To quote Hillary Clinton, what a remarkable week it has been at the Democratic National Convention. Supporters of Bernie Sanders almost rioted several times, most protesters were kept in a “free speech cage” well away from the convention, a handful of delegates decided that it would be a good idea to hoist a Palestinian flag on the floor of the convention on Monday, and there were rumors that there was so little enthusiasm that seat fillers were being hired for Hillary Clinton’s big speech on Thursday night.

But there was some extra excitement on Thursday afternoon when vicious lightning storms forced those working in media tents just outside the Wells Fargo Center to evacuate. The following comes from CBS News…

Wind gusts, heavy rain and lightning have forced people to evacuate the media tents outside of the Wells Fargo Center and take shelter less than an hour before the opening gavel on the final night of the Democratic National Convention.

Officials say that the media tents in the vicinity of the Wells Fargo Center are not designed to fully protect people in the event of a direct lightning strike.

Was it just a coincidence that a line of severe lightning storms roared through the Philadelphia region just before Hillary Clinton’s acceptance speech?

Perhaps so, but even if it was, it seems oddly appropriate.

As I write this article, excerpts of her speech have already been released to the press. According to media reports, she plans to tell America that Donald Trump wants to pull America apart but that we are stronger if we work together…

“Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart,” Clinton plans to say in her acceptance speech, according to excerpts released by her campaign.

“Bonds of trust and respect are fraying,” Clinton will add, and the American people “have to decide whether we’re going to work together so we can all rise together,” according to the excerpts.

Doesn’t that sound good?

But of course this is coming from a woman that would literally say or do just about anything to get elected.

It is well known that the characters of Frank and Claire Underwood from the Netflix series “House of Cards” are largely based on the Clintons. For decades, virtually every move that they have made has been with the goal of advancing their political careers.

And if tugging on the heartstrings is what is needed to secure more votes, then that is exactly what they will do. Just consider Bill Clinton’s speech at the Democratic convention. Bill Clinton has been cheating on his wife for decades. He cheated on her before he was president, while he was president, and he has continued to cheat on her even though he knew that she was going to run for president in 2016.

But during his speech, he made it sound like they have had an uninterrupted 45-year love story that is the stuff that legends are made of. Millions of naive Americans were deeply touched, but those that actually know the Clintons well knew exactly what was going on. Dolly Kyle had an ongoing affair with Bill Clinton that lasted from the mid-1970s all the way to the early 1990s, and she says that the entire speech was just a charade…

“In the spring of 1971, I met a girl,” said Clinton, noting that they were both taking a political and civil rights class together.

“After the class, I followed her out, intending to introduce myself. I got close enough to touch her back, but I couldn’t do it. Somehow I knew this would not be just another tap on the shoulder, and I might be starting something I couldn’t stop,” added Clinton.

Kyle could not believe Clinton used that terminology.

“The first thing I thought when he thought about touching a female in front of him was the number of women he’s raped and sexually assaulted,” Kyle told WND and Radio America.

Hillary Clinton has emphasized the need for “unity” throughout her campaign, but the Democrats definitely are not opening up their arms to everyone in America.

There are certain types of people that are not welcome in Democratic circles, and during an interview with PBS on Wednesday, former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi made it abundantly clear who the Democrats consider the enemy to be…

“I think that, so many times, white—non-college-educated white males have voted Republican. They voted against their own economic interests because of guns, because of gays, and because of God, the three G’s, God being the woman’s right to choose,” Pelosi said in an interview with PBS’s Judy Woodruff on Wednesday. Pelosi did not elaborate on that comment, but Trump and Clinton stand on opposing sides on a number of the above-mentioned issues. Trump has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association for his support for law-abiding citizens owning guns, while Clinton has promised to “take on the gun lobby” in America and fight for “commonsense reforms,” that would include background checks and stricter gun regulations.

If you believe in the Second Amendment, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are not with you.

If you believe that sexual immorality is out of control in America, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are not with you.

And if you believe that killing babies is wrong, Hillary Clinton and the Democrats are definitely not with you.

As I have said before, Hillary Clinton is one of the most evil, wicked and corrupt politicians that America has ever seen. If the American people willingly choose her to be our next president, it is going to be very hard to have any hope for the future of this nation.

The people that we send to Washington D.C. to represent us are a reflection of who we are as a nation.

So if this November we send a monster like Hillary Clinton to the White House, what will that say about who we have become as a people?

Unfortunately, right now it seems quite likely that Hillary is going to be our next president, and that should truly frighten us all.

The Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest motivator and example of living a purposeful life that the world has ever seen! He lived by the Scriptures since He is the living Word of God (John 1:1), and this is why all the greatest books on leadership and management operate with latent biblical principles, whether intentional or not.

The following seven principles are primary ways Jesus empowered and released purpose:

1. He asked questions. Instead of just giving the answers to life’s questions, Jesus demonstrated that the best way to teach people was to ask them questions. As a matter of fact, He asked over three hundred questions and only gave answers to three of them. When we allow people to answer questions, it reveals how much they really know, what’s really in their heart and involves them in the process of discovery that enables them to remember and learn better.

2. He had goals and objectives. If a person has no specific goals or desired outcomes, they will never know if they have succeeded or not. If a person has no vision or mission, they are clueless and have no idea what their final destination will be. In contrast, when Jesus began His ministry in Nazareth the first thing He did was announce His vision statement, which was found in the words of the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:18 and Is. 61:1,2). Furthermore, Jesus operated with objectives and goals which enabled Him to fulfill His mission and vision with a daily understanding of what, when and how to function (Luke 13:32).

3. He invested his time with those who bore fruit. The Pareto principle teaches us that 80 percent of the work done is accomplished by only twenty percent of the people in any given church or organization. Jesus was wise and invested most of His time with disciples who bore much fruit instead of with the crowds. (John 15:1-7 shows that He expected His followers to bear much fruit if they abided in Him.) Even though the Pareto theory was not yet written, Jesus knew that He would get the most results from pouring into a few rather than focusing on the many. Although He ministered to the crowds, the gospels clearly show that He invested most of His time with His twelve apostles and then the seventy disciples (Luke 9:1,10:1).

4. He confronted superficial religion. Jesus did not like superficial religion and attacked religious leaders who misrepresented the heart of His Father (Matt. 23). He insisted that religious leaders allow God to first cleanse the inner man before focusing on outward rituals and religion (Matt. 23:26; Mark 7:15). Jesus also taught that religious tradition often nullifies the word of God (Mark 7:13). Since He confronted superficial religion instead of placating it, He was able to raise up powerful men of God who demonstrated the truth with signs and wonders (Acts 3:6-7).

5. He confronted political power. When Jesus was with Pilate, He confessed that His primary purpose was to be recognized as the King (John 18:37). He was not afraid of offending those loyal to Caesar (which is the main reason He was crucified). He understood that the things that ruled external culture had to be shifted to another king and different gatekeepers if true systemic change was going to take place. Furthermore, He told Pilate that the power of His kingdom did not emanate from Rome but from His father (John 18:36). He did not say that His kingdom was not in this world but that it was not of this world.

6. He was motivated by compassion. Jesus did not heal merely to demonstrate His lordship but because He was moved by compassion (Mark 1:41). He was great because He had empathy and connected to the pain of those around Him (Heb. 4: 15). Any leader without strong feelings of love for his people will not be motivated to serve and release them to greatness.

7. He was willing to die for His purpose. Life is not worth living if there is no transcendent purpose worth dying for. Jesus not only believed in His mission but also was willing to die on the cross in order to fulfill it (Heb. 12:2). Consequently, He was able to instill and inspire such passion in His followers that most of the original twelve apostles died a martyr’s death while preaching the gospel.

Truly, the seed of the early church was the blood of the first and second century church. Even today, two thousand years later, thousands of Christ followers continue to die for the cause of Christ, which is the main reason Christianity became the largest and most formidable movement in the history of the world! {eoa}

Joseph Mattera is an internationally known author, futurist, interpreter of culture and activist/theologian whose mission is to influence leaders who influence nations. He leads several organizations, including The United States Coalition of Apostolic Leaders (). He also has a blog on Charisma magazine called “The Pulse.” To order one of his books or to subscribe to his weekly newsletter, go to .

For more understanding of some of the principles found in this article, purchase Joseph Mattera’s books Ruling in the Gates and Essays On Cutting Edge Leadership.

Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of evangelist Billy Graham, is inviting people from all nations and languages to join together in the reading of God’s Word to stir a worldwide revival.

The global reading event, called 8-8-8: God Speaking, will take place the first eight days of August, which is the eighth month of the year.

It will include eight hours of Bible listening to be broken down into one hour each day. The event is in partnership with Faith Comes By Hearing.

In an online message encouraging people to take part in the event, Lotz says she’s “not just talking about a tent meeting” but something much bigger.

Her vision is a true revival, “an outpouring of God’s Spirit, where God’s people wake up.”

“In these days of chaos and confusion, hopelessness and helplessness, what would happen if everyone hit life’s pause button and made time to listen to what God has to say?” Lotz asked. “Let’s find out.”

Lotz points to the 2 Chronicles, when King Josiah read the scriptures and the people experienced revival. Also, in the book of Nehemiah, when Ezra the scribe read the word of God, the people experienced revival.

Various media applications will be available to assist in the event. Participants can sign-up to hear the word of God read in one of 900 languages in one of three ways:

• Sign up through 
• Sign up through YouVersion
• by getting the readings delivered to your inbox.

Participating radio stations will also be broadcasting the Bible readings. Participants will all be listening to the same passages, regardless of their location across the globe or their language. {eoa}

Reprinted with permission from . Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

Hunched on a bench near the gate to the Auschwitz death camp site in Poland, Pope Francis prayed silently on Friday in tribute to 1.5 million people, most of them Jews, gassed there by Nazi occupiers during World War Two.

Marking the third day of his trip to Poland for an international gathering of Catholic youth, Francis spent a few minutes speaking quietly and exchanging gifts with about 12 Auschwitz survivors, including a 101-year-old woman.

One of the male survivors gave the pope a picture of himself surrounded by other inmates in a bunk, and asked Francis to sign it. The somber-looking pope kissed each survivor.

The Argentine-born pontiff, 79, made no statement as he proceeded to walk through the barely-lit corridors of the drab, brick building of Auschwitz Block 11 which had housed prisoners selected for special punishment.

Before his trip, Francis said he had decided that silence in prayer was the best way to pay tribute to those who died.

With aides using small flashlights to light his way, Francis visited the underground cell where Franciscan monk Maksymilian Kolbe was killed after offering his life to save a Polish man whom camp handlers had picked to die of starvation.

In Auschwitz’s commemorative book, Francis wrote in Spanish: “Lord, have mercy on your people. Lord, forgiveness for so much cruelty”.

German occupation forces set up the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp during World War Two in Oswiecim, a town around 70 km (43 miles) from Poland’s second city, Krakow, in the country’s south.

Between 1940 and 1945 Auschwitz developed into a vast complex of barracks, workshops, gas chambers and crematoria.

On July 29, 1941, the camp director, in reprisal for the escape of a prisoner, chose 10 others and sentenced them to death by starvation.

When the selection was completed, Kolbe stepped forward and volunteered to die in place of one of them, Franciszek Gajowniczek. Kolbe was later killed by lethal injection but the man he saved survived the war. He was made a saint in 1982 by then-Pope John Paul II, a Pole.

On Friday, the 75th anniversary of Kolbe’s sacrifice, Francis also visited Birkenau, a part of the camp where most of the killings were committed in gas chambers.

He walked solemnly past guard towers, barbed wire fences and remains of crematoria that the Nazis blew up before the camp was liberated by the Soviet Red Army on Jan. 27, 1945.

Francis listened silently as Poland’s chief rabbi, Michael Schudrich, and a priest recited Psalm 130 meters (yards) away from the end of the infamous single rail track where cattle cars brought hundreds of thousands of prisoners to the camp.

During a visit to Rome’s synagogue in January, Francis appealed to Catholics to reject anti-Semitism and said the Holocaust, in which some six million Jews were killed, should remind everyone that human rights should be defended with “maximum vigilance”. {eoa}

© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.

U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Thursday the challenges facing Americans demand steady leadership and a collective spirit, contrasting her character with what she described as a dangerous and volatile Donald Trump.

In the biggest speech of her more than 25-year-old career in the public eye, Clinton accepted the Democratic presidential nomination for the Nov. 8 election with a promise to make the United States a country that worked for everyone.

“We are clear-eyed about what our country is up against. But we are not afraid,” she said.

She presented a sharply more upbeat view of the country than her rival Trump did when he was formally nominated for president at last week’s Republican convention, and even turned one of Republican hero Ronald Reagan’s signature phrases against the real estate developer.

“He’s taken the Republican Party a long way, from ‘Morning in America’ to ‘Midnight in America,'” Clinton said. “He wants to divide us – from the rest of the world, and from each other.”

She portrayed Trump as volatile, saying “a man you can bait with a tweet is not a man we can trust with nuclear weapons.”

While her speech lacked the electrifying qualities of President Barack Obama and a parade of other prominent Democratic speakers, Clinton spoke authoritatively and with self-assurance in her pitch to the American public.

She acknowledged some people still do not know her well.

“I get it that some people just don’t know what to make of me. So let me tell you. The family I’m from, well no one had their name on big buildings,” Clinton said in a reference to Trump. She said her family were builders of a better life and a better future for their children, using whatever tools they had and “whatever God gave them.”

As she prepared to deliver her speech, people familiar with the matter said the FBI is investigating a cyber attack against another Democratic Party group, which may be related to an earlier hack against the Democratic National Committee.

The previously unreported incident at the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, or DCCC, and its potential ties to Russian hackers, are likely to heighten accusations, so far unproven, that Moscow is trying to meddle in the U.S. election to help Trump.

Clinton said it would be her “primary mission” to create more opportunities and more good jobs with rising wages, and to confront stark choices in battling determined enemies and “threats and turbulence” around the world and at home.

‘MOMENT OF RECKONING’

“America is once again at a moment of reckoning. Powerful forces are threatening to pull us apart,” said Clinton, a former secretary of state. “No wonder people are anxious and looking for reassurance – looking for steady leadership.”

Clinton, who is vying to be the first woman elected U.S. president, called her nomination “a milestone.”

“When any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone. That’s why when there are no ceilings, the sky’s the limit,” the 68-year-old Clinton said in a speech that capped the four-day nominating convention.

The evening sounded at times more like a traditional Republican convention than a Democratic one. During retired General John Allen’s remarks, chants of “USA!” filled the hall and large flags were brought in to be waved. Speakers, some of whom included military and police officers, made frequent mentions of religion and patriotism.

“I certainly know that with her as our commander-in-chief, our foreign relations will not be reduced to a business transaction, I also know that our armed forces will not become an instrument of torture,” said Allen.

Clinton embraced her reputation as a policy wonk, offering a litany of proposals for tuition-free college, infrastructure investment, immigration reform, gun control, affordable child care, paid family leave and more.

Clinton also reached out to Republicans and to followers of primary rival Bernie Sanders, the democratic socialist U.S. senator from Vermont. His supporters chanted at times during her speech only to be drowned out by her supporters.

“Your cause is our cause,” she said.

TRUMP LEADS IN POLLS

Trump, a 70-year-old reality TV show host who has never held political office, is running just ahead of Clinton in a RealClearPolitics average of recent national opinion polls. They both garner high “unpopularity” ratings.

At a rally in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Trump said he was being criticized at the Democratic convention by people who had been friendly to him before.

“I think we’ll stay here all night because I don’t really want to go home and watch that,” he said.

Trump has portrayed the country as being under siege from illegal immigrants, crime and terrorism and as losing influence in the world. He has proposed a temporary ban on Muslims entering the country and a wall along the border with Mexico to keep illegal immigrants out.

Khizr Kahn, a Muslim whose son was one of 14 Muslims killed while serving in the military since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, drew cheers when he pulled out a pocket copy of the U.S. Constitution and said he wanted to show it to Trump.

“Hillary Clinton was right when she called my son the best of America. If it was up to Donald Trump he never would have been in America. Donald Trump consistently smears the character of Muslims,” he said.

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio called Trump a hypocrite who talked about opposing free trade deals to protect American workers but had the products sold by his companies made overseas.

“Now I’ve been fighting for a trade agenda for more than 20 years that puts American workers first and I can tell you that in all those years I’ve never ever seen Donald Trump,” said Brown, one of the most liberal members of the Senate.

“The only thing I’ve seen Donald Trump do when it comes to U.S. trade policy is run his mouth and line his pockets,” Brown said.

© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 

America is in a fight for her destiny. Our upcoming presidential election is about more than which personality or political party we prefer. A well-known Christian author has written a well-circulated blog suggesting Christians shouldn’t vote for Donald Trump. His reasons center around the poor witness and example of Christianity he believes Trump has demonstrated, and his fears that this might continue, should he be elected. (As you may know, Trump professes to be a Christian.)

Others, even major Republican leaders, have also refused to support Trump on the basis of “principle.” Many good and sincere people are struggling to decide where they stand on this important decision. Though we cannot, as a non-profit ministry, endorse a candidate, I do have some thoughts that may help as you think and pray about your choice for president.

1) First, like the aforementioned Christian author, I passionately desire to have a God-honoring, Christian President; and obviously I, too, would prefer one that exemplifies Christian principles.

2) I have also been appalled by some of Trump’s rude, mean-spirited, and even vicious attacks on others; I’ve also been disappointed at times by the pride I’ve seen in him.

3) I am as suspicious as anyone when the timing of a person’s “conversion” to Christ occurs when it is conveniently needed, whether it be prior to an election or when going before a judge; and I, too, am always looking for the fruit such a conversion should begin to manifest.

4) I do not agree with all of Trump’s positions.

But here’s where I differ with some Christians: whether or not a person speaks kindly, would provide an appropriate Christian witness or, frankly, even professes to be a believer—though, again, this would always be my preference—are not my primary litmus tests for presidential candidates or important positions of national leadership. I’m glad General George Patton helped save the world during World War II, foul mouth and all. 

Like all of us, I’ve known many individuals I would thoroughly trust in leadership or government who did not profess to be a Christian. And, on the other hand, I’ve known many professing Christians whom I would never trust to govern. (The names Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama come to mind.)

I fear that sometimes we Christians insert the same religious mindset into elections that has divided the church for centuries: If one’s theologies and religious standards don’t agree with ours, we refuse to walk or work together. It seems as though many Christians have the mistaken belief that partnering or working with someone means we agree with and support everything they believe. How absurd … and how costly. 

As an example, millions of Christians in the last presidential election refused to vote for Governor Romney because he was a Mormon. Their Christian principles, ideals and theology simply wouldn’t permit it. And what did those well-meaning, “principled” decisions give us? 

We Christians need to take another look at the principles we allow to guide us at the polls! We’ve “principled” ourselves into irrelevance and, ironically, a national loss of biblical principles. We must remember we are not electing a religious leader. And we will always be electing a flawed person to lead a flawed people. Unfortunately, the perfect candidate doesn’t exist.

When voting, consider not just the candidate, but also the issues we face. Which candidate is going to make the decisions that are best for the whole nation? And whose policies more closely align with the Word of God? Here is my suggested list of the ideals we should allow to steer us when we vote (not including the obvious intangibles of intellect, wisdom, and such):

1) God-honoring. Does this person at least profess to believe in and honor God?

2) The sanctity of life. Where does this candidate stand on abortion?

3) The Supreme Court. What type of judges will this person appoint? At least two (and perhaps up to five!) Supreme Court Justices will be appointed by the next president, which will tip the balance of power for decades. Life, morality, family, religious freedom, the Constitution and our very destiny as a nation are at stake. Reining in a renegade Supreme Court is of the utmost urgency.

4) Family. Where does this individual stand on marriage and the family unit?

5) America’s Judeo-Christian heritage. Does this candidate recognize, honor, and want to perpetuate this?

6) Our military. In light of the tenuous state of affairs around the world, would this individual build our military or cut it and make us weaker?

7) Limited government. Does this person believe government, higher taxes, and state-run programs are the solution to most problems, or do they believe government should always be the last resort and should be decreased in size?

It is absolutely critical—indeed, in my opinion it is a sacred responsibility—that all Christians vote in this election, and that we vote for the person who most fulfills these qualifications. Remember that no one is perfect and that we are not endorsing everything about the person for whom we vote. But never again should we lose by default, giving further control of our nation to those with whom we disagree most and who stand in opposition to God.

Never. {eoa}

Dutch Sheets is an internationally recognized author, teacher and conference speaker. He travels extensively, empowering believers for passionate prayer and societal transformation. Dutch has pastored, taught in several colleges and seminaries and served on the board of directors of numerous organizations. Dutch’s greatest passion is to see America experience a sweeping revival and return to its godly heritage. Dutch is a messenger of hope for America, encouraging Believers to contend for awakening in our day and reformation in our lifetime. Dutch has written over 20 books, many of which have been translated into over 30 languages.

A San Diego police officer was fatally shot and another was wounded on Thursday during a traffic stop as a suspect was taken in custody, local media reported and the department said on social media.

The officers, members of the department’s gang suppression unit, were shot during a traffic stop at about 11 p.m. local time in Southcrest, a southeastern neighborhood of San Diego, the San Diego Union Tribune reported.

The officers were taken to hospitals after the shooting. One of the officers was shot multiple times and died and the other was undergoing surgery early Friday, the newspaper reported.

“It is with a very sad heart that we announce the death of one of our officers tonight,” the department tweeted.

Police took a suspect into custody and searched for other possible suspect or suspects, according to the department’s Twitter account.

The incident comes after eight officers were shot dead in ambushes in Dallas and Baton Rouge in July, putting police departments across the United States on high alert. {eoa}

© 2016 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved.

As we explained during the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump is communicating on a totally different wavelength and to different audiences than your typical Republican politician.

He is communicating on a brand level while typical Republicans, and certainly the Democrats this week at their convention, are still mired in trying to sell policy—frequently to the detriment of their brand.

While Trump built his brand with videos and speeches by his wife and children, the Democrats have been destroying their brand by failing to display American flags at their Convention, failing to honor fallen police officers, while prominently displaying the families of thugs who fought with the police and lost, and failing to mention ISIS and Islamic terrorism, while prominently featuring gun control and climate change, the top issue of concern to only 9.2 percent of Americans.

And then there was Bill Clinton’s 45-minute infomercial on Clinton sleaze, reminding voters that electing Hillary Clinton would also bring him back to the White House.

If a typical establishment Republican like Mitt Romney was the GOP candidate this year, he would no doubt be earnestly trying to explain the “conservative” solution to climate change, but not Donald Trump.

The big story at the Democratic convention for most of Wednesday was not the Democrats—not Hillary Clinton, Tim Kaine or even President Obama, the evening’s star speaker. It was Donald Trump, who put another hole in the Clinton-Democratic brand by jokingly inviting the Russians to release the emails Clinton deleted from the server before turning it over to the FBI.

Trump’s provocation came on the heels of the unflattering revelations contained in emails hacked from the Democratic National Committee, a security breach that drove Democratic National Committee Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz from her post, and that the Democrats blamed on the Russian government.

The Democrats and their allies in the media deluded themselves into believing that Trump’s remarks were a gaffe that played directly into the Democrats’ hands by making Trump look reckless, unknowing and naive. But, as The Washington Post’s Dan Balz put it, “that is partly because the Democrats were thinking by the conventional standards of political logic, which has never been Trump’s way.”

While Trump’s supporters and the millions of other center-right voters who heard it on talk radio and social media got the joke, the Democrats and their allies in the media took the bait.

Clinton’s senior policy advisor Jake Sullivan said in a formal statement issued by Clinton’s campaign, “This has to be the first time that a major presidential candidate has actively encouraged a foreign power to conduct espionage against his political opponent. That’s not hyperbole, those are just the facts. This has gone from being a curiosity, and a matter of politics, to being a national security.”

Sullivan did not explain how the e-mails, which Clinton said were about nothing more than her “yoga routines” and wedding planning for her daughter, could possibly pose a national security risk to the United States thereby reminding Americans once again about the lies attendant to the Clinton email scandal and giving conservative talk radio and social media more ammo with which to attack Clinton.

Center-right voters and talk radio listeners are already well aware that the FBI has had the server, that it was long ago disconnected from the internet and that Clinton’s damage to national security, intentional or otherwise, has already been done.

But the media in their phony outrage over Trump’s comments about Russia hacking Clinton’s server also put air under Donald Trump’s central message, “If it is Russia,” Trump said of the hacking of the Democratic National Committee’s email system, “it’s really bad for a different reason: because it shows how little respect they have for our country.”

Trump’s brand communication strategy is driving the Democrats and Hillary Clinton nuts to the point that, as The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway put it, “Donald Trump Is Living Rent-Free In The DNC’s Head.”

And while Democrats and their media allies fumed about an imaginary alliance that has Donald Trump playing footsie with Putin and respond to every Trump jibe and provocation as if it were the sinking of the Lusitania, Trump has now taken the lead in poll after poll.

Indeed, Trump is now up by a point in the Real Clear Politics average of national polls.

CNN has Trump topping Clinton 44 percent to 39 percent in a four-way matchup including Gary Johnson (9 percent) and Jill Stein (3 percent) and by three points in a two-way head-to-head, 48 percent to 45 percent. Trump’s new edge rests largely on increased support among independents, 43 percent of whom said that Trump’s convention in Cleveland left them more likely to back him, while 41 percent were dissuaded. Pre-convention, independents split 34 percent Clinton to 31 percent Trump, with sizable numbers behind Johnson (22 percent) and Stein (10 percent). Now, 46 percent say they back Trump, 28 percent Clinton, 15 percent Johnson and 4 percent Stein.

And more importantly, the respected USC Dornsife/LA Times tracking poll shows Hillary Clinton actually getting a negative bounce from the Democratic Convention. The poll by the Los Angeles Times and the USC Dornsife Center surveyed 3,000 Americans.

According to that poll’s findings, Donald Trump has increased his lead during the DNC from +3 on Sunday to +7 on Wednesday.

And even the Reuters/Ipsos tracking poll, which has been generally unfavorable to Trump, now has him ahead among likely voters, with Trump leading 40.2 percent to 38.5 percent for Hillary.

Hillary Clinton is getting a negative bounce in the polls from the Democratic National Convention because Democrats have failed to change public perception of her brand.

The climate change message may help with the 9.2 percent of voters who think it is one of the top issues, but it is killing Clinton and the Democrats with voters in coal and oil states and other working people who wonder if the industry that employs them will be next.

In the world of commercial and retail mass marketing no one would hire Bill Clinton to sell anything, especially his wife.

It is no different in politics—unless you are a Kool-aide-drinking liberal—no one wants to buy anything from the crude, grasping, Bill Clinton.

And just by showing up he’s a one-man reminder of the scandals, the avarice, the lies and the two Americas—the lawless elite and the rest of us—that Obama and Clinton have created.

Likewise, when 68 percent of the general adult population feels the police in their community are excellent/pretty good at being helpful and friendly—a number that rises to 72 percent in rural communities and 70 percent in the suburbs, and 62 percent believe the police do not use excessive force and treat people fairly regardless of race, the Democrats made anti-police activists the stars of their Convention. (Harris poll numbers from before the Dallas and Baton Rouge murders of eight police officers.)

The Clinton brand has, in our view, taken the worst hits from the small details, many of which are in the non-verbal communications and politically correct silence emanating from the Democratic National Convention: the failure to display the American flag, the prominent role given to the families of thugs who fought with the police and lost, and perhaps most importantly, when terrorism tops the list of voter concerns, by the Democrats’ failure to mention ISIS or radical Islam on the day a French priest was killed by Muslim terrorists.

The negative perception of Clinton’s brand is solidifying and the messages coming from Philadelphia are only making it worse for Hillary.

George Rasley is editor of ConservativeHQ, a member of American MENSA and a veteran of over 300 political campaigns, including every Republican presidential campaign from 1976 to 2008. He served as lead advance representative for Governor Sarah Palin in 2008 and has served as a staff member, consultant or advance representative for some of America’s most recognized conservative Republican political figures, including President Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp. He served in policy and communications positions on the House and Senate staff, and during the George H.W. Bush administration he served on the White House staff of Vice President Dan Quayle.

Prophecy is a vital ministry in the body of Christ. Every believer can prophesy and some do, but many struggle to discern the voice of the Lord. Many others do not understand simple protocols for prophetic ministry because they have not been rightly trained, despite the Ephesians 4:11 mandate for five-fold prophets to equip the saints for the work for the ministry.

Recently, we launched prophecy rooms at Awakening House of Prayer. Prophecy rooms are a safe place where experienced prophetic ministers can share a word of the Lord to people seeking edification, exhortation and comfort. Our goal with this is two-fold: to train up prophetic people with accountability and to reach out to our community, giving them an alternative to the psychic shops that plague our region.

Listen to Jennifer’s podcast for more detail on prophetic protocols.

We have prophetic ministry guidelines because there is a biblical precedent for them. Paul outlined the definition and use of spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14. In part one of this series on prophetic protocols for exercising the simple gift of prophecy, we’ll look at 10 protocols that will help guide you as you grow in this critical gift.

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1. Expect to hear from God: As you cultivate a discerning spirit—which includes discerning the Spirit of the Lord—you will grow in the gift of prophecy. Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice” (John 10:27). You can hear the voice of the Lord. Some people come to me and say, “Well, Jennifer, the devil is telling me I can’t hear from God.” That baffles me. They are hearing into the spiritual realm and they can’t hear from God? I always tell them, “Just change the channel.”

2. Do not prophesy to someone one on one: There are times the Lord may have you do this, but in a church setting or a prophecy room setting, you don’t want to be a “parking lot prophet.” That is, you don’t want to pull someone off in the corner or prophesy one on one, especially to someone who is not part of your church community. This could lead to people twisting your words and it also leaves you without any true accountability. Prophecy should not be exercised in the dark. Even if you have a serious word for someone, another leader should be present.

Check out Jennifer LeClaire’s School of the Prophets.

3. Always record the prophetic word: In our prophecy room setting, we record the prophetic utterances for the same reason listed above. Some people hear what they want to hear no matter what we say and will declare you prophesied something at which you never even hinted. A secondary reason is so we can provide the participant with a copy in case they didn’t bring a recorder. We want people to be able to judge, meditate and war with accurate prophesies. If you give someone a prophetic word in writing, be sure to make a copy for your own files.

4. Do not showboat, get goofy or start talking in Elizabethan English: The Lord doesn’t talk to me in Elizabethan English. We don’t need to get religious to deliver a word from the Spirit. We don’t need to get loud for the sake of getting loud, to cry for the sake of seeming spiritual, to shake, rattle or roll. I am not against any manifestation of the Holy Spirit but the truth is the Holy Spirit exalts Jesus and the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10).

5. Don’t add to or take away from the prophecy: You wouldn’t add or take away from the written Word of God, right? In the same way, you don’t want to add or take away from prophetic words. Just say what you hear, nothing more and nothing less.

6. Be aware of your facial expressions and gestures: Just as you must be careful about adding or taking away from a prophecy with words, you need to also be careful about your facial expressions and gestures, especially when prophesying as a team. Don’t give a sour face when your ministry team partner is giving a prophecy. Don’t seem disinterested or otherwise emotional. Keep a straight face or smile. Stay engaged.

7. Don’t compare your flow with anyone else’s: God moves differently through different people and not everyone in a session needs to deliver a word to each person (2 Cor. 10:12).

8. In the case of a strongly bad reaction from someone in the hot seat, remain calm and peaceable and handle the situation with diplomacy: If you are delivering a personal prophecy and the person rebukes you, cries or displays some other surprising reaction, don’t get upset, defensive or otherwise disturbed. Maintain a cool spirit at all times.

9. Commit yourself to prophetic accuracy. Don’t feel pressure to prophesy. One reason some people miss it is because of that prophetic pressure.

10. Stay accountable. Admit if you are wrong. Stay humble and teachable. Receive correction so you can develop your prophetic gifting. {eoa}

The Lord Jesus Christ was the greatest motivator and example of living a purposeful life that the world has ever seen! He lived by the Scriptures since He is the living Word of God (John 1:1), and this is why all the greatest books on leadership and management operate with latent biblical principles, whether intentional or not.

The following seven principles are primary ways Jesus empowered and released purpose:

1. He asked questions.

Instead of just giving the answers to life’s questions, Jesus demonstrated that the best way to teach people was to ask them questions. As a matter of fact, He asked over three hundred questions and only gave answers to three of them. When we allow people to answer questions, it reveals how much they really know, what’s really in their heart and involves them in the process of discovery that enables them to remember and learn better.

2. He had goals and objectives.

If a person has no specific goals or desired outcomes, they will never know if they have succeeded or not. If a person has no vision or mission, they are clueless and have no idea what their final destination will be! In contrast, when Jesus began His ministry in Nazareth the first thing He did was announce His vision statement which was found in the words of the prophet Isaiah (Luke 4:18 and Is. 61:1-2). Furthermore, Jesus operated with objectives and goals which enabled Him to fulfill His mission and vision with a daily understanding of what, when and how to function (Luke 13:32).

3. He invested his time with those who bore fruit.

The Pareto principle teaches us that 80 percent of the work done is accomplished by only 20 percent of the people in any given church or organization. That being said, Jesus was wise and only invested most of His time with disciples who bore much fruit instead of with the crowds. (John 15:1-7 shows that He expected His followers to bear much fruit if they abided in Him.) Even though the Pareto theory was not yet written, Jesus knew that He would get the most results from pouring into a few rather than focusing on the many. Although He ministered to the crowds, the gospels clearly show that He invested most of His time with His twelve apostles and then the seventy disciples (Luke 9:1, 10:1).

4. He confronted superficial religion.

Jesus did not like superficial religion and attacked religious leaders who misrepresented the heart of His Father (Matt. 23). He insisted that religious leaders allow God to first cleanse the inner man before focusing on outward rituals and religion (Matt. 23:26; Mark 7:15). Jesus also taught that religious tradition often nullifies the word of God (Mark 7:13). Since He confronted superficial religion instead of placating it, He was able to raise up powerful men of God who demonstrated the truth with signs and wonders (Acts 3:6,7).

5. He confronted political power.

When Jesus was with Pilate He confessed that the primary purpose He had was to be recognized as the King (John 18:37). He was not afraid of offending those loyal to Caesar (which is the main reason He was crucified). He understood that the things that ruled external culture had to be shifted to another king and different gatekeepers if true systemic change was going to take place. Furthermore, He told Pilate that the power of His kingdom did not emanate from Rome but from His father (John 18:36). He did not say that His kingdom is not in this world but that it was not of this world!

6. He was motivated by compassion.

Jesus did not heal merely to demonstrate His lordship but because He was moved by compassion (Mark 1:41). He was great because He had empathy and connected to the pain of those around Him (Heb. 4: 15). Any leader without strong feelings of love for his people will not be motivated to serve and release them to greatness.

7. He was willing to die for His purpose.

Life is not worth living if there is no transcendent purpose worth dying for! Jesus not only believed in His mission but also was willing to die (on the cross) in order to fulfill it (Heb. 12:2). 

Consequently, He was able to instill and inspire such passion in His followers that most of the original twelve apostles died a martyr’s death while preaching the gospel. Truly, the seed of the early church was the blood of the first and second century church. Even today, two thousand years later, thousands of Christ followers continue to die for the cause of Christ, which is the main reason Christianity became the largest and most formidable movement in the history of the world!