Adultery? Emotional and spiritual abuse? Manipulation? According to cultural Christianity, none of these!

If God’s Word is not the rule of faith and life, the moral compass is lost and anything goes! We’re talking about the “come-back” of Mark Driscoll and Tullian Tchividjian to the public life, and worse, to the pulpit after serious public scandals.

The gang opens up the issues and answers some of the questions that many of us are asking. What are the qualifications of an office bearer? How seriously should the church and the office bearer take the standards laid out in the pastoral epistles? Are there warning signs one should watch for? Does repentance mean full restoration to ministry?

Listen to the podcast  View article →

Basketball coaching hopeful was denied a job. She says it’s because she’s no longer gay

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According to Rick Maese “Camille LeNoir was prepared to close her business in the Los Angeles area, where she trains young basketball players, in order to accept a coaching position at New Mexico State. But two days before boarding an airplane, the job offer was withdrawn.” Washington Post has the story:

Camille LeNoir thought she’d landed a dream job last year, an entryway into the competitive world of coaching college basketball.

She was a former player herself, having starred at the University of Southern California. The WNBA’s Washington Mystics made her a second-round draft pick and she played the game professionally overseas. But since her playing days ended, LeNoir had focused on working with young players. She was excited when her former college coach offered her an assistant position on his staff at New Mexico State University.

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‘God Is the Judge,’ Hillsong’s Carl Lentz Tells ‘The View’ When Asked Whether or Not Abortion Is Sin

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

“We believe that God is good, that God loves everybody, that Jesus was here to set people free, and that’s still the good news of the gospel.” This may be the gospel according to Hillsong pastor Carl Lenz, but it’s not the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The Bible tells us what the gospel is in 1 Cor. 15:1-4:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures…

Christian News has the story:

Carl Lenz and pal Justin Bieber

Carl Lentz of Hillsong New York recently appeared on ABC’s “The View,” where he was asked whether or not abortion is considered a sin at his church. While the answer was unclear, Lentz said that “God is the judge” and that he would prefer to know a person’s name and beliefs before making a determination as to whether or not they have sinned.

“Hillsong is seen as this hip, progressive church that’s drawn huge millennial crowds, but it’s still evangelical,” co-host Sara Haines stated to Lentz during the Oct. 30 broadcast. “So, where do you stand on social issues that young people are particularly passionate about, like gay marriage [and] abortion? Like, how do you address those types of things?”

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Donna Brazile: I found ‘proof’ the DNC rigged the nomination for Hillary Clinton

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According to interim DNC chair Donna Brazile, Hillary Clinton had total control of the DNC almost a year before the election. Before Brazile called Bernie Sanders to tell him that his suspicions were true, she lit a candle in her living room and put on some gospel music. In a column she wrote, Brazile accuses Mrs. Clinton, Barack Obama and Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of running the Democrat party into the ground. She severely chastised Obama and Wasserman-Schultz for handing over control of the DNC to the Clinton campaign. Fox News has the story:

The fix was in after all.

Last year’s presidential primary between Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders was rigged by the Democratic National Committee – just as Sanders’ supporters suspected – to hand the nomination to Clinton, according to a bombshell claim by Donna Brazile. The onetime Clinton confidante, CNN commentator and former interim party boss made the explosive claim Thursday while touting a new book that could sever her ties to Team Clinton for good.

“I had promised Bernie when I took the helm of the Democratic National Committee after the convention that I would get to the bottom of whether Hillary Clinton’s team had rigged the nomination process, as a cache of emails stolen by Russian hackers and posted online had suggested,” Brazile wrote in a piece for Politico Magazine.

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Alt-Left Insanity: The Resistance Is Satanic. No, We’re Not Kidding!

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“Notice how quickly we have moved in American society?” observes Dan Gainor. “We’ve gone from being a Christian nation that the left resented but played along to a major alt-left site celebrating satanists.” Gainor really isn’t kidding around, just as the title indicates. In his piece over at News Busters he demonstrates how unhinged the far left has become. And then he deals with the LGBTQIA’s reaction when one of their own, disgraced actor Kevin Spacey, is accused of pedophilia. He writes:

Halloween might be over, but its impact is still being felt. I’m not talking about our added pounds from leftover candy. (In my case, every single piece as trick-or-treaters avoided my tiny cul de sac.) I’m talking about what the holiday revealed.

In the case of Ezra Klein’s Vox (Motto: We write boring think pieces liberals can then pretend to read.) showed just how correct I was with last week’s column showing the connection between the left and the occult. Just days later, Vox writes this, “Take religion. Remove God. Add #resistance. Meet the Satanic Temple.”

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Charismatics Desire to Replace Psychics in Mainstream Media

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After reading this you will wonder, as Pulpit & Pen News does, if self-professed apostle and prophetess Jennifer LeClaire has an addiction to bath salts. Outrageous claims by charismatics are escalating. For example, a few months ago LeClaire wrote that a “squid spirit” attacked her friend. So she rushed to her home to help battle it. “The attack was severe, but when I laid hands on her and commanded the squid to be bound, the most violent symptoms would cease. Of course, when you stand in the gap, you often take a hit. That squid spirit started stalking me.”

So with this background in mind, here’s P&P’s piece:

Jennifer LeClaire describes herself as an Apostle and prophet, and writes for Charisma News. Additionally, the impastor is the leader of the Awakening House of Prayer. LeClaire is the chief opponent of such devilish fictitious monsters as the “Jezebel Spirit,” the “Sneaky Squid Spirit,” and the “Leviathan Spirit.” Her most recent article at Charisma News claims that charismatic prophets will soon be replacing psychics in mainstream media.

LeClaire prophesies…

There is coming a day when prophets sit behind the news desks as CNN, Fox and MSNBC to share what the Lord is saying, displacing psychics who have held positions on these media mountains. There is coming a showdown between the true and the false in various mountains of influence. It all starts with the true prophetic voices. Amen.

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That’s scary, Part 2: The spookier reason for the Passion Translation New Testament’s Oct. 31 release date

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

From Berean Research:

Many believers are unaware that the The Passion Translation (PT) is not a translation of Scripture at all. Holly Pivec of Spirit of Error points out that New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) “apostle” Brian Simmons’ “translation” is simply him “imposing his own fanciful interpretations on the text.” What Simmons does is change the original meaning of verses so that they appear to support NAR teachings. This is known as “Scripture twisting.”

In part one Pivec reveals that Simmons claims that Jesus visited him personally for the purpose of commissioning him to produce this new translation. She has warned that PT is one of the most dangerous developments in the NAR to date.

So now PT’s complete New Testament is available to purchase — but don’t waste your money.  Here’s why:

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Charismatics in Africa Abuse Church Members in the Name of the Holy Spirit

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Pulpit & Pen News points out what many Christians are unaware of: charismatics have set up shop wherever superstition thrives and people are the most gullible.

For gullible evangelicals, Africa is the magic land of miracles where all the charismatic phenomenon is on display, miles away from video cameras, skepticism and critical minds. Every time doubt is cast upon charismatic claims, Africa will be referenced as a case-in-point.

Raising the dead today? Todd Bentley has done that…in Africa.

That one guy who got saved by smoking tobacco in Bible pages? Yeah….happened in Africa.

Somebody spoke in actual tongues? Yeah, we heard that from a missionary…in Africa.

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Hollywood Scandals Prove Celebs Are False Idols

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In his piece over at LifeZette, Tom Joyce declares: “Eyes have been opened, and the public can now see the Hollywood industry for what it is — a flawed place, where predators have been protected for a very long time.”

Now that Tinseltown’s dirty laundry has been aired, will professing Christians continue supporting the industry with their hard earned money?

Joyce make it clear in his piece that Hellywood is not just a “flawed place.” He writes:

Moral grandstanding and political preaching from the glitterati are even more ludicrous in the face of sexual harassment cases, says Joyce.

Back in 2009, producer Harvey Weinstein told the Los Angeles Times that Hollywood had “the best moral compass,” citing fundraising efforts that celebrities had undertaken after national tragedies such as 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.

It’s a quote that now looks completely ridiculous in light of the sexual assault and harassment allegations against the disgraced Weinstein and a growing number of other Hollywood players such as actors Jeremy Piven and Kevin Spacey.

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Related: Hollywood’s Plunge Into the Bottomless Pit

More students, young Americans turn to paganism

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , ,

From Berean Research:

The following blog post is a response to Kari Paul’s “Why millennials are ditching religion for witchcraft and astrology” (here). In his piece, John Paul Ferguson specifically addresses the move away from traditional religion to an interest in paganism on college campuses. According to Ferguson “a number of universities around the country have officially recognized Pagan or Wicca student groups, usually housed under their respective religious student activities departments.” There is little doubt that the increased interest in pagan spirituality can be traced to people’s obsession with the environment.

To shed light on what Wiccans believe, Ferguson quotes author Catherine Edwards Sanders who says that those who practice witchcraft (Wicca) have “monistic and pantheistic beliefs that all living things are of equal value. … Humans have no special place, nor are they made in God’s image. … Wiccans believe that they possess divine power within themselves and that they are gods and goddesses. …Consciousness can and should be altered through rite and ritual.” (emphasis added)

John Paul Ferguson’s piece is over at The College Fix. He writes:

As millennials continue to leave traditional Christian religions, interest in Wiccan and pagan practices have seen increased interest in recent years, a trend also spotted among young people and on college campuses.

Pagan or Wiccan student groups are present on a number of college campuses — both secular and religious — across the nation. The growing normalization of such practices, albeit still a minority, corresponds with the decline in Christian believers, some observers note.  View article →

Related: Taylor Swift’s Video: Newest Example of Demonic Symbolism? 

Happy Reformation Day – Still Protesting: Top 20 dangerous heretics to be marked & avoided

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From Churchwatch Central:

For Reformation Day, we want Christians around the world to consider who they think are the most dangerous heretics in the world today undermining Christianity. The Pope will always be the most serious threat to Christianity since at the Council of Trent, the Roman Catholic Church anathematized the gospel.

In this article, we list our top 20 most dangerous heretics that Christians world-wide must mark and avoid (Romans 16:17) for the sake of Christ’s people and Christ’s gospel. We have also color-coded the heretics so people can identify what modern-day cult they represent.

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Taylor Swift’s Video: Newest Example of Demonic Symbolism?

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According to Katie Nations, the pop star’s girl-next-door persona is gone. Nations finds the dark undertones of her latest production troubling. Swift’s new video has a bit of a demonic edge to it, says Nations. Nations’ is concerned that our society has embraced what was once considered taboo. “It is the normalization of evil.” LifeZette has the story:

Taylor Swift as we knew her is dead — at least that’s the marketing message Swift has built her music and her videos around this past year.

Just in time for Halloween, Swift dropped her new music video “…Ready for It” at the stroke of midnight this past Friday. Depending on one’s interpretation, the production is either a trick or a treat.

There’s an interesting compilation of various themes throughout the video. Swift struts through a line of masked guards in a dominatrix-like ensemble that is topped off with a hooded Jedi robe. She then meets her own nude image, which appears to be a cyborg or robot Taylor.

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‘House of Cards’ ending amid Kevin Spacey sexual harassment claim

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It’s all over the news that ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ star Anthony Rapp accused the “House of Cards” star of making a pass at him when he was 14. So Spacey offers an apology. However, in his apology he says he doesn’t remember the incident, but if he did behave as Rapp describes, it was because he was sloshed.  Shockingly, Spacey followed his apology by coming out as gay. “I choose now to live as a gay man,” said the actor. Naturally the announcement generated blowback. Support from the LGBTQ community has not been forthcoming. “Not even diehard liberals are buying into Spacey’s blatant attempt to switch the conversation from pedophilia to his sexuality — which few have ever questioned,” observed Zachery Leeman in a piece he wrote for LifeZette. Now we learn that Netflix is deeply troubled by Rapp’s accusation and will end the series.

Fox News has the story.

In the wake of the sexual harassment allegation against actor Kevin Spacey, Netflix has announced “House of Cards” will be ending after the show’s sixth season.

The news comes after many fans called on Netflix to pull the plug on its original series following a report from Buzzfeed News in which actor Anthony Rapp alleged Spacey, then 26, made a sexual advance on him when he was 14 years old.

The decision to conclude “House of Cards” was made several months ago, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the decision.

However, a representative for Netflix told Fox News earlier on Monday that the company is “deeply troubled by last night’s news concerning Kevin Spacey. In response to last night’s revelations, executives from both of our companies arrived in Baltimore this afternoon to meet with our cast and crew to ensure that they continue to feel safe and supported. As previously scheduled, Kevin Spacey is not working on set at this time.”

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Disney Channel makes history with first gay storyline

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From Berean Research:

Disney has been pushing the envelope for years so this news should come as no surprise. What professing Christians must come to terms with is that the entertainment industry has an agenda to normalize sexual perversion — the 60’s notion that “if it feels good do it.” Those who study God’s Word in context know that homosexual acts are not “normal and natural.” No. The clear teaching of Scripture (Romans 1:26-27) is that homosexuality is a sexual perversion; therefore it is a sin against a holy God. So God’s people have a choice to make. Either follow Jesus or follow the Hellywood crowd.

That said, knowing the biblical truth about homosexuality is of the utmost importance because those who call themselves Progressive Christians deny that God condemns homosexual behavior. Those of us who believe the Bible on this issue must speak the truth with compassion.

Now to BBC’s story. Read it and weep:

The entertainment industry is going all out to sexualize children, and that includes Disney. Andi Mack’s average viewer is 10 years old.

The Disney Channel is introducing a gay storyline for the first time in its show Andi Mack.

The channel is to set to make history when its season two premiere airs on Friday in the US.

It will see best friends Andi (Peyton Elizabeth Lee) and Cyrus (Joshua Rush) both admit they are attracted to the same boy.

A Disney spokesperson says the show “sends a powerful message about inclusion and respect for humanity”.

The statement added that the show’s creator, Terri Minsky – who also made the hit Disney show Lizzie McGuire – and her team took “great care in ensuring that it’s appropriate for all audiences.”

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See also Hollywood’s Plunge Into the Bottomless Pit

Jonathan Cahn Sends Lamest Cease and Desist Letter EVER; Contends He Never Gave False Prophecy

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Is it true that best selling author Jonathan Cahn has made no predictions in his books The Harbinger or Mystery of the Shemitah, as he claims? Pulpit & Pen News effortlessly dismantles Cahn’s assertion that he never gave a false prophecy:

Pulpit & Pen has been in this business for a while now.  We’re in the business of speaking freely and we speak freely as an exercise of our religion, while also speaking (or writing) under the protection of the First Amendment.  Federal Courts have ruled that bloggers have the same rights as all journalists, and the rights afforded to all the press are afforded to those not writing for “institutional press outlets” (Obsidian Finance Group v. Crystal Cox, 2011, 2014).  Occasionally, we get ominous-sounding Cease and Desist letters from megachurch pastors or religious charlatans who don’t understand that we can speak our religious opinion freely.  We ignore those letters, and never have we suffered any legal consequence for responding with a formal letter that says, “LOL.”

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See Berean Research’s White Paper on the New Apostolic Reformation

Walgreens Joins Battle Against Opioid Overdoses

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LifeZette reports:

Walgreens announced earlier this week it will begin stocking noloxone, the FDA-approved nasal spray sold under the brand Narcan and used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, in all of its pharmacies nationwide.

The pharmacy will also implement the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations to educate patients about Narcan.

“By stocking Narcan in all of our pharmacies, we are making it easier for families and caregivers to help their loved ones by having it on hand in case it is needed,” Rick Gates, Walgreens group vice president of pharmacy, said in a press release on Tuesday. “As a pharmacy we are committed to making Narcan more accessible in the communities we serve.”

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Should our church sing Bethel Music worship songs?

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Opinion ∙ , , ,

New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) false prophet Bill Johnson is the senior pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Jesus Culture (JC) bills itself as not “just a band, but…a ministry of Bethel Church.” JC has had a huge impact on Christian youth who flock to their international conferences. Holly Pevic of Spirit of Error offers her advice to those who wonder if it’s okay to sing JC’s so-called worship songs in a church service:

Jesus Culture’s “Show Me Your Glory” sung by Kim Walker-Smith

A frequent question I hear has to do with the music being made by groups coming out of Bethel Redding and other churches that have New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) beliefs. The question is, is it OK to sing their songs as long as the lyrics don’t contain any error?

By way of background, Bethel Music, a popular record label, is known for producing high quality music, and their songs are sung in churches across America on Sunday mornings–not just in NAR churches, but even in many mainstream evangelical and non-denominational churches. And the truth is that many of the people in these churches sing along, having no idea that these songs come from a leading church in an aberrant movement. I, myself, have sung along with songs in church or on the radio, only later to discover that those songs came from Bethel Music.

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See also Jesus Culture: The next generation of heretics

Reformation 500: Can Roman Catholicism be Considered Christianity?

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From Berean Research:

Eric Davis of The Cripplegate looks at ten doctrines which render Rome outside of Christ. After reading his exposé you’ll understand the reasons Protestants believe that the RCC stands in stark opposition to biblical Christianity, thus it is apostate.

Sadly, a vast number of Roman Catholics cannot be considered authentic Christians.  In other words, Catholics aren’t born again (regenerate) believers. And because our Catholic friends are unsaved, we must share the true Gospel of Jesus Christ with them.

Pastor Davis concludes with this reminder:

The Reformers were forced to depart from Roman Catholicism in order to unite with Christ. Five hundred years later, evangelicals still cannot come together with Catholics. Those who desire true salvation in Jesus Christ must break from Roman Catholicism. This 500th anniversary, may we pray to that end.

Now to his excellent exposé:

It’s that time of year again when we remember the Protestant Reformation. But this year, it’s really something special: 500 years have passed since the greatest movement of God in church history next to the birth of the church at Pentecost.

But was the Reformation really necessary? Were the Reformers merely a pack of spiritual naysayers looking to rain on Rome’s innocent parade? Were they not looking to take their ball and mitt to start their own game?

The Reformers were not moved by preferences to seek and start another denomination. They were moved by Scripture to break from something that could not be considered Christian. Five centuries have not improved Rome’s doctrine. The need for her reform could not be greater.

Tragically, several reasons remain why Roman Catholicism still is not Christian. At this 500th year anniversary, it’s worth taking a thorough look at ten doctrines which render Rome outside of Christ. Many of these are sufficient on their own.

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The New Calvinism: Areas of Weakness

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Popular blogger and pastor Tim Challies examines the New Calvinism — watch or read:

The New Calvinism has become a worldwide movement of Christians who are looking to the past to recover and live out the precious truths of Reformed theology. Having introduced the movement and having identified some ways in which we see evidences of God’s grace in and through it, I am now suggesting some weaknesses it may do well to address. Here’s that video in Facebook and YouTube formats, followed by a transcript for those who prefer to read.

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A Crisis of Faith

Posted by ∙ ∙ In Devotion/Teaching ∙

And I say, It is my grief that the right hand of the Most High has changed (Psalm 77:10 RSV).

Here is a man who is really trying to be honest. He says, I have analyzed my situation: I tried prayer all night long. In the past I have been given help, but no help has come now. God has made my heart to sing in the past, but it is empty, barren, and cheerless now. Why is this? I have thought about it: I searched my own life, my own heart, and these questions have come to me, and I cannot answer them. My conclusion must be that I have misjudged God. I have thought that God was changeless, that He would always respond every time I came to Him, but He has not. Therefore, I am driven to the irresistible conclusion that He is like a man, and you cannot count on Him.

This psalmist is facing the possibility of losing his faith. All that he once rested on, which has been such a comfort to him, which has strengthened him and given him character and power among men, seems to be nothing but a crumbling foundation that is disappearing fast. Soon he must lose all that he has held onto in the past. This is the day of [his] trouble and his present distress. Is that not the hidden problem with many of us? I have lost track of the times people have called me up and said, I just don’t know what to do. I’ve tried prayer, I’ve tried reading my Bible, I’ve tried to think through, but nothing seems to help. I don’t know what to do. What’s happening to me?” View article →     

Fusion GPS’s ties to Clinton campaign, Russia investigation: What to know

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If you find the reports about Donald Trump’s alleged contacts between his associates and Russian officials confusing, Fox News has put together some of the puzzle pieces to help sort things out. Many of us know by now that the anti-Trump dossier not only accused then GOP candidate Donald J. Trump of colluding with Russia, the document also contained some obscene accusations against Trump, accusations that have been debunked. Not surprisingly, the Clinton campaign and the Obama Administration used the infamous dossier to try and destroy Trump, as you will see in the Fox News report:

Fusion GPS, the firm behind the controversial dossier of allegations about President Trump’s connections to Russia, was – at least in part – hired by a lawyer representing the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee.

The revelation has sparked a frenzy among Republicans who have called for more information on just how involved former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was in the production of the unverified dossier.

Here’s what to know about the firm and its connection to the Russia investigations.

What is Fusion GPS?

Founded by veteran journalists, Fusion GPS “provides premium research, strategic intelligence, and due diligence services to corporations, law firms and investors worldwide,” according to its sparse website.

The Washington, D.C.-based firm also says it offers a “cross-disciplinary approach with expertise in media, politics, regulation, national security, and global markets.”

Fusion GPS was started in 2009 by former Wall Street Journal reporters Peter Fritsch and Glenn Simpson.

How is Fusion GPS linked to the Russia investigation?

The political firm was behind the controversial dossier that contained a number of colorful but unverifiable claims about Trump. The company retained British intelligence officer Christopher Steele, who produced the 35-page dossier.

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Vatican Invites Governor Jerry Brown to Give Keynote Address on ‘Climate Change’

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According to Breitbart:

The Pontifical Academy of Sciences has invited California governor Jerry Brown to deliver a keynote address in their upcoming meeting on climate change to be held in the Vatican.

The Nov. 2-4 Vatican workshop titled “Health of People, Health of Planet and our Responsibility: Climate Change, Air Pollution and Health” will attempt to link up the health risks posed by air pollution with anthropogenic climate change driven by carbon emissions.

This is not the first time the Vatican has offered a platform to the contentious California governor from which to proclaim his views on global warming.

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2 States Ravaged by Opioids Show Difference Faith Makes

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A new study reveals that “A large and growing body of evidence shows that not only can religion help prevent people from using illicit drugs, but it also plays a strong role in effective treatment programs.” Fred Lucas of The Daily Signal has the report:

There is a strong correlation between lack of religious attendance and illicit drug use, research shows in contrasting two states hit hard by the opioid crisis.

The parallels are demonstrated by two comparative studies of New Hampshire and West Virginia.

West Virginia suffers from an ailing economy, while New Hampshire has a strong economy, noted J. Scott Moody, CEO of the Granite Institute, a conservative think tank. The institute takes its name from the fact that New Hampshire is known as the Granite State.

“It’s not just economics causing the overdose problems. There are other factors,” Moody told The Daily Signal.

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Indian Guru Latest Rage Among Charismatic Christians

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According to Pulpit & Pen News we will be seeing a lot more of this shaman in American charismaticism as time goes on. Here’s the story:

Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj is a Hindu-turned-Charismatic Guru who blends his Hindu pujas (religious traditions) with Christian flavoring to create an interesting advertising schtick to those seeking after signs and prophecies. Selvaraj has become the latest rage among America’s charismatics, who are increasingly seeing him as a prophet, or in some cases, Apostle.

Selvaraj has made numerous end times or doomsday prophecies, especially those relating to natural disasters or pestilence, that have reportedly come to pass.

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