Heaven and Earth

We serve a great and mighty God, who is the Creator of the heavens and the earth. While we should always be aware of weather conditions, we can also rely on the sovereignty of God and look to Him when calamity comes. Isaiah 45 states:
5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me,
6 That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other;
7 I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.'
8 "Rain down, you heavens, from above, And let the skies pour down righteousness; Let the earth open, let them bring forth salvation, And let righteousness spring up together. I, the Lord, have created it.
9 "Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, 'What are you making?' Or shall your handiwork say, 'He has no hands'?
10 Woe to him who says to his father, 'What are you begetting?' Or to the woman, 'What have you brought forth?' "

In light of the devastation that was caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton just a few short weeks ago, there has been some rather enthusiastic discussion about the ability of humans to actually "control" the weather. And, unfortunately, some of the verbage and vitriol in that area has been amplified, negatively impacting those who are in the profession of predicting the weather.

An article at GreenvilleOnline.com reported that Katie Nickolaou, a meteorologist at WLNS in Lansing, MI, had posted videos on social media regarding the subject...

...posted a screenshot of one of these social media interactions on X, formally known as Twitter. The caption accompanying the screenshot says. "Murdering meteorologists won't stop hurricanes. I can't believe I just had to type that." The screen shot shows a comment on one of Nickolaou's posts in which she says hurricanes are not man-made. The comment states, "Stop the breathing of those that made (the hurricanes) and their affiliates."

Well, even though there are attempts at what is called, "weather modification," such as cloud seeding, if humans had the capability to "create" hurricanes, it seems they haven't been very successful, have they? North Carolina Representative Chuck Edwards is quoted in that article, stating: "Nobody can control the weather...Current geoengineering technology can serve as a large-scale intervention to mitigate the negative consequences of naturally occurring weather phenomena, but it cannot be used to create or manipulate hurricanes..."

And, a meteorologist in Greenville, South Carolina, rightly responded by pointing to the One who does have authority over the weather. The article says: "Greenville-based meteorologist Chris Justus posted on social media...responding to messages about human-controlled weather, of which he said he has received several. Justus, chief meteorologist with WYFF News, was one of several meteorologists reporting on the front lines during Helene."  The article continues:

"I've been asked if the government or mankind in general is controlling the weather," the post says. "Let me clarify; I firmly believe God Almighty is the ONLY one in control. I've been asked, why didn't God stop the hurricane this week. There are many answers to that. Personally, I believe we are an imperfect world and unfortunately we also have an imperfect atmosphere that causes radical changes in our environment that results in severe weather."

Justus went on to say: "The Bible offers many examples of storms, but also emphasizes God's protection in scripture. I believe Divine protection is at work for Western North Carolina, the mountains and the Upstate this week..."

Alabama-based meteorologist James Spann responded to the hoopla in a Facebook post, in which he said: "Professional meteorologists are tired. Another major hurricane has formed and is headed for the Florida Peninsula, so it will be another busy week."  He appealed to potential posters saying, "We have a favor to ask. If you believe…(and he named several theories, such as:)

*The moon has disappeared and was nuked by the government
*Hurricanes are steered and controlled by “chemtrails” and HAARP, and
*Four more hurricanes are being “steered” into Florida this month.

Spann said, "Can you just keep it off this page? I am trying to push critical weather information out in a calm way; your rhetoric is a huge distraction we don’t need right now. I really don’t ask for much, but this would be very helpful."

Axios reported that: "Meteorologist James Spann told Axios...he began seeing an influx of threatening messages and conspiracy theories around the onset of Hurricane Helene." It added:

• The threats include messages like "'stop lying about the government controlling the weather — or else,'" he said. Spann also noted that the harassment faced by young women in the field is even greater.

Level-headedness can be a virtue.  And, if the ability of the government to control the weather is "misinformation" or a "conspiracy theory," then I think you should give scrutiny to a popular theory that appears whenever there is a destructive hurricane - how man-made "climate change" is impacting the weather and intensify hurricanes.  The exaggerations regarding the state of the earth in the face of evil humans run rampant and have been used to craft extreme regulations and to scare people into compliance.  

But, back to what Mr. Justus in Greenville had to say.  We do live in a fallen world. And, the weather is imperfect and unpredictable.  There are those that ask, in the face of natural disasters, how a good God could let that happen.  But, while some would question God in the face of calamity, our position is to continue to trust Him, because, as Justus points out, the Bible also talks about God's protection.  Even in our adversity, we can experience the goodness of God.

Certainly, we should be diligent to monitor the weather. And, people like these meteorologists are in a profession in which they are being relied upon to get it right as often as possible. But, the Bible also cautions us not to worry - we are to cast our cares upon Him.  When disasters come, it gives us an opportunity to share the gospel and to bring the hope that Jesus provides.

Hiding It in Your Heart (11/27)

We can be encouraged by how God is moving in the younger generations, and give Him the praise for what He is doing. Psalm 78 says:
2 I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings of old,
3 Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.
4 We will not hide them from their children, Telling to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.

In Psalm 119, we can read about the power of God's Word, with a specific mention of young people:
9 How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
10 With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!
11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You!

On this day before Thanksgiving, I believe we can be thankful for all that we see God doing around our nation and world today.  Not the least of which, the numerous instances of young people who are responding to the Lord in incredible ways, as we have seen at various college campuses, including Asbury, Auburn, Alabama, and others.

And, while there has been plenty of focus on Gen Z, there's another generation coming - Generation Alpha, described as young people born in or after 2010.  So, mid-teenagers and younger are today's Generation Alpha.

There is a trend among this generation that is centered around the learning of God's Word and being able to recite it in a pressure-packed situation.  And, the New York Times, of all places, published a positive look at the growth of the National Bible Bee.  The article, published on November 15, led off with part of the story of a 9-year-old named Daniel Chew, saying:

On Thursday morning under spotlights on a stage in Orlando, Fla., Daniel smoothly recited 19 verses from the New Testament book of Romans to win the finals for his age group at the 16th annual National Bible Bee.

“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think,” Daniel began, reciting the 350-word passage from Romans 12.

He was one of about 360 children and teenagers assembled this week for a competition whose slogan is “To know God’s Word and make Him known.”

The article, by Ruth Graham of the Times, goes on to say:

The Bee has achieved a quiet kind of celebrity status in some Christian circles, and video clips of its young competitors sometimes circulate beyond those communities on social media. The competition demands astonishing feats of memorization that make the televised National Spelling Bee look like a game of tic-tac-toe. Competitors at Daniel’s level memorized more than 570 verses, which they were expected to be able to recite on command.

At the senior level, ages 15 to 18, participants memorize 938 Bible verses, adding up to more than 20,000 words. In some rounds of competition, making even a single error in a long passage — an errant plural or wrong verb tense — leads to elimination.

Graham referred to the Urrego family from California; they "see the Bible Bee as an anchor for their children in a society where, they said, 'truth' is contested by artificial intelligence and pluralism." 

The article includes quotes from executive director Brian Mullins; it states:

Participation has grown significantly since its first gathering in 2009, and it has doubled since 2021, according to Mr. Mullins. This year, almost 13,000 young people took part in the summer training program that feeds into the competition, a record “by far,” he said.

And, the impact?  Consider this from the article: 

The children who compete are “going to go out into the culture and have a tremendous impact for the kingdom of God,” said Heidi St. John, a co-host, during the event’s final day. “Your kids are ready for this fight.”

She co-hosted the event with David and Jason Benham; the article quoted from David:

“Think about children today, right now, struggling with anxiety, suicide, depression at an all-time high, fentanyl abuse, all of this,” David Benham said. He quoted a verse in the gospel of John, in which Jesus promises his followers the gift of peace.

“This is a gift that social media is not going to give you,” he said. “This is a gift that money is not going to give you, or illicit sex is not going to give you, or switching your gender is not going to give you.”

This really is amazing, isn't it?  Just the volume of Scripture that these young people are remembering and reciting.  I think it can challenge us to make God's Word a part of our consciousness, to absorb it so that when we face decisions or trials, we have downloaded the Word of God into the recesses of our minds.  The Bible talks about the transformation, the change that comes, as we "renew" our minds through our knowledge of Scripture. 

The participation in the Bible Bee should send a strong message about the capacity of our young people, as well as adults, to allow God's Word to become a part of them. And, we can be confident that the Church's knowledge of Scripture and its obedience and application, can send a strong message to our society.  David Benham mentioned negative trends we are facing today. I submit that the Word of God can provide a different, more hopeful, direction.

Shutting Down Free Speech

God has equipped us to be able to speak and to speak with the intent of bringing glory to His name by communicating Biblical truth. Proverbs 31, prior to the description of a godly woman, contains these words:
8 Open your mouth for the speechless, In the cause of all who are appointed to die.
9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.

Thursday, October 31 was a dreadful day for free speech in the United Kingdom, because that is the day that a new law establishing so-called "buffer zones" around abortion clinics went into effect.  The Christian Post reported the following Monday:

Buffer zones around abortion facilities went into effect in England and Wales, a development that pro-life advocates contend criminalizes silent prayer and offering help for women and families in need of pregnancy resources.

The zones, which were approved last year after Parliament passed the Public Order Act 2023, went into effect last Thursday. Under the law, it is a criminal offense for someone to be within 500 feet (150 meters) of an abortion facility or the access point of a building that has an abortion facility located inside.

The article goes on to say:

Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 states that “influencing” abortion-minded women or people performing abortions is now illegal. The law also prohibits actions that constitute “causing harassment, alarm, or distress” to abortion workers or someone entering an abortion facility.

And, the Post also notes:

On the day that the new law was rolled out, the Crown Prosecution Service also released new guidelines that Right to Life UK fears could create “confusion” about what activities outside abortion facilities are considered illegal.

While threats, assault and verbal abuse are illegal under the Act, the guidelines also list silent prayer, singing around religious pictures, holding vigils and passing out leaflets with what it described as “misinformation” about abortion.

The article mentions a man named Adam Smith-Connor, described as a "military veteran." He was "found guilty of praying silently near an abortion facility in England. The Pool Magistrates Court granted Smith-Connor a conditional discharge, which means the veteran will face sentencing if convicted of future offenses within the next two years." 

He is quoted as saying: “Today, the court has decided that certain thoughts — silent thoughts — can be illegal in the United Kingdom,” adding, “That cannot be right. All I did was pray to God, in the privacy of my own mind, and yet I stand convicted as a criminal?”

Faithwire refers to the ruling in the Smith-Connor case in a recent article, in which it describes how British citizens are fighting back, stating, "In the wake of a series of arrests of pro-life advocates praying silently outside abortion clinics, thousands are petitioning the prime minister of the U.K. to safeguard the rights of British citizens."  The article states:

The newly published petition, with some 60,000 signatures, is calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to defend those who choose to pray silently and keep it from being classified as a criminal offense.

In the letter, authored by the Alliance Defending Freedom UK, the religious freedom advocacy group argues “buffer zones” have “quickly become thought- and speech-restricting ‘censorship zones.'”

The letter also says: “The slippery slope is clear; if the criminal law requires us to refrain from ‘offensive’ thoughts anywhere, there is simply no logical endpoint,” adding, “Today, it’s pro-life views that offend progressive social orthodoxies; tomorrow, it could be gender-critical views and gender-critical buffer zones. A genuinely democratic society must champion diversity of thought and the free and frank exchange of views.”

Good for these tens of thousands of British citizens who are appealing to their government to address an unjust law.  This is a totally appropriate action, and can provide encouragement for Christians in our country to make sure that we are up-to-date on issues and engaging. Faith Radio appealed to Christians to take part in the electoral process earlier this month, and we continue to provide a Biblical perspective on issues that are affecting us today and could impact us tomorrow.  While we can do our part in selecting good leaders, we can also make sure that we are praying and acting as God leads.

What is happening in the U.K. can also remind us that there are those who want to shut down speech with which they disagree.  Freedom of speech is a bedrock principle of our nation, and we can be reminded that engaging in speech and association is an effective way to share the gospel.  When we have the freedom to live out our faith without restriction, it provides conditions through which we can testify to what God has done in our lives and strengthens our Christian witness.  

One area in which we can be bold to speak is regarding the unborn - while some would rather not talk about, we still have unborn children whose lives are being taken in abortion clinics, and, unfortunately, in the homes of women across America who can order life-taking pills online, which are dangerous, certainly to the unborn child and potentially to the women who consume them.  As people who are aligned with Biblical justice, we can continue to raise our voices to affirm life. 

God's Hand

Soon, we will be celebrating the birth of our Savior; the Bible says that His name would be called "Emmanuel," which means "God with us." We can be confident that He goes with us and can recognize His hand working around us and upon us. Isaiah 43 provides this reminder:
1 But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior...

The medic on a battlefield attempted to save a man who had encountered a landmine.  As he began to assist, the soldiers around him dropped to the ground and informed him that there was a tripwire underneath him.  That action by his colleagues may have saved his life.

According to a God Reports story of a Burmese medic named Aung Gyi: "Even though God saved him, Aung Gyi didn’t yet know God." But, he had called out to God as he moved to help the man I had referred to.

The article says:

When he joined the rebellion against the military dictatorship that opposed democracy in Myanmar, Aung Gyi described himself as a cultural Buddhist. He was born in Sagaing, near Mandalay where he grew up. He lost both his parents as a young man.

He joined the resistance to the 2021 military coup.  The article goes on to report:

As a medic, Aung joined the Freelance Volunteer Myanmar (FVM) group helping Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs), which are refugees of war who stay in their country as opposed to finding refuge in another country.

He was dispensing medical supplies and doing children’s programs when he met the Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian group helping IDPs led by Dave Eubank.

Aung is quoted as saying: “I think he prays a lot and that’s why he hasn’t gotten injured on the frontline,” adding, “So I started asking my girlfriend because I was curious about that. My girlfriend was so happy and we started reading the Bible together. Dave Eubank inspired me a lot. When I graduated from Ranger training, Dave said ‘Pray, think, act’ and so I wrote it down. Whenever I went back to the frontline I always thought about this.”

God was moving in Aung's life - Dave provided a truck for him in response to a prayer. And, God saved his life once again, according to God Reports, which relates:

The third time was in November 2023. He was driving a truck with 25 IDPs and some Rangers in Loikaw, the capital of Karenni, when he came under fire from rockets and machine guns.

“I remembered I needed to do one thing – I needed to pray,” Aung relates. “The Rangers shouted that the jet fighter was diving. I was yelling in my mind ‘God please help me’ and suddenly I stepped on the brake. Bullets came three feet in front of my truck.

“The IDPs were crying, and I just drove fast to get away,” he adds. “The Rangers were shaking, and I grabbed their hands and prayed with them. I said we need to thank God because we are still alive.”

It was time to stop wavering and wondering about God. It was time to make a decision to follow Christ.

He called his girlfriend and said, “I want to get baptized...“Because of God I am still alive.” They were both baptized and soon thereafter, they were married.

The Free Burma Rangers website notes:

Recently, Aung Gyi helped with a medical training for frontline aid workers. He helped to facilitate many worship events for the students. “Every worship night I want to show young people that Jesus is real and you just have to ask him. He’s real. Every night at worship I am so happy. It feels so powerful for me. Even some Christians they forget to pray and connect with God. You don’t need a long prayer – just ‘God help me’ and ‘God be with me.'”

Now as a Christian, life still has many challenges, but Aung Gyi says his goal is to “try to share my life with my people and give love to my enemies.”

We can evaluate the ways that God is getting our attention.  Aung was praying, but he had not yet given his life to Christ.  But, God in His mercy, was responding to him.  He sent Dave Eubank, a man of God, to teach Him about Jesus.  We can acknowledge the abundant love and grace of God moving in a person's life to draw Him to Christ, and pray for tender hearts and obedient servants to minister the Word of God to those who don't know Him.

For the believer, we can develop a sense of knowing when the Holy Spirit is leading.  We should always maintain a top-of-mind awareness that God is with us, and we can continue to train ourselves to recognize the leading of the Spirit.  We can be confident that through the circumstances of life, the hand of God is moving, drawing us closer to Himself.

Playing His Role

Throughout life's challenges, as we pursue what God has called us to do in life - for His glory - we can walk with a sense of anticipation that He will show up in powerful ways. Ephesians 3 provides this reminder:
20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
21 to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

By now, you are probably somewhat familiar with the story of Coach Joe Kennedy, the man who for years walked to midfield after football games to pray and give glory to God. Ultimately, that practice cost him his job.  He went to court and fought school officials' decision.  Finally, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in his favor, and in so doing, opened up a new front for religious freedom, abolishing old interpretations of the so-called "Establishment Clause" of the First Amendment and establishing new standards that are more friendly toward religious expression.

Coach Joe told me at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention last year that he was inspired by the film, Facing the Giants.  His life story has actually been portrayed in a movie called, Average Joe, which had a limited engagement in theaters last month.  It is now available to watch at home.

A recent CBN.com story highlighted the actor who played Coach Joe Kennedy.  His name is Eric Close.  The story noted that Close...

... said the movie tells the former coach’s story of persisting, never giving up, and “ultimately finding faith.” Close said perseverance is a key fixture of Kennedy’s story, as the coach faced a plethora of adversarial moments in his life before finding Christianity.

“I admired his conviction — the willingness to fight for his convictions and for what he felt was right,” Close said. “Regardless of the negative fallout that would come his way, the threats, the loss of work.”

The article includes these words:

“One of the aspects … that I loved about this film is that every person matters — everybody matters,” he said. “God loves; His love is so far and wide and reaches to everybody.”

And that love — and faith — can inspire people to take a stand and do the right thing, even when it’s difficult or seems insurmountable, Close said.

“Through faith, nothing is impossible; you can overcome these challenges,” he said. “You never know when that moment might happen when we’re called to step up and stand for something and make a difference.”

Like Coach Kennedy, Close has shared about the transformative work that God has done in his life. Rewinding to a Faithwire story from two years ago, the article states:

“I had graduated from college and I was sitting in my apartment,” Close said. “I felt kind of empty, just kind of lost. I just remember saying, ‘God, I don’t know if you want anything to do with me, but I miss you.'”

Despite committing his life to Christ as a teen, the actor had fallen away and wasn’t living for the Lord.

“God wasn’t a priority in my life,” Close said. “I knew He was there, but I wasn’t making Him No. 1.”

That simple prayer became a clarion moment for the actor and the starting point of a deeper and more fulfilling faith journey — one he has never looked back from.

“From there, my life just transformed,” Close said. “It was just supernatural.”

Certainly, Close's personal faith brings that spiritual dynamic to the role of Coach Joe Kennedy.  And, we can be reminded that in whatever "role" or "call" that God has appointed us to, He will provide His power and direction.  Because whether or not you're an actor, a football coach, a customer service representative, a cashier, or the CEO of a large corporation, we need God and have His presence available to us.

We can develop a sense of reliance on Him, no matter what difficult seasons we may encounter. And as the Coach has told me, he experienced difficult days after losing his job and pursuing a lengthy court challenge.  But, we, like him, can rely on the sustaining hand of God.  He brings His best to every situation, and by surrendering to Him, we can find that He is able to do magnificent things in and through us.

Pocket Casinos

We're reminded in Scripture to walk in contentment and not to be lured into sinful behavior, resisting greed and pursuing righteousness. 1st Timothy 6 states:
9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.
10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.

And, there are those who want to bring this to Alabama...

It does seem like online sports betting is all the rage these days - the entanglement of gambling companies with professional sports has become pervasive, with opportunities to "bet" coming into your home.  

Younger men in America are paying the price. A study was released in September by Fairleigh Dickinson University and its website reports:

The legalization of online gambling and sports betting in much of the United States over the past few years has led to troubling signs of gambling problems among certain groups, especially young men. According to the latest results from FDU Poll’s recent national survey of registered voters, ten percent of men 18-30 have scores that indicate a problem gambling, compared to just 3 percent of the overall population. The survey also shows that such problems are closely related to online betting on sports and online slot machines.

Professor Dan Cassino, the Executive Director of the poll, relates, “...there’s always some chance of gambling turning into problem behaviors, and online gambling is proving to be much more dangerous than other kinds.”

How pervasive is gambling activity today?  The study summary found:

Fifty-seven percent of American voters say that they’ve participate in some kind of gambling or betting behavior in the past year. Seventeen percent took part in just one form, with lottery tickets (43 percent) edging out scratch-off tickets (36 percent) as the most common forms of gambling in the country. About 18 percent say that they’ve played casino games or slot machines in person, and ten percent say that they’ve bet on sports or races online in the past year.

And, the survey also included what is called the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI), described as "a nine-question battery that asks about a number of indications of problem gambling behaviors (now often referred to as 'gambling harm'), like borrowing money to gamble, or saying that their gambling has caused financial or emotional problems."

Here are some startling statistics:

• 21 percent of all voters report at least one problem behavior
• 35 percent of those who said that they have participated in gambling report at least one problem behavior
• Of those 35 percent, 15 percent of those who report gambling saying that they have one problem behavior, and 20 percent of gamblers reporting two or more.

And, as the survey indicates: "Twenty-four percent of men report at least one problem behavior, but that figure is 45 percent for men 30 and under, and 38 percent of men 31 to 44."  18 percent of women report one or more problem behaviors from gambling.

One-third of those surveyed indicated that problem behaviors resulted from playing the lottery.  Two-thirds of those who take part in online sports betting report at least one problem behavior, with over half reporting two. 

And, there are those in power who want to bring this to Alabama.  

Alabama Policy Institute, in response to gambling legislation introduced into Alabama, stated:

Legalizing casino-style gambling in the state and establishing a statewide lottery is bad public policy, both fiscally and socially, and it is the wrong solution to address the state’s unsustainable fiscal trajectory. Regardless of who plays the lottery or gambles (regardless of the outcome), the government receives a portion of every dollar spent on these activities. This creates a perverse incentive for the state, especially when conventional revenue streams are volatile. The state becomes addicted to these regressive funding streams, with politicians actually desiring for more and more individuals and families to recklessly spend their money gambling. If a lottery is instituted or gambling increased, calls to further increase gambling will become incessant and government expansion will likely follow in its wake.

While online sports betting has a higher level of problem behavior resulting from it, that doesn't mean that the lottery is safe, either. And, no form of gambling squares with the Scripture, so there is a strong moral and spiritual component.  Overall, it is a clear violation of "love your neighbor," because if you win, someone has to lose.  API's website noted:

Online gambling—on sports or anything else—would turn every smartphone and device in the state into a portable casino. Where there are more opportunities to gamble, higher rates of addiction and negative societal impacts follow.

States that have legalized gambling experience higher rates of gambling addiction, crime, corruption, addiction, and mental health disorders. With more opportunities to gamble, the negative impact of gambling increases. This is especially true as gambling is normalized for children; early and increased exposure to gambling leads to increases in addiction that can cause emotional damage, strained relationships, and ruined lives.

And, there are those who want to bring this to Alabama.  Last year in the Legislature, it came down essentially to one vote to send legislation expanding gambling in the state to the voters.  That should not happen, and legislators should know better.  They try to pass a bill and then pass the buck to the voters, who would have been vulnerable to a barrage of advertising promising all sorts of utopian notions if gambling were expanded.  Begin to pray now that legislators will not allow their regular session to be overshadowed by the empty promises of gambling and that Godly wisdom will prevail.

Israelis on the Run

In Genesis 12, we find that God appeared to a man named Abram, later renamed Abraham, and made an important promise to Him, later confirmed through a covenant agreement that still stands today. We can find these words:
1 Now the Lord had said to Abram: "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you.
2 I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed."

Violence erupted recently in the Netherlands at a soccer match, as Jews were attacked by pro- Palestinian protestors.  Now, a warning has been issued to Israelis in France by government officials from Israel, according to Worthy Christian News, which reported:

Israel’s National Security Council (NSC) has urged Israeli soccer fans not to attend the match between France and Israel in Paris on Thursday after Jews were hunted in the streets of Amsterdam in scenes resembling the 1930s and World War Two.

The NSC, the Israeli government’s central security body, made the call after the antisemitic violence in the Dutch capital on Thursday following a match between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Amsterdam’s Ajax teams.

The city has announced that security will heightened at the event. 

Meanwhile, according to the article, "...in Amsterdam, police said they detained over 50 people during a pro-Palestine protest on Dam Square on Sunday. 'Also, 340 people were relocated,' the Amsterdam police said."  It added: "Pro-Palestinian groups wanted to rally on Sunday despite a protest ban in Amsterdam under an emergency decree imposed after the attacks against Jews shocked the nation."

The violence erupted on Thursday in Amsterdam at the soccer stadium.  Another Worthy News article noted:

Israel rushed to evacuate Jews from the Netherlands after the country’s worst antisemitic attacks since World War Two rocked Amsterdam following a soccer match between the Dutch capital’s Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv teams.

Numerous Jews were hunted and injured in assaults in central Amsterdam by what they said were pro-Palestine “Arabs” whom authorities diplomatically described as “scooter youths.”

Some viewed the violence as the second “Kristallnacht” or the “Night of Broken Glass,” a pogrom against Jews carried out by German Nazis and allies throughout Germany on November 9-10, 1938.

Monday's Worthy News article reported:

Police said two investigations are underway, including one focusing on the perpetrators and one into a possible central plan behind the antisemitic hit-and-run attacks.

“These perpetrators of Arab descent do not always have a criminal record, which means we cannot properly determine what kind of person we are dealing with. It is partly the same group that misbehaves at fairs or in the nightlife,” a riot police officer stressed.

“We have also warned management in recent months that this will get out of hand at some point. Unfortunately, Jewish people are now the victims. This clearly crosses a line. This street terror must no longer be tolerated,” he added.

Police also denied suggestions by the Palestinian Authority and several Dutch media that Israeli soccer fans provoked the violence. They are “still shocked” by what happened on Thursday night in the capital of the Netherlands. “We have seen the ferocity of the attacks but also the cowardice to beat up groups of defenseless people in dark alleys and streets. It was disgusting.”

It is tragic to see that those who side with the Palestinian people, and by extension, Hamas, are purveyors of violence.  The hatred for Israelis that provoked the October 7 attacks is being carried around the world by perpetrators who intend to do harm.  And, ultimately, opposition to Israelis are an assault on the God of Israel.  Harbinger's Daily reported:

Tiauna Lodewyk, an intern with the Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry whose family ran a safe house in Holland during World War II, reacted to the violence in Amsterdam by pro-Palestinian rioters.

“Seeing the tragic and alarming events against the Jewish people transpiring in Amsterdam has further proved the inextricable link between Anti-Zionism and Antisemitism,” Lodewyk told Harbinger’s Daily.

“While I was in Poland this past spring, I witnessed a Palestinian ‘protest’ outside of the Auschwitz concentration camp. Why would a Palestinian protest take place outside a location of the greatest manifestation of Antisemitism—where over one million Jews were horrifically murdered simply for being Jewish? What does the death of Jews have to do with ‘freeing Palestine’?”

“Antisemitism and Anti-Zionism are one and the same,” she stressed. “They both share the same spiritual root.”

“The Lord said that those who come against His chosen people (the Jewish people) and His land (Israel) are essentially coming against God Himself,” Lodewyk described. “The violent intent to harm the Jewish people, as seen not only in Amsterdam but around the world, is rooted in the spiritual reality of Satan’s pursuit to annihilate the Jewish people—thereby rendering God’s promises void by whatever means necessary.”

It is important to see the spiritual implications behind hostility toward Jews. As Jeff Myers of Summit Ministries writes, "...regardless of the personal spiritual state of any given Jewish person, the attacks on Jews have nothing to do with how religious they are. Every anti-God movement from Haman in the Old Testament to the Bolsheviks to the Nazis all sought to destroy the Jewish people because they are a people, regardless of their level of religious practice. Secular Jews are as likely as religious Jews to be targeted."

The Church should continue to stand with Israel and continue to speak out against anti-semitism. We can, as the Bible exhorts us, pray for the "peace of Jerusalem," and decry assaults against those who are part of God's chosen people since the time of Abraham - people who are in a covenant relationship with a God who continues to keep His promises.