Every Good Gift

Every good and every perfect gift is from above , coming down from the Father of lights… ( James 1:17a ) Jesus is the most perfect gift — the greatest gift — we celebrate during the Christmas season and Christmas Day .
A child was born , wrapped in swaddling clothes , and laid in a manger .
This precious gift from the Father of all light , love , and life , gave us the greatest gift the world has ever received .
And think about it , we can personally know this person who not only was born @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His life on the cross , raised by the power of God on the third day , ascended to Heaven , but also sent another of the same kind ( the Holy Spirit ) to live in us .
Wow !
What a day !
What a reality !
What a gift we joyfully celebrate !
Jesus Came for These Challenging Times We are living in very challenging days .
We have been impacted by the father of lies , the deceiver , death , disease , and destruction in a horrific fashion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : not only was a child born , but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to earth and He came to give us meaningful life filled with love , joy , and peace — even in the most challenging times .
My own birth was the result of a forced sexual relationship on a home health nurse who was 40 years old .
When a doctor refused to abort me , I was allowed to live and because of my birth mother ’ s difficult circumstances , she placed an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ me to a loving Christian home .
Yet she took me from that home when I was five years old .
I was taken away from “ Mommy and Daddy ” to be with my mother .
There is no way to describe the pain and confusion I felt .
Two years after being with her , I remember a Christmas when I was seven years old and we barely had enough income to eat .
We lived in a one-room house behind the homes on a small , narrow street and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which in some ways became my playground .
But what I really remember as a seven-year-old is that we couldn ’ t afford a Christmas tree or any decorations to put on it , so our tree was a watercolor painting that I had done in my second grade class .
I remember us sitting by that picture of a tree with some tiny gifts my mother had purchased .
She had cut me off from my foster parents and from an aunt who loved me because she so longed for love that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died when she was a young girl and she had a very unhappy marriage starting when she was 15 .
Yet , even then , I know the Father above looked at a little boy He really wanted to bless and bless others through him .
I made the best of it in those circumstances and God , the Father above who gave the perfect gift , was watching me .
When I came to know this perfect Father , my life was changed .
Everything changed and although I was very shy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just before my 18th birthday , I found His kingdom purpose and really did , with all the understanding I had , sell out to Him !
God gave me the most beautiful bride , Betty .
He gave us a very special relationship and blessed us with three children and then eleven grandchildren .
For so many years Betty and I , our children and their spouses and our grandchildren ( 19 of us ) , celebrated every Christmas together .
They are precious memories , and believe me , when you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ becomes even more precious .
We celebrated with those children all those memories and now we will soon have our ninth great-grandbaby !
If we brought all our family together with twenty children and grandchildren , there would be 37 of us !
This is what I want you to hear : Jesus is the center of our life and in the face of any storm He gives us peace .
I recently prayed with a couple that I love very much who said goodbye to the wife ’ s parents .
Last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apart with COVID .
They had said their entire marriage that when they died , they wanted to go together , and they told me they sang her dad into heaven a short time after his wife preceded him .
This is the peace that surpasses understanding that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to give us as the Prince of Peace .
It is that peace I ’ m praying for to prevail in your life no matter what happens during these challenging days .
Betty also wanted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this special time : James and I wanted to let you know we are especially praying for you during this Christmas season .
We are aware of the many challenges we all face with the effects of the virus still an ongoing issue .
I know it has impacted your families and friends .
Some of our close friends and family members have been hit directly by the virus .
We must continue to lift everyone in prayer for healing and restoration .
You may have lost a loved one .
If so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comfort as you walk through that terrible loss .
We do know how you feel , as this time of the year is very difficult for James and me .
Eight years ago on the 28th of this month , we lost our beautiful daughter , Robin .
She now has two sweetheart granddaughters that she watches from heaven .
I ’ ll never forget her asking me as she was battling so hard to beat the cancer that had devastated her body : “ Mom , do you think I will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she is — but she watches from heaven .
We have come to know the real faithfulness of God as He has held us close and brought His comfort for the hurt and loss we have experienced .
We must grab hold of God ’ s hope , comfort and great love for us and remember that He gave His greatest treasure to us through His Son , Jesus .
He sent Him that we might have eternal life and share His life with others through our witness .
We owe Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Father by giving of ourselves that others might come to know Him personally .
Thank you for all you do to help those who are hurting , hungry , thirsty and who do not know the Christ whose birth we celebrate .
We pray God ’ s richest blessings on you and all those you love .
Please know how much Betty and I love you .
Thank you for helping us put God ’ s arms around people who are too often overlooked around the world .
Thank you for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Lord of Lords , the King of Kings with so many .
God wants to hold you real close to His heart .
While we celebrate His birth and life , please remember these words : Rejoice in the Lord always ; again I will say , rejoice !
Let your gentle spirit be known to all people .
The Lord is near .
Do not be anxious about anything , but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God .
And the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comprehension , will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus .
Finally , brothers and sisters , whatever is true , whatever is honorable , whatever is right , whatever is pure , whatever is lovely , whatever is commendable , if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise , think about these things .
As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me , practice these things , and the God of peace will be with you .
( Philippians 4:4-9 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ founder and publisher .
He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today .
He ’ s the author of many books , including Indivisible ( with Jay Richards ) and Living Amazed .

Every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights… (James 1:17a)
Jesus is the most perfect gift — the greatest gift — we celebrate during the Christmas season and Christmas Day. A child was born, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manger. This precious gift from the Father of all light, love, and life, gave us the greatest gift the world has ever received. And think about it, we can personally know this person who not only was born, lived the perfect life, gave His life on the cross, raised by the power of God on the third day, ascended to Heaven, but also sent another of the same kind (the Holy Spirit) to live in us. Wow! What a day! What a reality! What a gift we joyfully celebrate!
Jesus Came for These Challenging Times
We are living in very challenging days. We have been impacted by the father of lies, the deceiver, death, disease, and destruction in a horrific fashion. But please hear me my friends: not only was a child born, but the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to earth and He came to give us meaningful life filled with love, joy, and peace — even in the most challenging times.
Jesus is the center of our life and in the face of any storm
He gives us peace.
My own birth was the result of a forced sexual relationship on a home health nurse who was 40 years old. When a doctor refused to abort me, I was allowed to live and because of my birth mother’s difficult circumstances, she placed an ad in the newspaper, and sent me to a loving Christian home. Yet she took me from that home when I was five years old. I was taken away from “Mommy and Daddy” to be with my mother. There is no way to describe the pain and confusion I felt.
Two years after being with her, I remember a Christmas when I was seven years old and we barely had enough income to eat. We lived in a one-room house behind the homes on a small, narrow street and the entire backside was a salvage dump, which in some ways became my playground. But what I really remember as a seven-year-old is that we couldn’t afford a Christmas tree or any decorations to put on it, so our tree was a watercolor painting that I had done in my second grade class. I remember us sitting by that picture of a tree with some tiny gifts my mother had purchased. She had cut me off from my foster parents and from an aunt who loved me because she so longed for love that she had not known since her parents died when she was a young girl and she had a very unhappy marriage starting when she was 15. Yet, even then, I know the Father above looked at a little boy He really wanted to bless and bless others through him.
Made for Kingdom Purpose
I made the best of it in those circumstances and God, the Father above who gave the perfect gift, was watching me. When I came to know this perfect Father, my life was changed. Everything changed and although I was very shy, when God called me to preach just before my 18th birthday, I found His kingdom purpose and really did, with all the understanding I had, sell out to Him!
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
God gave me the most beautiful bride, Betty. He gave us a very special relationship and blessed us with three children and then eleven grandchildren. For so many years Betty and I, our children and their spouses and our grandchildren (19 of us), celebrated every Christmas together. They are precious memories, and believe me, when you’re 77, every precious memory becomes even more precious. We celebrated with those children all those memories and now we will soon have our ninth great-grandbaby! If we brought all our family together with twenty children and grandchildren, there would be 37 of us!
Peace That Surpasses Understanding
This is what I want you to hear: Jesus is the center of our life and in the face of any storm He gives us peace. I recently prayed with a couple that I love very much who said goodbye to the wife’s parents. Last week, they died a few hours apart with COVID. They had said their entire marriage that when they died, they wanted to go together, and they told me they sang her dad into heaven a short time after his wife preceded him. This is the peace that surpasses understanding that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords came to give us as the Prince of Peace. It is that peace I’m praying for to prevail in your life no matter what happens during these challenging days.
A Special Note From Betty
Betty also wanted to share a few words with you at this special time:
James and I wanted to let you know we are especially praying for you during this Christmas season. We are aware of the many challenges we all face with the effects of the virus still an ongoing issue. I know it has impacted your families and friends. Some of our close friends and family members have been hit directly by the virus. We must continue to lift everyone in prayer for healing and restoration. You may have lost a loved one. If so, we pray for God’s comfort as you walk through that terrible loss. We do know how you feel, as this time of the year is very difficult for James and me. Eight years ago on the 28th of this month, we lost our beautiful daughter, Robin. She now has two sweetheart granddaughters that she watches from heaven. I’ll never forget her asking me as she was battling so hard to beat the cancer that had devastated her body: “Mom, do you think I will get to see my grandchildren?” Well, she is — but she watches from heaven. We have come to know the real faithfulness of God as He has held us close and brought His comfort for the hurt and loss we have experienced. We must grab hold of God’s hope, comfort and great love for us and remember that He gave His greatest treasure to us through His Son, Jesus. He sent Him that we might have eternal life and share His life with others through our witness. We owe Jesus our love and commitment to serve Him and the Father by giving of ourselves that others might come to know Him personally. Thank you for all you do to help those who are hurting, hungry, thirsty and who do not know the Christ whose birth we celebrate. We pray God’s richest blessings on you and all those you love.
Please know how much Betty and I love you. Thank you for helping us put God’s arms around people who are too often overlooked around the world. Thank you for helping us share the Prince of Peace, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings with so many. God wants to hold you real close to His heart. While we celebrate His birth and life, please remember these words:
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all people. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and pleading with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. As for the things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:4-9)
James Robison is The Stream’s founder and publisher. He is co-founder of LIFE Outreach International and co-host of LIFE Today. He’s the author of many books, including Indivisible (with Jay Richards) and Living Amazed.


thestream--2020-12-21--Mystery of the Magi Solved? An Interview With Fr. Dwight Longenecker

It ’ s one of those biblical stories guaranteed to generate a smirk from the anti-Christian scrooges .
Indeed , it does seem fantastical : Magi from a distant land cross the desert bearing gold , frankincense and myrrh for little baby Jesus .
Toss in a magical star that guides them , and who wouldn ’ t be suspicious ?
Yet , Stream contributor Fr .
Dwight Longenecker has done something rather wonderful .
He actually studied the scriptures , dug deep into the historical background , and solved the mystery of the Magi .
Yes , they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are in a phenomenal book called Mystery of the Magi : The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men .
We were able to grab Fr .
Longenecker during this busy holiday season to ask him about the Magi .
The interview has been slightly edited for clarity .
The Stream : Your subtitle is ‘ The quest to identify the three wise men.
’ What sent you on your quest ?
I was asked to write an article about the Magi and decided to look at the Old Testament prophecies in Psalm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the magi came from Sheba , Seba , Ephah , Midian and Kedar .
Sheba and Seba are the same .
This is the Kingdom of Sheba from which the Queen of Sheba came to pay homage to King Solomon .
Sheba was located in Southern Arabia — present day Yemen .
Midian , Kedar and Ephah are tribes settled in Western Arabia present day Jordan and Saudi Arabia .
This was contrary to the majority opinion that the Magi came from Persia , so I began to look into this alternative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the facts fit Arabia far better than Persia .
The Stream : Let ’ s clear away the brush .
We all know the image of the three wise men from Christmas pageants and songs .
What in our Christmas ‘ mythology ’ can we eliminate when searching for the truth about the Magi ?
The Magi story is the most elaborated story from the New Testament .
As early as the beginning of the second century the extra Biblical writings were exaggerating the story and embellishing the story with extra meaning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were done by early church preachers — others were done by heretical groups — Gnostics and groups influenced by the heretical teachings of the prophet Mani ( Manicheanism ) .
I went back to Matthew ’ s gospel and cleared away the clutter .
What is some of the clutter ?
That there were three .
Matthew never says that .
That they were kings .
This was a preaching point drawing conclusions from the prophecies of Psalm 72 and Isaiah 60 .
Matthew doesn ’ t say they were kings .
Camels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not Matthew .
That they followed a magical star that led them on a long desert journey ?
This comes from fifth and sixth century gnostic writings about the Magi .
That they have names Balthasar , Melchior and Gaspar ?
In the fifth and sixth centuries there are about a half dozen extra Biblical versions from different areas of the Middle East — all with different sets of names .
That they were the three ages of man — old , young and middle aged ?
That they represent the three racial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century and further into the Middle Ages .
Matthew doesn ’ t mention any of these details .
The Stream : Now that we have three kings from the orient out of the way , what are our solid clues from scripture ?
Matthew says they came “ from the East.
” He was writing to the Jews in the area of Jerusalem-Judea .
For them “ the East ” was the huge territory controlled by the Nabateans — present day Saudi Arabia , Jordan , Syria , most of Iraq and Lebanon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ East ” for them not only because that kingdom lies to the East of Judea , but also because in the Old Testament “ the people of the East ” most often refers to the various tribes of the Arabian peninsula .
The Stream : How important is it to grasp how Matthew ’ s readers would have understood what he was saying ?
They used the term “ the East ” to refer to this territory as we would refer to “ the South ” and everyone knows that means certain states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Old Testament the “ people of the North ” are the Assyrians and Persians — present day Iran — because you traveled North and then East to get there .
The Stream : So who were the Nabateans ?
And why would they … or specifically , counselors to the Nabatean king … be interested in some Hebrew prophesy about a Messiah ?
The Nabateans were a trading nation controlling the trade routes from Yemen across the Arabian desert to the Mediterranean port of Gaza and from Egypt North to Syria and beyond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crossroads of these two important routes .
They traded in luxury goods from India and China through Yemen and back with goods from across the Roman Empire .
Gauze ?
It came from Gaza .
Damask fabric ?
It came from Damascus .
The Nabatean culture at the time of Jesus ’ birth was a blend of Abrahamic tribes that had wandered in the Arabian desert , immigrants from Babylon who occupied the Arabian peninsula and the influence of the Greeks .
Petra was therefore a very cosmopolitan city with the traders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ influences from the ancient world from China to Greece and Rome and from Africa North to Syria , Persia and present day Turkey .
As wise men they would have been astrologers , but also students of the prophecies from the different cultures — including the Jewish prophecies .
At the downfall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C.
, many Jews went into exile — not only to Babylon , but into the Babylonian controlled territory of Arabia .
Some think the second portion of the book of Isaiah was actually written there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chapter 60 .
The Stream : So there was a Jewish and Messianic strain within the Nabatean culture , which gives them some ‘ skin in the game.
’ But why journey to Herod and seek out this baby Jesus ?
My theory is that the Nabatean King Aretas IV wanted to establish good diplomatic relations with Herod for reasons I outline in the book and he sent a diplomatic mission to the court of Herod the Great on news that a new King of the Jews was born .
They assumed this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grandson of Herod .
The Stream : So historically speaking , the journey was not necessarily fantastical or mystical .
There is a practical , political and diplomatic explanation .
What about the gold , frankincense and myrrh ?
The finest gold in the ancient world was mined in Western Arabia and North East Africa — territory controlled by the Nabateans .
The bushes from which incense and myrrh are harvested only grow in the Arabian peninsula .
Therefore the three gifts were representative of the Nabatean kingdom — perfect tribute gifts therefore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Stream : Earlier you mentioned the camels .
Any historic basis for that legend , or do I have to get a new nativity set ?
Lots of people ask about the camels .
Have you ever heard of Arabian horses ?
The Nabateans bred and traded in Arabian horses .
They were the luxury transportation of the day .
Camels were the tractor trailers .
Arabian horses were the BMWs .
The wealthy diplomats from one court to another would most certainly have ridden on Arabia horses — not camels .
They @ @ @ @ @ @ @ however .
Also — the trip from Petra to Jerusalem would have been along well-traveled roads — roads well-known to the Magi .
Matthew doesn ’ t say the star led them to Jerusalem .
He does say the star directed them from Jerusalem to the house in Bethlehem , however .
The Stream : What do the historical facts you lay out do to help support the biblical truth of Jesus ’ birth ?
Because Christmas is so cluttered up with sentimental , magical elements — from red-nosed reindeer , talking snowmen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is easy to write off the mystical wizards from the East with their magical star as just another fairy tale .
And , therefore , it is also easy to write off the virgin birth , the shepherds , and the singing angels as a pretty fairy tale .
I wanted to show that these stories are rooted in history even though they have been cluttered up over the years with all kinds of elaboration and embellishment .
This is important because the Christian faith is based in real historical events .
Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He is a real historical character — and the more we know about his life and times , the more we will realize that he is Emmanuel , God with us .
There is much more to the story in Fr .
Longenecker ’ s book .
If you can , please add Mystery of the Magi : The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men to your Christmas and New Year ’ s reading list .
It also makes a fantastic gift , even for … perhaps particularly for … non-believers .

This article originally appeared on The Stream, December 21, 2020. With Epiphany approaching Friday we decided to repost this fascinating interview.
It’s one of those biblical stories guaranteed to generate a smirk from the anti-Christian scrooges. Indeed, it does seem fantastical: Magi from a distant land cross the desert bearing gold, frankincense and myrrh for little baby Jesus. Toss in a magical star that guides them, and who wouldn’t be suspicious?
Yet, Stream contributor Fr. Dwight Longenecker has done something rather wonderful. He actually studied the scriptures, dug deep into the historical background, and solved the mystery of the Magi. Yes, they were real and he tells us who they are in a phenomenal book called Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men.
We were able to grab Fr. Longenecker during this busy holiday season to ask him about the Magi. The interview has been slightly edited for clarity.
The Stream: Your subtitle is ‘The quest to identify the three wise men.’ What sent you on your quest?
I was asked to write an article about the Magi and decided to look at the Old Testament prophecies in Psalm 72 and Isaiah 60. They indicated that the magi came from Sheba, Seba, Ephah, Midian and Kedar. Sheba and Seba are the same. This is the Kingdom of Sheba from which the Queen of Sheba came to pay homage to King Solomon. Sheba was located in Southern Arabia — present day Yemen. Midian, Kedar and Ephah are tribes settled in Western Arabia, present day Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
This was contrary to the majority opinion that the Magi came from Persia, so I began to look into this alternative origin of the Magi and found that the facts fit Arabia far better than Persia.
The Stream: Let’s clear away the brush. We all know the image of the three wise men from Christmas pageants and songs. What in our Christmas ‘mythology’ can we eliminate when searching for the truth about the Magi?
The Magi story is the most elaborated story from the New Testament. As early as the beginning of the second century the extra Biblical writings were exaggerating the story and embellishing the story with extra meaning and extra details. Some of these embellishments were done by early church preachers — others were done by heretical groups — Gnostics and groups influenced by the heretical teachings of the prophet Mani (Manicheanism). I went back to Matthew’s gospel and cleared away the clutter.
What is some of the clutter? That there were three. Matthew never says that. That they were kings. This was a preaching point drawing conclusions from the prophecies of Psalm 72 and Isaiah 60. Matthew doesn’t say they were kings.
Camels? That also comes from Isaiah 60 not Matthew.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
That they followed a magical star that led them on a long desert journey? This comes from fifth and sixth century gnostic writings about the Magi.
That they have names Balthasar, Melchior and Gaspar? In the fifth and sixth centuries there are about a half dozen extra Biblical versions from different areas of the Middle East — all with different sets of names.
That they were the three ages of man — old, young and middle aged? That they represent the three racial groups? This is from the eighth century and further into the Middle Ages. Matthew doesn’t mention any of these details.
The Stream: Now that we have three kings from the orient out of the way, what are our solid clues from scripture?
Matthew says they came “from the East.” He was writing to the Jews in the area of Jerusalem-Judea. For them “the East” was the huge territory controlled by the Nabateans — present day Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Syria, most of Iraq and Lebanon. We know this was “the East” for them not only because that kingdom lies to the East of Judea, but also because in the Old Testament “the people of the East” most often refers to the various tribes of the Arabian peninsula.
The Stream: How important is it to grasp how Matthew’s readers would have understood what he was saying?
They used the term “the East” to refer to this territory as we would refer to “the South” and everyone knows that means certain states in the U.S. Also, in the Old Testament the “people of the North” are the Assyrians and Persians — present day Iran — because you traveled North and then East to get there.
The Stream: So who were the Nabateans? And why would they … or specifically, counselors to the Nabatean king … be interested in some Hebrew prophesy about a Messiah?
The Nabateans were a trading nation controlling the trade routes from Yemen across the Arabian desert to the Mediterranean port of Gaza and from Egypt North to Syria and beyond. Their capital of Petra was at the crossroads of these two important routes. They traded in luxury goods from India and China through Yemen and back with goods from across the Roman Empire. Gauze? It came from Gaza. Damask fabric? It came from Damascus.
The Nabatean culture at the time of Jesus’ birth was a blend of Abrahamic tribes that had wandered in the Arabian desert, immigrants from Babylon who occupied the Arabian peninsula and the influence of the Greeks. Petra was therefore a very cosmopolitan city with the traders bringing not only goods, but culture influences from the ancient world from China to Greece and Rome and from Africa North to Syria, Persia and present day Turkey.
As wise men they would have been astrologers, but also students of the prophecies from the different cultures — including the Jewish prophecies. At the downfall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., many Jews went into exile — not only to Babylon, but into the Babylonian controlled territory of Arabia. Some think the second portion of the book of Isaiah was actually written there, and this includes the important prophecy in chapter 60.
The Stream: So there was a Jewish and Messianic strain within the Nabatean culture, which gives them some ‘skin in the game.’ But why journey to Herod and seek out this baby Jesus?
My theory is that the Nabatean King Aretas IV wanted to establish good diplomatic relations with Herod for reasons I outline in the book and he sent a diplomatic mission to the court of Herod the Great on news that a new King of the Jews was born. They assumed this King of the Jews would be a grandson of Herod.
The Stream: So historically speaking, the journey was not necessarily fantastical or mystical. There is a practical, political and diplomatic explanation. What about the gold, frankincense and myrrh?
The finest gold in the ancient world was mined in Western Arabia and North East Africa — territory controlled by the Nabateans. The bushes from which incense and myrrh are harvested only grow in the Arabian peninsula. Therefore the three gifts were representative of the Nabatean kingdom — perfect tribute gifts therefore from one kingdom to another.
The Stream: Earlier you mentioned the camels. Any historic basis for that legend, or do I have to get a new nativity set?
Lots of people ask about the camels. Have you ever heard of Arabian horses? The Nabateans bred and traded in Arabian horses. They were the luxury transportation of the day. Camels were the tractor trailers. Arabian horses were the BMWs. The wealthy diplomats from one court to another would most certainly have ridden on Arabian horses — not camels. They may have used camels as pack animals however. Also — the trip from Petra to Jerusalem would have been along well-traveled roads — roads well-known to the Magi. Matthew doesn’t say the star led them to Jerusalem. He does say the star directed them from Jerusalem to the house in Bethlehem, however.
The Stream: What do the historical facts you lay out do to help support the biblical truth of Jesus’ birth?
Because Christmas is so cluttered up with sentimental, magical elements — from red-nosed reindeer, talking snowmen and Santa’s elves — it is easy to write off the mystical wizards from the East with their magical star as just another fairy tale. And, therefore, it is also easy to write off the virgin birth, the shepherds, and the singing angels as a pretty fairy tale.
I wanted to show that these stories are rooted in history even though they have been cluttered up over the years with all kinds of elaboration and embellishment. This is important because the Christian faith is based in real historical events. Jesus is not just a fairy tale. He is a real historical character — and the more we know about his life and times, the more we will realize that he is Emmanuel, God with us.
There is much more to the story in Fr. Longenecker’s book. If you can, please add Mystery of the Magi: The Quest to Identify the Three Wise Men to your Christmas and New Year’s reading list. It also makes a fantastic gift, even for … perhaps particularly for … non-believers.


thestream--2020-12-21--Congress Agrees on Coronavirus Relief Package After Months of Negotiations

Congress agreed on a $ 900 billion coronavirus relief package Sunday , overcoming several last-minute stalemates over the Federal Reserve ’ s lending powers and direct cash payments , Senate leaders announced .
“ At long last , we have the bipartisan breakthrough the country has needed , ” Senate Majority Leader McConnell said Sunday on the Senate floor .
“ I hope we can do this as promptly as possible.
” A compromise was reached late Saturday between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey , who had sought to end the Fed ’ s emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CARES Act ’ s passage in March .
Though congressional leaders touted the agreement , it came to be after months of partisan gridlock stemming from disagreements over the bill ’ s size and scope .
Though an agreement was reached , the bill ’ s text has yet to be released .
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on a House conference call that they should expect a Monday vote , and the Senate should vote on the bill shortly after , though McConnell declined to provide a timeline when asked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes $ 600 relief checks for most Americans , Politico reported , providing at least some financial relief as coronavirus cases and deaths climb and weekly unemployment numbers rise again .
Congress also hopes to tie a $ 1.4 trillion bill that funds the government through September 2021 to the relief package after passing two stopgap bills in the past nine days .
The House is expected to pass a one-day stopgap bill to fund the government through Monday and then consider a week-long stopgap to give the Senate more time to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the holidays .
Following the compromise , senators expressed a sense of relief that a deal was reached before the holidays and a possible government shutdown .
“ The great news is that Congress is not going to be the Grinch , ” said Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner on ABC ’ s This Week Sunday .
“ We ’ re going to get this package done.
” His comments were echoed by Utah Sen. Mitt Romney , who said on CNN ’ s State of the Union that Congress resolved its biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ is going to get done , ” adding that he played a central role in dissolving the dispute between Toomey and Senate Democrats .
“ It should have happened a long time ago … but it ’ s going to get done before Christmas , ” he said .
In addition to the $ 600 relief checks , the bill includes weekly $ 300 unemployment checks , over $ 300 billion in relief for small businesses and substantial sums of money for schools , hospitals , and vaccine distribution networks .
Two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the bill were liability shields for larger businesses and aid for state and local governments .
Democrats objected over liability shields while Republicans said that state and local aid amounted to a “ Blue State bailout , ” leading both to be left out of the final bill .
Several senators supported a bipartisan effort led by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders that called for $ 1,200 relief checks instead of the $ 600 proposed .
Both earlier floated objecting to any funding bill that did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ push gained the support of President Donald Trump , who early Sunday called on lawmakers to increase the amount of money Americans receive .
Their push was ultimately blocked two separate times Friday by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson , who said that he was concerned about the relief bill ’ s size and the impact that it could have on the national debt .
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

Congress agreed on a $900 billion coronavirus relief package Sunday, overcoming several last-minute stalemates over the Federal Reserve’s lending powers and direct cash payments, Senate leaders announced.
“At long last, we have the bipartisan breakthrough the country has needed,” Senate Majority Leader McConnell said Sunday on the Senate floor. “I hope we can do this as promptly as possible.”
A compromise was reached late Saturday between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey, who had sought to end the Fed’s emergency lending programs that were created via the CARES Act’s passage in March. Though congressional leaders touted the agreement, it came to be after months of partisan gridlock stemming from disagreements over the bill’s size and scope.
Though an agreement was reached, the bill’s text has yet to be released. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on a House conference call that they should expect a Monday vote, and the Senate should vote on the bill shortly after, though McConnell declined to provide a timeline when asked by reporters, Politico reported.
The bill includes $600 relief checks for most Americans, Politico reported, providing at least some financial relief as coronavirus cases and deaths climb and weekly unemployment numbers rise again.
Congress also hopes to tie a $1.4 trillion bill that funds the government through September 2021 to the relief package after passing two stopgap bills in the past nine days. The House is expected to pass a one-day stopgap bill to fund the government through Monday and then consider a week-long stopgap to give the Senate more time to pass the relief package before they depart for the holidays.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Following the compromise, senators expressed a sense of relief that a deal was reached before the holidays and a possible government shutdown.
“The great news is that Congress is not going to be the Grinch,” said Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner on ABC’s This Week Sunday. “We’re going to get this package done.”
His comments were echoed by Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, who said on CNN’s State of the Union that Congress resolved its biggest dispute Saturday night and that the bill “is going to get done,” adding that he played a central role in dissolving the dispute between Toomey and Senate Democrats.
“It should have happened a long time ago … but it’s going to get done before Christmas,” he said.
In addition to the $600 relief checks, the bill includes weekly $300 unemployment checks, over $300 billion in relief for small businesses and substantial sums of money for schools, hospitals, and vaccine distribution networks.
Two major sticking points that were ultimately omitted from the bill were liability shields for larger businesses and aid for state and local governments. Democrats objected over liability shields while Republicans said that state and local aid amounted to a “Blue State bailout,” leading both to be left out of the final bill.
Several senators supported a bipartisan effort led by Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley and Vermont Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders that called for $1,200 relief checks instead of the $600 proposed. Both earlier floated objecting to any funding bill that did not include substantial direct relief. Their push gained the support of President Donald Trump, who early Sunday called on lawmakers to increase the amount of money Americans receive.
Their push was ultimately blocked two separate times Friday by Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who said that he was concerned about the relief bill’s size and the impact that it could have on the national debt.
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-12-21--The New York Times Starts to Understand the Right (With the Help of an Israeli Professor)

The December 18 New York Times article by David Halbfinger carries an intriguing title : “ To Understand Red-State America , He Urges a Look at Red-State Israel.
” More intriguing still is the subtitle : “ An Israeli sociologist argues that Trump voters , like Netanyahu supporters in Israel , have legitimate reasons to find liberal values threatening.
” This is printed in the Times ?
But it gets better still .
The opening two paragraphs read : Liberals were confounded .
The right-wing incumbent ’ s blue-collar base was sticking by him , cheering as he weaponized identity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to place his own interests ahead of the nation ’ s .
A familiar set of facts , to say the least .
But the liberals in question were Israeli , the incumbent was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the working-class voters were Israeli Jews with roots in North Africa and the Middle East .
Halbfinger focuses on the work of a Tel Aviv University sociologist named Nissim Mizrachi “ who spent years studying those voters and grappling with their rejection of liberalism.
” Interestingly , the left ’ s perspective on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ left ’ s perspective on the right here in America .
According to the Israeli left , the right-leaning vote is chalked up to right-wing biases , such as xenophobia and sexism and racism .
These right-wing voters , the liberals believe , don ’ t know what is good for them .
How , the liberals wondered , could they be so unenlightened ?
As Halbfinger explained , Prof. Mizrachi realized that what these conservative voters perceive “ as the endgame of the liberal worldview is not a world they wish to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ It ’ s really hard for liberals to imagine that their message , their vision itself , poses a threat to the core identity of other people.
” Did I mention this was printed in the New York Times ?
According to Halbfinger , Mizrachi ’ s findings , published one year ago in the left-leaning Haaretz , sent shock waves across the nation .
Was liberalism actually at fault ?
Were liberals missing the point ?
What the Left Thinks About the Right , and What It Doesn ’ t Understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not understand where so much of Donald Trump ’ s support came from , chalking it up to similar , dark motives .
Trump supporters want to keep America white .
And you can be assured that the leftist media will do its best to find the worst possible representatives of Trump when interviewing the man or woman on the street .
The caricature must be reinforced .
Consequently , the left does not recognize that the vast majority of Trump supporters are neither white supremacists nor woman-haters .
They are no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up weapons in the hills of West Virginia .
Some , for sure , fit these negative depictions , just as there are bigots and racists and haters on the left .
Each side has its extremes .
But most Trump supporters simply did not like the way the nation was going , not based on skin color but based on leftist policies , some of which threatened the very foundations of our free country .
In Mizrachi ’ s view , speaking of non-liberal voters in Israel and America , “ Both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patriotic citizens , and demonize the left and its allies in the news media , academia and other liberal redoubts as traitorous enemies .
Both feel disdained by those elites , who dismiss their views as racist , ignorant or unwittingly self-defeating.
” Yes , the enlightened ones look with scorn on these ignorant Trump supporters ( or , in Israel , Netanyahu supporters ) , wondering how they could be so foolish as to refuse such gracious help from the left .
Surely , the liberals know what is best !
How @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be sure , the very nature of conservatism can lead to erecting walls and barriers .
It can exclude outsiders and demean them .
These are the potential downsides that must be avoided .
Patriotism can easily descend into tribalism .
But what the left fails to realize is that its utopian dreams and goals , which will be strictly enforced by the all-knowing , far-reaching government , are perceived as a very real threat to our national integrity .
Indeed , to our very liberty .
In Mizrachi ’ s words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of peace , it ’ s a threat to my way of living.
” The sacrifice does not justify the end result .
When the Israeli Left ’ s Failure to Understand the Right Cost Them Perhaps the most interesting part of Halbfinger ’ s article is that the Israeli left failed to get the message .
It failed to hear what the people were saying .
He explains that Mizrachi “ recalled how Israeli liberals , driven from power in 1977 , celebrated their comeback in 1999 when Ehud Barak of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first term .
Triumphant , the left did not bother to reach out .
It went right back to marginalizing Mr. Netanyahu ’ s right-wing base.
” As a result , “ Barak did not last two years ” while “ his successors have all been right-wingers , and Labor [ the once-powerful liberal party ] today is effectively defunct.
” And what is the closing quote of the article ?
“ This is the lesson maybe for you , ” Professor Mizrachi said .
“ OK , you won the election , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that red America is still there.
” Did I mention this was published in the New York Times ?
Dr. Michael Brown ( www.askdrbrown.org ) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program .
His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads : Will We Pass the Trump Test ?
Connect with him on Facebook , Twitter or YouTube .

The December 18 New York Times article by David Halbfinger carries an intriguing title: “To Understand Red-State America, He Urges a Look at Red-State Israel.” More intriguing still is the subtitle: “An Israeli sociologist argues that Trump voters, like Netanyahu supporters in Israel, have legitimate reasons to find liberal values threatening.”
This is printed in the Times?
But it gets better still. The opening two paragraphs read:
Liberals were confounded. The right-wing incumbent’s blue-collar base was sticking by him, cheering as he weaponized identity politics, attacked democratic institutions and appeared to place his own interests ahead of the nation’s. A familiar set of facts, to say the least. But the liberals in question were Israeli, the incumbent was Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the working-class voters were Israeli Jews with roots in North Africa and the Middle East.
Halbfinger focuses on the work of a Tel Aviv University sociologist named Nissim Mizrachi “who spent years studying those voters and grappling with their rejection of liberalism.”
“Their Vision Itself Poses a Threat”
Interestingly, the left’s perspective on the right in Israel is similar to the left’s perspective on the right here in America.
According to the Israeli left, the right-leaning vote is chalked up to right-wing biases, such as xenophobia and sexism and racism. These right-wing voters, the liberals believe, don’t know what is good for them. How, the liberals wondered, could they be so unenlightened?
As Halbfinger explained, Prof. Mizrachi realized that what these conservative voters perceive “as the endgame of the liberal worldview is not a world they wish to inhabit.”
… what these conservative voters perceive “as the endgame of the liberal worldview is not a world they wish to inhabit.”
Indeed, Mizrachi noted, “It’s really hard for liberals to imagine that their message, their vision itself, poses a threat to the core identity of other people.”
Did I mention this was printed in the New York Times?
According to Halbfinger, Mizrachi’s findings, published one year ago in the left-leaning Haaretz, sent shock waves across the nation. Was liberalism actually at fault? Were liberals missing the point?
What the Left Thinks About the Right, and What It Doesn’t Understand
Here in America, the left still does not understand where so much of Donald Trump’s support came from, chalking it up to similar, dark motives.
Trump supporters want to keep America white.
Trump supporters are misogynists.
Trump supporters hate all immigrants.
Trump supporters are uneducated hicks.
And you can be assured that the leftist media will do its best to find the worst possible representatives of Trump when interviewing the man or woman on the street. The caricature must be reinforced.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Consequently, the left does not recognize that the vast majority of Trump supporters are neither white supremacists nor woman-haters. They are no more racist bigots than they are storing up weapons in the hills of West Virginia.
Some, for sure, fit these negative depictions, just as there are bigots and racists and haters on the left. Each side has its extremes.
But most Trump supporters simply did not like the way the nation was going, not based on skin color but based on leftist policies, some of which threatened the very foundations of our free country.
Dismissed as Racist
In Mizrachi’s view, speaking of non-liberal voters in Israel and America, “Both see themselves as their countries’ most patriotic citizens, and demonize the left and its allies in the news media, academia and other liberal redoubts as traitorous enemies. Both feel disdained by those elites, who dismiss their views as racist, ignorant or unwittingly self-defeating.”
Yes, the enlightened ones look with scorn on these ignorant Trump supporters (or, in Israel, Netanyahu supporters), wondering how they could be so foolish as to refuse such gracious help from the left. Surely, the liberals know what is best! How can anyone not see it?
To be sure, the very nature of conservatism can lead to erecting walls and barriers. It can exclude outsiders and demean them. These are the potential downsides that must be avoided. Patriotism can easily descend into tribalism.
But what the left fails to realize is that its utopian dreams and goals, which will be strictly enforced by the all-knowing, far-reaching government, are perceived as a very real threat to our national integrity. Indeed, to our very liberty.
In Mizrachi’s words, “if the liberals get their version of peace, it’s a threat to my way of living.” The sacrifice does not justify the end result.
When the Israeli Left’s Failure to Understand the Right Cost Them
Perhaps the most interesting part of Halbfinger’s article is that the Israeli left failed to get the message. It failed to hear what the people were saying.
He explains that Mizrachi “recalled how Israeli liberals, driven from power in 1977, celebrated their comeback in 1999 when Ehud Barak of the Labor Party ended Mr. Netanyahu’s first term. Triumphant, the left did not bother to reach out. It went right back to marginalizing Mr. Netanyahu’s right-wing base.”
As a result, “Barak did not last two years” while “his successors have all been right-wingers, and Labor [the once-powerful liberal party] today is effectively defunct.”
And what is the closing quote of the article?
“This is the lesson maybe for you,” Professor Mizrachi said. “OK, you won the election, fine. But don’t forget that red America is still there.”
Did I mention this was published in the New York Times?
Dr. Michael Brown (www.askdrbrown.org) is the host of the nationally syndicated Line of Fire radio program. His latest book is Evangelicals at the Crossroads: Will We Pass the Trump Test? Connect with him on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.


thestream--2020-12-21--Election Aftermath: Since When Are These Things Acceptable?

When did it become okay for subpoenas just to be ignored ?
I thought when you were served with a subpoena , you were supposed to show up to testify or provide documentation .
But , apparently , subpoenas concerning the 2020 election don ’ t count .
Officials have suddenly become extremely protective of their voting machines and election records .
Just one example : Friday , in Maricopa County ( Phoenix area ) , the Board of Supervisors rejected a subpoena from the Arizona State Senate Judiciary Committee to look at voting machines , which happen to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its own lawsuit .
The chairman called the senate subpoena “ a slap in the face.
” Rudy Giuliani responded : “ We get a warrant to search all of the machines ; why would you ever not want people to look at voting machines ?
Voting machines aren ’ t private.
” “ If those machines were straight as an arrow , ” he said , “ they ’ d have put them out a month ago .
Are people stupid ?
Don ’ t they realize when somebody resists a subpoena @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re claiming fraud , and they ’ re claiming no fraud , the person who wants to reveal it is the one who ’ s right ?
” Here ’ s more on that point from Giuliani .
Recall that Dominion Voting Systems ’ CEO , John Poulos , has said , “ No one has produced credible evidence of vote fraud or vote switching on Dominion systems because these things have not happened.
” You know , if no one has produced evidence of problems with Dominion systems ( a claim @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just be because they ’ re not allowed to examine them !
Second , when did it become okay for lawyers to intimidate other lawyers and judges so badly that they refuse even to take cases ?
Jonathan Turley has expressed major concern about this , as we ’ ve reported .
Now a former Wisconsin judge has testified to the Senate Homeland Security Committee that “ the court system has been deeply intimidated by the left , just as the lawyers have been intimidated.
” His testimony is detailed in The Epoch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to all their election-related stories .
He explained to senators why he decided to take this case : “ One of the reasons I was called [ was ] because virtually every major law firm in the country and in this city [ Washington DC ] refused to represent the President , ” he said .
“ Not because of the lack of merit in his claims — we ’ ve certainly demonstrated that there ’ s merit — but because of the cancel culture.
” Though most in the media will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Troupis is right that most of the election lawsuits have been tossed for procedural reasons , not for lack of merit .
Troupis said he believes many prominent law firms did not want to participate due to a fear of retaliation by the left .
And in this age of hyper-partisanship and “ cancel culture , ” we can guess what forms that might take : personal threats , professional shaming , even loss of clientele .
It ’ s an effort to deny President Trump legal representation , which is about as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Troupis said , “ has intimidated lawyers so that they can ’ t be here .
They ’ re not here , from the giant law firms , precisely because they were ordered by their management committees and others that , ‘ You can not take those cases … because our clients , or the Democratic Party , or the incoming administration will remember that and they will hold it against you.
’ “ As a former judge , I was so incensed by that.
” And since when is it okay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenges the way this board in Cobb County , Georgia , did ?
The details are here in this must-read story .
The kicker is this statement to True the Vote from exalted Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger , who tries to cover all his bases while passing the buck : “ I ’ ve said since Election Day that I must follow the law in the execution of our elections , and I ’ ve also encouraged Georgians to report any suspected problems for our office to investigate .
Though federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ voter registration lists , the Elector Challenge is a vehicle under our law to ensure voter integrity .
I support any effort that builds faith in our election system that follows the proper procedure.
” Get that ?
The Elector Challenge is a good thing , and I support good things , so report your suspicions , even though it won ’ t do you a doggone bit of good because we can ’ t fix it — certainly not in time for the Senate run-offs — and that ’ s the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well , just continue to believe in the system .
Finally , when did it become okay for social media to censor even hard evidence and official testimony , not because the story isn ’ t true — it ’ s sworn to be true — but because it might challenge the “ narrative ” that some have chosen to believe , the one that requires Biden to have outperformed even Obama while , overall , Democrats did poorly ?
As The Epoch Times reports , Trump lawyer Jesse Binnall says YouTube removed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Senate Homeland Security hearings on election “ irregularities.
” Binnall tweeted : “ YouTube has decided that my opening statement in the U.S. Senate , given under oath and based upon hard evidence , is too dangerous for you to see ; they have removed it .
To this day , ‘ our evidence has never been refuted , only ignored.
’ Why is Google so afraid of the truth ?
# BigBrother ” It doesn ’ t matter to Google that there are still legal challenges going on .
They announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” day has passed — though congressional certification isn ’ t till Jan. 6 — they would simply REMOVE “ content alleging widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of a historical U.S. presidential election.
” Incidentally , what makes this election more “ historical ” than any other , besides , ironically , the allegations of fraud causing the challenges in the first place ?
Also , the fraud being alleged is not “ widespread , ” but targeted .
Anyway , now even sworn testimony is disallowed .
Everything goes down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indeed .
As we ’ ve reported , Binnall testified about widespread fraud in Nevada .
“ Thousands upon thousands of voters in Nevada had their voices canceled out by election fraud and invalid ballots , ” he told the senators .
He explained that this was made possible by state legislators rushing to pass a bill called AB4 on August 3 of this year , relaxing restrictions on mail-in ballots .
( Ah , yes , the mail-in ballots . )
And later , when the campaign sought to perform audits of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ denied transparency .
Binnall said the campaign was refused access by state election officials to the code of voting machines for a forensic review of whether “ they were hooked up to the internet.
” “ We weren ’ t allowed near them , ” he said .
They were denied access “ at every single turn , ” he said , adding that one Nevada official “ locked himself in his office ” and wouldn ’ t open the door when Trump ’ s lawyers tried to serve him a subpoena .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Giuliani is right : for an election that was supposedly perfect , they sure are trying to lock investigators out .
Why would they make themselves look so bad unless the truth were worse ?
This isn ’ t going away .
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events .
A New York Times best-selling author , he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN .

When did it become okay for subpoenas just to be ignored?
I thought when you were served with a subpoena, you were supposed to show up to testify or provide documentation. But, apparently, subpoenas concerning the 2020 election don’t count. Officials have suddenly become extremely protective of their voting machines and election records.
Just one example: Friday, in Maricopa County (Phoenix area), the Board of Supervisors rejected a subpoena from the Arizona State Senate Judiciary Committee to look at voting machines, which happen to be Dominion machines. Maricopa County is filing its own lawsuit. The chairman called the senate subpoena “a slap in the face.”
Rudy Giuliani responded: “We get a warrant to search all of the machines; why would you ever not want people to look at voting machines? Voting machines aren’t private.”
“If those machines were straight as an arrow,” he said, “they’d have put them out a month ago. Are people stupid? Don’t they realize when somebody resists a subpoena to examine voting machines, and we’re claiming fraud, and they’re claiming no fraud, the person who wants to reveal it is the one who’s right?”
Here’s more on that point from Giuliani.
Recall that Dominion Voting Systems’ CEO, John Poulos, has said, “No one has produced credible evidence of vote fraud or vote switching on Dominion systems because these things have not happened.” You know, if no one has produced evidence of problems with Dominion systems (a claim that is debatable), it might just be because they’re not allowed to examine them!
Here’s more discussion.
Intimidation and Retaliation
Second, when did it become okay for lawyers to intimidate other lawyers and judges so badly that they refuse even to take cases? Jonathan Turley has expressed major concern about this, as we’ve reported. Now a former Wisconsin judge has testified to the Senate Homeland Security Committee that “the court system has been deeply intimidated by the left, just as the lawyers have been intimidated.” His testimony is detailed in The Epoch Times; we recommend a subscription for access to all their election-related stories.
Attorney James Troupis called this “a sad, sad state of affairs.”
He explained to senators why he decided to take this case: “One of the reasons I was called [was] because virtually every major law firm in the country and in this city [Washington DC] refused to represent the President,” he said. “Not because of the lack of merit in his claims — we’ve certainly demonstrated that there’s merit — but because of the cancel culture.”
Though most in the media will not report the truth about this, Troupis is right that most of the election lawsuits have been tossed for procedural reasons, not for lack of merit.
Troupis said he believes many prominent law firms did not want to participate due to a fear of retaliation by the left. And in this age of hyper-partisanship and “cancel culture,” we can guess what forms that might take: personal threats, professional shaming, even loss of clientele. It’s an effort to deny President Trump legal representation, which is about as un-American as it gets.
This environment, Troupis said, “has intimidated lawyers so that they can’t be here. They’re not here, from the giant law firms, precisely because they were ordered by their management committees and others that, ‘You cannot take those cases … because our clients, or the Democratic Party, or the incoming administration will remember that and they will hold it against you.’
“As a former judge, I was so incensed by that.”
And since when is it okay for election boards to just brush off challenges the way this board in Cobb County, Georgia, did? The details are here in this must-read story.
Georgia Gobbledygook
The kicker is this statement to True the Vote from exalted Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who tries to cover all his bases while passing the buck: “I’ve said since Election Day that I must follow the law in the execution of our elections, and I’ve also encouraged Georgians to report any suspected problems for our office to investigate. Though federal law restricts our ability to update our voter registration lists, the Elector Challenge is a vehicle under our law to ensure voter integrity. I support any effort that builds faith in our election system that follows the proper procedure.”
Get that? The Elector Challenge is a good thing, and I support good things, so report your suspicions, even though it won’t do you a doggone bit of good because we can’t fix it — certainly not in time for the Senate run-offs — and that’s the federal government’s fault, and, well, just continue to believe in the system.
YouTube Censors Congressional Testimony!
Finally, when did it become okay for social media to censor even hard evidence and official testimony, not because the story isn’t true — it’s sworn to be true — but because it might challenge the “narrative” that some have chosen to believe, the one that requires Biden to have outperformed even Obama while, overall, Democrats did poorly?
As The Epoch Times reports, Trump lawyer Jesse Binnall says YouTube removed his opening statement from last week’s Senate Homeland Security hearings on election “irregularities.”
Binnall tweeted: “YouTube has decided that my opening statement in the U.S. Senate, given under oath and based upon hard evidence, is too dangerous for you to see; they have removed it. To this day, ‘our evidence has never been refuted, only ignored.’ Why is Google so afraid of the truth? #BigBrother”
It doesn’t matter to Google that there are still legal challenges going on. They announced that since the so-called “safe harbor” day has passed — though congressional certification isn’t till Jan. 6 — they would simply REMOVE “content alleging widespread fraud or errors changed the outcome of a historical U.S. presidential election.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Incidentally, what makes this election more “historical” than any other, besides, ironically, the allegations of fraud causing the challenges in the first place? Also, the fraud being alleged is not “widespread,” but targeted.
Anyway, now even sworn testimony is disallowed. Everything goes down the memory hole. Big Brother, indeed.
The Widespread Fraud in Nevada
As we’ve reported, Binnall testified about widespread fraud in Nevada. “Thousands upon thousands of voters in Nevada had their voices canceled out by election fraud and invalid ballots,” he told the senators. He explained that this was made possible by state legislators rushing to pass a bill called AB4 on August 3 of this year, relaxing restrictions on mail-in ballots. (Ah, yes, the mail-in ballots.) And later, when the campaign sought to perform audits of voting machines and ballots, they were denied transparency.
Binnall said the campaign was refused access by state election officials to the code of voting machines for a forensic review of whether “they were hooked up to the internet.” “We weren’t allowed near them,” he said. They were denied access “at every single turn,” he said, adding that one Nevada official “locked himself in his office” and wouldn’t open the door when Trump’s lawyers tried to serve him a subpoena.
You can read his testimony here.
Giuliani is right: for an election that was supposedly perfect, they sure are trying to lock investigators out. Why would they make themselves look so bad unless the truth were worse? This isn’t going away.
Mike Huckabee is the former governor of Arkansas and longtime conservative commentator on issues in culture and current events. A New York Times best-selling author, he hosts the weekly talk show Huckabee on TBN.
Originally published at MikeHuckabee.com. Reprinted with permission


thestream--2020-12-21--‘Level the Playing Field a Bit’: ‘Ethics Expert’ Implies Vaccines Shouldn’t Be Prioritized for Elder

‘Level the Playing Field a Bit’: ‘Ethics Expert’ Implies Vaccines Shouldn’t Be Prioritized for Elderly Because They’re ‘Whiter’

An ethics expert suggested that “ whiter ” elderly Americans should not be prioritized for coronavirus vaccines in order to “ level the playing field a bit.
” A December New York Times story examines anxieties over who should receive the highly anticipated coronavirus vaccines first — the most vulnerable populations , such as the elderly and those with serious medical conditions , or essential workers .
Dr. Harold Schmidt , an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania , suggested to the Times that elderly white Americans should not be prioritized for receiving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the playing field a bit.
” He said that putting essential workers ahead of the elderly is reasonable , noting that essential workers are disproportionately minorities , the Times reported .
“ Older populations are whiter , ” Schmidt told the Times .
“ Society is structured in a way that enables them to live longer .
Instead of giving additional health benefits to those who already had more of them , we can start to level the playing field a bit.
” The associate professor encouraged the Center for Disease Control and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vulnerability index , ” which uses “ census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before , during , or after disasters.
” Variables include overcrowded housing , lack of access to vehicles , and poverty .
“ This is ghastly , ” Rothman said .
“ This is the kind of dispassionate empiricism we ’ ve come to expect .
Trust the science.
” Rothman , who is the author of the 2019 book Unjust : Social Justice and the Unmaking of America , added that he “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Schmidt emphasized to the DCNF that “ the fundamental point ” of his comments was that “ among the population 65 and older , many can live socially distanced safely and with reasonable inconvenience for a few more months.
” “ But far more among the essential workers don ’ t have that option , [ especially ] frontline workers , ” he continued .
“ Therefore , vaccinating all healthy people 65+ before essential workers is likely to make racial and economic disparities worse.
” Within each population group , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a measure such as a social vulnerability index , to make sure that more vulnerable people are offered a vaccine first.
” Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience .
For licensing opportunities of our original content , please contact licensing @ dailycallernewsfoundation.org .

An ethics expert suggested that “whiter” elderly Americans should not be prioritized for coronavirus vaccines in order to “level the playing field a bit.”
A December New York Times story examines anxieties over who should receive the highly anticipated coronavirus vaccines first — the most vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and those with serious medical conditions, or essential workers.
Dr. Harold Schmidt, an assistant professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, suggested to the Times that elderly white Americans should not be prioritized for receiving the vaccine in order to “level the playing field a bit.”
He said that putting essential workers ahead of the elderly is reasonable, noting that essential workers are disproportionately minorities, the Times reported.
“Older populations are whiter,” Schmidt told the Times. “Society is structured in a way that enables them to live longer. Instead of giving additional health benefits to those who already had more of them, we can start to level the playing field a bit.”
The associate professor encouraged the Center for Disease Control and Prevention committee to integrate its “social vulnerability index,” which uses “census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters.” Variables include overcrowded housing, lack of access to vehicles, and poverty.
Commentary associate editor Noah Rothman highlighted Schmidt’s suggestions in a Friday morning tweet.
“This is ghastly,” Rothman said. “This is the kind of dispassionate empiricism we’ve come to expect. Trust the science.”
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
Rothman, who is the author of the 2019 book Unjust: Social Justice and the Unmaking of America, added that he “warned you people about social justice.”
Schmidt emphasized to the DCNF that “the fundamental point” of his comments was that “among the population 65 and older, many can live socially distanced safely and with reasonable inconvenience for a few more months.”
“But far more among the essential workers don’t have that option, [especially] frontline workers,” he continued. “Therefore, vaccinating all healthy people 65+ before essential workers is likely to make racial and economic disparities worse.”
Within each population group, he said, it is critical to “use a measure such as a social vulnerability index, to make sure that more vulnerable people are offered a vaccine first.”
Copyright 2020 The Daily Caller News Foundation
Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available without charge to any eligible news publisher that can provide a large audience. For licensing opportunities of our original content, please contact [email protected].


thestream--2020-12-22--Military Photo of the Day: Spreading Christmas Cheer

An Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief recently delivers packages to people in the remote Alaskan villages of @ @ @ @ @ and Nanwalek .
Thank you to our brave men and women in uniform for spreading @ @ @ @ @ and throughout the world !

An Alaska National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief recently delivers packages to people in the remote Alaskan villages of Stevens Village, Birch Creek and Nanwalek.
Thank you to our brave men and women in uniform for spreading Christmas cheer in our country and throughout the world!
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.


thestream--2020-12-22--2020: The Year Hate Made the World Go Round

Hate has become the emotion of choice for a lot of people this year — including a whole bunch of Christians .
It ’ s more evident than ever just how toxic our culture is .
2020 has been quite the litmus test for love and civility .
I was recently interviewed about a recent article I wrote for The Stream titled Is Today ’ s Prophetic Movement Fake News ?
In the midst of a discussion on the unhealthy nature of much of today ’ s prophetic movement , I noted that I ’ m concerned that the church @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided us .
The church ’ s often volatile reactions to the pressures of this season have been telling .
People from all sides , the left , the right , the saved and the lost have been spewing poisonous personal revelations about everything from masks to freedom to Trump to equality .
No , there ’ s nothing wrong with holding to a strong opinion on important matters .
We ’ d be socially dead if we didn ’ t .
However , the moment we villainize , attack , shame , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us is the moment our true , dark hearts are revealed .
We Weren ’ t Ready for 2020 and We Aren ’ t Ready for 2021 I wrote an article for Charisma Magazine on January , 2nd 2020 , just as the year was beginning and well before true concern for COVID-19 had arrived .
Few knew about the coming pestilence , or at least the severity of it .
I re-read the article and got chills .
The call was clear : adopt humility , fervent prayer and a radical devotion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the plagues and pestilence visit us : 2020 is here .
Does God have good plans for His true , remnant church ?
Sure .
However , His true church isn ’ t primarily concerned about that .
Those aren ’ t the words they want to hear .
They are in tune with the assault of the spirit of the age , with the immorality in the land , with the abominations that both the world and the church are in alignment with and with possible judgment and wrath that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t turn .
They are crying out for God to prophetically speak about this stuff .
They want to be warned , and they want to share those warnings with the world .
I ’ m not saying the following passage is a prophetic word , but it sure is a much better exhortation than many I ’ m reading concerning the new year .
I propose we do this : “ When I shut up the heaven and there is no rain , or when I command the locusts to devour the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , if My people , who are called by My name , will humble themselves and pray , and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways , then I will hear from heaven , and will forgive their sin and will heal their land .
Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer of this place ( 2 Chron .
7:13-15 , MEV ) .
I ’ d encourage you to read the entire article here .
While so much of prophecy today is an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true call of the Spirit of God in this hour .
Humility , love , prayer and holiness are most certainly part of that call .
The Church Should be Leading the Way in Prayer In the face of the greatest global chaos in any of our lifetimes , the church should have been leading the way by calling for solemn assemblies , heart-wrenching prayer meetings and whatever else must happen to see a move of God overtake us .
Instead , too many have become enraged , offended and puffed up at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shutting down the churches .
Why ?
So they can get back to their tired , predictable and mostly powerless 90-minute karaoke sing-a-long ’ s and story telling sessions ?
Before you become unglued ( yet again ) , allow me to make a point .
I too have opinions and strong beliefs .
I firmly believe the Bible outranks our governmental officials .
When God in his Word commands us to meet together , we meet together .
We should do it safely and with wisdom , but , in my opinion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be gathering together .
However , if we rise up in pride against supposed tyranny just so we , in a spirit of independence , can have our way ( in the guise of protecting our Constitutional rights ) then we have failed .
Rebellion can never be a Christian ’ s weapon against our oppressors .
Today we have companies of arrogant , spiritualized rebels , defying authority in the name of God , as God himself resists them .
2020 is the year of losing friends , or at least a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ true friends were .
Social media has allowed for the unleashing of all types of self-important proclamations .
Don ’ t dare have an opposing opinion about masks , our President , racial issues , our freedoms , the Constitution or pretty much anything else unless you want to be assaulted in the comments .
It ’ s disgusting .
No matter how righteous your pursuit is , handling it without love , honor and respect will nullify it .
I ’ m stunned most every day at how rude blood-bought Christians can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Have you not encountered the love and the fear of the Lord ?
I mean , really had an overwhelming encounter where our omnipotent , holy and all-consuming God laid you out ?
If not , I propose you cease all of your attempts at heroism in our social fabric and hit your knees .
Cry out to God with raw , guttural groans .
Repent .
Yearn for his presence and his glory to saturate you .
Ask for your hip to be taken out and for a tongue of fire to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ else matters .
That brings me to those of you who have had such encounters , yet you still don ’ t know how to love .
Stop everything .
Learn to love .
I ’ m not talking about the sappy , passive , new age , beta-male style “ kindness ” that is being promoted ( mostly by unbelievers ) all over the world .
In fact , check out one of my most popular articles , The Great Love Deception , to understand just what I mean and what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world love .
False love is truly on the rise and we must expose it and promote true , biblically defined love .
Philippians 1:9-10 ( MSG ) 9 So this is my prayer : that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well .
Learn to love appropriately .
You need to use your head and test your feelings 10 so that your love is sincere and intelligent , not sentimental gush .
Live a lover ’ s life , circumspect and exemplary , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are to learn to love appropriately .
This scripture is a critical exhortation !
Why ?
It means there are inappropriate ways to love .
There are deceptions that feel right , but are poor representations or even counterfeits of truth .
As God ’ s love begins to manifest in such amazing , deeper ways at the end of the age , we have to be aware that the enemy will work hard to redefine , misrepresent and twist true love .
He has a castrated version to offer us .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many who were once grounded Believers , who have bought into this supposed new revelation of love , and the stench is putrid .
Supposedly Donald Trump is the candidate of arrogance , division and hatred while Joe Biden promotes humility , unity and love .
People who wear masks are the poster children for true love while those who are anti-mask are selfish and hateful of others .
Those who make such claims are delusional beyond belief .
( On the contrary , those who refuse to wear masks when required @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the matter have no idea what love looks like either .
Neither do those who cancel everyone in their lives who don ’ t support Donald Trump .
I could go on and on . )
Love can ( and often should ) be very direct , unrelenting , unapologetic and aggressive .
However , it must be done with grace , honor and respect .
The alternative ?
Well , 2020 has taught us that anything from riots to destroying people ’ s lives when we disagree with them is on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are watching the world , and weeping .
The vaccine has arrived , and now people are shaming whoever their political enemies are for being among the first to take it .
It ’ s yet another opportunity for them to accuse their foes of killing grandma .
Both the left and the right , and Hollywood and Nashville , and every other sphere of influence in our nation have been guilty of hatred .
The right assaults Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , Nancy Pelosi , Joe Biden , Alyssa Milano and many others on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the left attacks with vengeance Donald Trump and anyone who even whispers a minute amount of support for him or his policies .
Yet , more sadly , the world is watching the church .
And , with some notable exceptions , I believe the church has failed miserably this year .
Where is the anointing ?
The power ?
The undeniable , supernatural love ?
Too many of today ’ s Christians have chosen social justice over holy justice .
We need an other-worldly move of God to absolutely crush our nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are truly repentant ( and repenting ) , who are rending their hearts , who are interceding for their enemies instead of bashing them ?
Where are those who are more interested in the salvation of Washington D.C. and Hollywood then they are in campaigning for the restoration and protection of their personal freedoms ?
Are there any who , while still maintaining concern for the direction of our nation , will focus mostly on contending for their enemy ’ s souls ?
Can you imagine what would happen if some of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ genuine , undeniable , supernatural , life-altering visit by a holy , burning God ?
I suggest the following passage of Scripture would make an excellent focus of intercession for those who have yet to experience God in this way : An encounter like that would fix , overnight , the tyranny in California and New York .
It would change politics , media and the landscape of our entire nation in a moment .
More than fighting our oppressors , let ’ s truly pray with passion for them .
Let the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love .
Go hard after legitimate revival .
Start a revolution .
If you ’ d like to kick start your intercession , leave a 60-second prayer for Alyssa Milano at www.prayerteam.tv .
John Burton is a sought out teacher , prophetic messenger and revivalist .
He has authored ten books , is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine , and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer ( IHOP ) in Kansas City .
He has planted two churches and has initiated two city prayer movements and @ @ @ @ @

Hate has become the emotion of choice for a lot of people this year — including a whole bunch of Christians.
It’s more evident than ever just how toxic our culture is. 2020 has been quite the litmus test for love and civility.
I was recently interviewed about a recent article I wrote for The Stream titled Is Today’s Prophetic Movement Fake News? In the midst of a discussion on the unhealthy nature of much of today’s prophetic movement, I noted that I’m concerned that the church has wasted the opportunity that 2020 has provided us. The church’s often volatile reactions to the pressures of this season have been telling. People from all sides, the left, the right, the saved and the lost have been spewing poisonous personal revelations about everything from masks to freedom to Trump to equality. No, there’s nothing wrong with holding to a strong opinion on important matters. We’d be socially dead if we didn’t. However, the moment we villainize, attack, shame, cancel and blacklist those who disagree with us is the moment our true, dark hearts are revealed.
We Weren’t Ready for 2020 and We Aren’t Ready for 2021
I wrote an article for Charisma Magazine on January 2, 2020, just as the year was beginning and well before true concern for COVID-19 had arrived. Few knew about the coming pestilence, or at least the severity of it. I re-read the article and got chills. The call was clear: adopt humility, fervent prayer and a radical devotion to holiness in our pursuit of Jesus as the plagues and pestilence visit us:
2020 is here. Does God have good plans for His true, remnant church? Sure. However, His true church isn’t primarily concerned about that. Those aren’t the words they want to hear. They are in tune with the assault of the spirit of the age, with the immorality in the land, with the abominations that both the world and the church are in alignment with and with possible judgment and wrath that can strike our nation if we don’t turn. They are crying out for God to prophetically speak about this stuff. They want to be warned, and they want to share those warnings with the world. I’m not saying the following passage is a prophetic word, but it sure is a much better exhortation than many I’m reading concerning the new year. I propose we do this: “When I shut up the heaven and there is no rain, or when I command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence on My people, if My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayer of this place (2 Chron. 7:13-15, MEV).
I’d encourage you to read the entire article here.
Please Support The Stream : Equipping Christians to Think Clearly About the Political, Economic, and Moral Issues of Our Day.
On December 19th, 2019, I posted to Facebook:
So much of “prophecy” today is utterly useless, a distraction and often dangerous as it leads the immature and those who can’t discern into false hope and down wrong paths. I don’t know how often I read prophecies on Facebook that cause me to say, “My time was just wasted. I didn’t need to know that, even if it is true.”
While so much of prophecy today is an embarrassment, we must respond to the true call of the Spirit of God in this hour. Humility, love, prayer and holiness are most certainly part of that call.
The Church Should be Leading the Way in Prayer
In the face of the greatest global chaos in any of our lifetimes, the church should have been leading the way by calling for solemn assemblies, heart-wrenching prayer meetings and whatever else must happen to see a move of God overtake us. Instead, too many have become enraged, offended and puffed up at political leaders for restricting their freedoms and shutting down the churches. Why? So they can get back to their tired, predictable and mostly powerless 90-minute karaoke sing-a-long’s and story telling sessions?
Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. Alas for the day! For the day of the LORD is near, and as destruction from the Almighty it comes. (Joel 1:14–15, ESV)
Before you become unglued (yet again), allow me to make a point. I too have opinions and strong beliefs. I firmly believe the Bible outranks our governmental officials. When God in his Word commands us to meet together, we meet together. We should do it safely and with wisdom, but, in my opinion, I am convinced that we should be gathering together. However, if we rise up in pride against supposed tyranny just so we, in a spirit of independence, can have our way (in the guise of protecting our Constitutional rights) then we have failed. Rebellion can never be a Christian’s weapon against our oppressors. Today we have companies of arrogant, spiritualized rebels, defying authority in the name of God, as God himself resists them.
For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry (1 Samuel 15:23, NKJV) God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6, ESV)
Fights, Accusations, Division and Hatred
2020 is the year of losing friends, or at least a time when we learned just who our true friends were.
Social media has allowed for the unleashing of all types of self-important proclamations. Don’t dare have an opposing opinion about masks, our President, racial issues, our freedoms, the Constitution or pretty much anything else unless you want to be assaulted in the comments. It’s disgusting. No matter how righteous your pursuit is, handling it without love, honor and respect will nullify it.
I’m stunned most every day at how rude blood-bought Christians can be, especially on social media. Have you not encountered the love and the fear of the Lord? I mean, really had an overwhelming encounter where our omnipotent, holy and all-consuming God laid you out? If not, I propose you cease all of your attempts at heroism in our social fabric and hit your knees. Cry out to God with raw, guttural groans. Repent. Yearn for his presence and his glory to saturate you. Ask for your hip to be taken out and for a tongue of fire to ignite over you. Honestly, little else matters.
A Biblical Love
That brings me to those of you who have had such encounters, yet you still don’t know how to love. Stop everything. Learn to love. I’m not talking about the sappy, passive, new age, beta-male style “kindness” that is being promoted (mostly by unbelievers) all over the world. In fact, check out one of my most popular articles, The Great Love Deception, to understand just what I mean and what I don’t mean when I mention the world love. False love is truly on the rise and we must expose it and promote true, biblically defined love.
From the article:
Philippians 1:9-10 (MSG) 9 So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings 10 so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of … We are to learn to love appropriately. This scripture is a critical exhortation! Why? It means there are inappropriate ways to love. There are deceptions that feel right, but are poor representations or even counterfeits of truth. As God’s love begins to manifest in such amazing, deeper ways at the end of the age, we have to be aware that the enemy will work hard to redefine, misrepresent and twist true love. He has a castrated version to offer us.
I’ve run into several people, many who were once grounded Believers, who have bought into this supposed new revelation of love, and the stench is putrid. Supposedly Donald Trump is the candidate of arrogance, division and hatred while Joe Biden promotes humility, unity and love. People who wear masks are the poster children for true love while those who are anti-mask are selfish and hateful of others. Those who make such claims are delusional beyond belief. (On the contrary, those who refuse to wear masks when required and pout like children when pressed on the matter have no idea what love looks like either. Neither do those who cancel everyone in their lives who don’t support Donald Trump. I could go on and on.)
Love can (and often should) be very direct, unrelenting, unapologetic and aggressive. However, it must be done with grace, honor and respect. The alternative? Well, 2020 has taught us that anything from riots to destroying people’s lives when we disagree with them is on the table.
The World is Watching
Yes, we as believers are watching the world, and weeping. The vaccine has arrived, and now people are shaming whoever their political enemies are for being among the first to take it. It’s yet another opportunity for them to accuse their foes of killing grandma.
Both the left and the right, and Hollywood and Nashville, and every other sphere of influence in our nation have been guilty of hatred. The right assaults Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Nancy Pelosi, Joe Biden, Alyssa Milano and many others on a daily basis. Of course, the left attacks with vengeance Donald Trump and anyone who even whispers a minute amount of support for him or his policies.
Yet, more sadly, the world is watching the church. And, with some notable exceptions, I believe the church has failed miserably this year.
Where is the anointing? The power? The undeniable, supernatural love? Too many of today’s Christians have chosen social justice over holy justice. We need an other-worldly move of God to absolutely crush our nation. Where are God’s people who are truly repentant (and repenting), who are rending their hearts, who are interceding for their enemies instead of bashing them?
Where are those who are more interested in the salvation of Washington D.C. and Hollywood then they are in campaigning for the restoration and protection of their personal freedoms? Are there any who, while still maintaining concern for the direction of our nation, will focus mostly on contending for their enemy’s souls?
Pray With Passion
Can you imagine what would happen if some of our nation’s influencers had a genuine, undeniable, supernatural, life-altering visit by a holy, burning God?
I suggest the following passage of Scripture would make an excellent focus of intercession for those who have yet to experience God in this way:
Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. The hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last (Revelation 1:12–17, ESV)
An encounter like that would fix, overnight, the tyranny in California and New York. It would change politics, media and the landscape of our entire nation in a moment.
More than fighting our oppressors, let’s truly pray with passion for them. Let the tears flow. Cry out. Pursue love. Go hard after legitimate revival. Start a revolution.
If you’d like to kick start your intercession, leave a 60-second prayer for Alyssa Milano at www.prayerteam.tv.
John Burton is a sought out teacher, prophetic messenger and revivalist. He has authored ten books, is a regular contributor to Charisma Magazine, and directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer (IHOP) in Kansas City. He has planted two churches and has initiated two city prayer movements and a school of ministry.