I’m all for defending our president when he’s the subject of unjust attacks. And as a follower of Jesus, I voted for him, despite my misgivings. I’m also very happy to point out the many good things he has already done as president. But I will not sacrifice my ethics and demean my faith to defend his wrongful words. To do that is to lose all credibility before a watching world.

Plenty of Christians and non-Christians had a hard time understanding how so many of us evangelicals could vote for a candidate who seemed to be so thoroughly un-evangelical. But when we explained that we were voting against Hillary, that Supreme Court appointees were important to us and that Trump seemed to care about religious liberties, many of them understood our vote. They see we’re not whitewashing him or denying his faults. Some dissenters can even respect our choice.

But when we find it necessary to defend his every word, we discredit ourselves and tarnish our witness.

What prompted me to pen this article was the recent series of Trump tweets regarding MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski. The president wrote:

In response to this, I tweeted:

Really now, for the most powerful elected official on the planet to call liberal newscasters “Psycho Joe” and “low I.Q. Crazy Mika” is indefensible. (Let’s not even discuss the “bleeding” reference and where that leads.) And to defend him—I mean for us to defend him as Christian conservatives—is even less defensible.

We can be loyal to the president and still be ashamed of such language. We can support him and still say, “Mr. President, you demean yourself with such behavior, and you’ll never get the respect you desire if you sink so low.” In fact, that’s what real loyalty and support look like.

But when we find it necessary to stand up for him, as if he’s the weak little victim being attacked by these terrible giants, we also demean ourselves. And what if it was your son or daughter or spouse or parent whom the president was attacking with such language? How would you feel? When he does this, he ultimately hurts himself.

One man responded to my tweet saying, “This perfect Savior had a very blue-collar flavor which we try to scrub away with our sensibilities. Newscasters need accountability too.”

First, no one is denying that newscasters need accountability, and there are a slew of conservative newscasters blasting the liberals day and night (and vice versa). Second, and more important, it is ridiculous and almost obscene to compare our perfect Savior’s rebukes of sinners with the president calling TV journalists “psycho” and “crazy.”

But this man who tweeted to me was not the only one to make the Trump-Jesus comparison. At least two ministers defended Trump on my Twitter account, with one also comparing Trump’s words to those of Jesus and Paul. (I’m just referencing them here rather than posting their tweets here; perhaps they’ve had a change of heart. You know things are really bad when ministers of the gospel compare Trump’s words to those of Jesus.)

One Christian woman was indignant with me: “You’ve gone too far!  You Sir, are not God Almighty and do not speak for Him!”

I’ve gone too far by saying we ought not defend the president’s childlike words? I’ve gone too far in suggesting that the president would do well to read what Proverbs says about the conduct of kings? (I tweeted out the Proverbs reference during the interaction.) I’ve gone too far in saying that we, as followers of Jesus, should find these tweets embarrassing?

Another wrote, “No need to be ashamed, hope he keeps it up.” Yes, I hope that the president keeps disparaging people in the crudest, most immature manner. I’m cheering you on!

Still another added: “Christians don’t look at the faults of a person just the answer to them. Not ashamed of a person who doesn’t hide their emotions.”

I wonder what these Christians would be saying if Hillary Clinton were our president and she was the one ridiculing conservative newscasters in such crass terms?

Then there were those who felt sorry for Mr. Trump. They tweeted that the media is not fair to him and that he gets death threats all the time. Surely he has to protect himself!

Once again, such responses boggle the mind. He is the most protected man on the planet, and to my knowledge, these newscasters are not trying to kill him. And how, pray tell, is he defending himself by calling them ugly names? If they misrepresent him, he can set the record straight, but he need not throw mud in their faces. The mud he throws will only splatter back. And the best way to push back against his critics is to push forward with the agenda they hate.

But for us to defend his every tweet is to make ourselves into stooges more than supporters, helping no one in the end.

This week, Ann Coulter attacked Sean Hannity, writing, “Sean Hannity, bless his heart, has the zeal of the late Trump convert. He would endorse communism if Trump decided to implement the policies of The Communist Manifesto. (Which the GOP’s health care bill actually does!)”

I will leave that battle to them, but the reminder for us is that loyalty does not require blind allegiance.

So, if you’re a Christian conservative, put the shoe on the other foot, and ask yourself how you’d be feeling had President Obama gone after, say, Rush Limbaugh and Laura Ingraham like this. Would you be defending him? {eoa}

As promised, the House of Representatives voted and passed both the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act and Kate’s Law, two key pieces of legislation President Donald Trump has been eager to see on his desk.

Kate’s Law increases criminal penalties for illegal immigrants who repeatedly re-enter the country illegally, and is named for Kate Steinle, who was killed by an illegal immigrant who had been deported five times. The No Sanctuary for Criminals Act restricts taxpayer grant money to cities that prevent their police from turning over dangerous criminal aliens to federal authorities.

But, those bills still need to get through the Senate, what has been mired by Democrat obstructionism. After the House passed both bills, however, the president used his “bully pulpit” to lobby directly to the American people for the Senate to get on board and pass the bills.

“During my campaign, I met many grieving families who all had the same plea: lawmakers must put the safety of American families first,” he said. “Today, I applaud the House for passing two crucial measures to save and protect American lives. These were bills I campaigned on and that are vital to our public safety and national security…

“Every year, countless Americans are victimized, assaulted, and killed by illegal immigrants who have been deported multiple times. It is time for these tragedies to end … Sanctuary cities are releasing violent criminals, including members of the bloodthirsty MS-13 gang, back onto our streets every single day. Innocent Americans are suffering unthinkable violence as a result of these cities’ reckless actions.”

The president said the House bill also includes two provisions known as Grant’s Law and Sarah’s Law, which prevent the release of dangerous criminals awaiting removal proceedings. They are named for two slain Americans whose parents he spent time with during the 2016 presidential campaign. He said enacting these laws will make communities safer, and without them, dangerous criminals will be allowed back into American communities, schools, and neighborhoods, putting everyone at risk.

In this segment, we discuss the critical mistakes that were made by King Saul and how many ministries and ministers today are making these same mistakes, resulting in many falling and their ministries being left in ruins. For the entire message, watch the video:

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Ricky Scaparo is a former pastor and founder of the international ministry End Time Headlines. This ministry has exploded over the past few years, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers and subscribers via the website () and social media streams. Ricky provides resources to equip believers and to inform the discerning of the signs and seasons in which we live. His mission is to inform his readers and viewers of prophetic events and how they are unfolding before our very eyes through news and headlines presented from a prophetic perspective in light of the Holy Bible. This ministry is also an outreach ministry that presents the gospel to the lost through preaching and teaching of the Word of God.

This article originally appeared at .

I have often heard pastors and teachers, teach on the subject of double-mindedness, but what if I told you it was much deeper than what we think?

The Bible says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:8). There are two words to consider in this passage: the first is “double-minded,” which comes from the Greek word dipsychos, which means “wavering or divided interest.” The root of this word literally means to have two psychologies or dual consciousness. The double-minded person literally has two agendas operating inside them. Another translation is “two souls.”

Often, the double-minded person is unaware that they are working against their own vision or assignment because of a division in their soul. This division is usually a result of trauma. This trauma can range from molestation, abandonment, rejection, divorce, betrayal or church hurt. A woman praying for a husband while sabotaging relationships. A man praying to be in a position of authority while actively dishonoring leadership. Or a person saying they are looking for a good church but failing to commit when they find one. These are all examples of double-mindedness.

The other word to consider is the word “unstable.” This word comes from the Greek word akatastatos, which means unable to stand or unable to be set. The friction between the two personalities of the double-minded person creates an atmosphere of spiritual and emotional instability. They are never “settled” in their purpose, and ultimately, they never fulfill their destiny in God.

This is more than a deliverance issue. The double-minded person needs to be healed and made whole from the self-inflicted damage they have undergone. They must kill the other ungodly (false) personality that has been given influence over their thinking. Then and only then will they experience real stability and lasting change.

It is like a clay pot that is broken into pieces; the fragments are dispersed in different directions. That vessel is no longer capable of holding any water. God spoke to the children of Israel through the Prophet Jeremiah say, “For my people have committed two evils; They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water: (Jer. 2:13).

Many people in the church are like those broken cisterns. They are incapable of containing the living water. They go from conference to conference, from church to church, looking for a move from God, and they are unaware that until they allow the Holy Spirit to mend their broken pieces; nothing God does in their life will be sustainable.

The good news is found in Jeremiah 18:3-6:

Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was making something on the wheel. Yet the vessel that he made of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying:  O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter? says the Lord. As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

The God that we serve is in the business of restoration. He (and He alone) is more than capable of bringing us to the place called wholeness. As the psalmist wrote, “He restores my soul” (Ps. 23:3a). It is time for the body of Christ to allow the Holy Spirit to produce in us the single-mindedness necessary to release revival to this generation. {eoa}

Dr. Kynan Bridges is senior pastor of Grace & Peace Global Fellowship, Inc. Visit .

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C., for a series of meetings that continue Friday that will cover a wide range of critical issues, and not just those involving North Korea and its nuclear weapons ambitions.

The President Donald Trump held a dinner in Moon’s honor Thursday evening. At that event, the two men began the process of getting to know one another outside of the influence of career diplomatic officials, a critical step in gaining each other’s trust and forging more than just official ties between them.

At the dinner, the president said:

“We’re going to have tremendous discussions tonight. I know you’ve been discussing with our people some of the complexities of North Korea and trade and other things, and we’ll be discussing them all as we progress—and it could be very well late into the evening.

“We very much respect you and we very much respect the people of South Korea.

“I’d like to also congratulate you upon your election victory. It was a great victory, and you did a fantastic job. A lot of people didn’t expect that, and I did expect it. I thought that was going to happen. So I want to congratulate you very much.

“And thank you also, thank you for coming.”

The White House has not yet released any readouts from Thursday’s late-night meetings. It did, however, announce a break in the meetings would take place at some point Friday so that Moon and Vice President Mike Pence could participate in a wreath ceremony at the Korean War Memorial in Washington.

American veterans of the war are expected to be on hand to observe. {eoa}

What are the marks of prayers that make a real impact? In this episode, John and Lisa launch into a series of conversations centered on what God says about prayer, how we should pursue His presence and why you should develop a vibrant prayer life.

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Best-selling authors and speakers John and Lisa Bevere founded Messenger International.

Don’t be surprised if a worldwide revival doesn’t happen before the return of Christ. I see no biblical basis for this expectation unless you are referring to the revival that happens after His return. This is the only one that seems to have a lot of biblical backing. If things don’t appear to be going in the direction of a present-day worldwide revival, it may be that there are a lot of incorrect interpretations of prophecy. There are always pockets of revival, but the idea that the church is going to prepare the earth for the return of Christ with some great revival is not an end-times view I share. The theology that says the church is going to perfect the earth before Christ’s return is probably behind the thinking that we are poised for a worldwide revival.

The likely scenario is that Christ will return so that humanity does not totally destroy itself (see Matt. 24:22 and Mark 13:20). This is the only preparation that I see for the return of Christ. Christ will ensure that this does not happen. It will not be prevented by the church. The state of the church will probably be like the church of Laodicea, which was lukewarm and carnal. Christ is going to have to do a lot of cleaning up to do after He returns. The most likely scenario is that Christianity will be in such a mess prior to His return that it will be part of the problem that He will have to fix.

John, in Revelation 19:11-16, tells us this: “I saw heaven opened. And there was a white horse. He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has a name written, that no one knows but He Himself. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood. His name is called The Word of God. The armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Out of His mouth proceeds a sharp sword, with which He may strike the nations. ‘He shall rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury and wrath of God the Almighty. On His robe and on His thigh He has a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” (see also Psalm 2).

This tells me that the world is not going to welcome the return of Christ with open arms. Notice that He will not return alone, but will be accompanied by the armies from heaven clothed in fine linen, white and clean. This sounds like angels and saints. Revelation 2:26-28 says: “To him who overcomes and keeps My works to the end, I will give authority over the nations—He ‘shall rule them with a rod of iron; like the vessels of a potter they shall be broken in pieces’—even as I myself have received authority from My Father. And I will give him the morning star.” When Christ reigns over the earth, He will have many helpers.

When Matthew 24:14 says, “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come,” I believe that this will be fulfilled after Christ returns. The gospel of the kingdom will be just that. Most of the time, this is interpreted as the present-day gospel. It can also be interpreted as the gospel or Good News of the kingdom reign of Christ during the millennium, which occurs before the end of the world. This gospel will probably have elements of both Christianity and Judaism, but will not be Christianity or Judaism as we know them today.

This will be the time when the world gets filled with the knowledge of the Lord (see Isaiah 11:9). I believe that this is the restoration of all things that is spoken of in Acts 3:20-21: “And that He may send the One who previously was preached to you, Jesus Christ, whom the heavens must receive until the time of restoring what God spoke through all His holy prophets since the world began.”

I believe that the order of end-times events is found in the book of Revelation. First, there is the wrath of God. After that there is God’s millennial reign over the earth. It is only in the book of Revelation that the reign of Christ is specifically mentioned as a 1,000-year period (see Rev. 20:4). Then Satan is loosed for a season. Finally, there is the new heaven and new earth after the end of the world.

The resurrection of the just appears to happen before the millennium because they will probably be part of Christ’s army that will return with Him to reign over the earth.

The important thing is that we occupy until He comes to take us; and that He finds us faithful and ready.

You can download Peter Aiello’s book, Hidden Treasure by visiting his web site: .

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Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He left us with the command to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matt. 28:19a). But how do we start the conversation? Learn three vital steps in personal evangelism in this video from premier mission-sending organization Youth With A Mission (YWAM).

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Lecrae is the biggest Christian rapper there is—but he wasn’t always a Christian. Once upon a time, Lecrae was a lost young man, hurt by abuse and his father’s abandonment. He looked to rappers as his role models—but then found the greatest role model of all.

When faith and sexuality conflict, which should prevail?

Americans are divided on the question, according to a LifeWay Research study released the day after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case of a baker who cited his religious beliefs in refusing to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.

Almost half—48 percent—say religious freedom is more important in such cases. Almost a quarter (24 percent) vote for sexual freedom, and 28 percent aren’t sure, according to the study, released Tuesday (June 27).

In addition, 31 percent say religious freedom is “always more important.”

“It’s clear Americans value religious liberty,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of the Nashville, Tennessee-based evangelical research firm. “But when it comes to sex, they aren’t sure religion should have the final word. That’s especially true for younger Americans and those who aren’t religious.”

Researchers also asked about what people think motivates religious believers who oppose sexual freedom. Almost half—49 percent—said faith is the motivator. A fifth—20 percent—said the motivator is hate. Another 31 percent were not sure.

Respondents showed distinct differences on religious and sexual freedom depending on their gender, region and religious affiliation.

For example, men (30 percent) were more likely than women (19 percent) to say sexual freedom is more important than religious freedom when the two conflict. Southerners (53 percent) and Westerners (49 percent) were more likely to choose “religious freedom” than those living in the Northeast (38 percent).

The nonreligious were more likely (49 percent) to select sexual freedom than Christians (15 percent) and those of other religions (28 percent). Those with evangelical beliefs were far more likely (90 percent) to opt for religious freedom than those without them (39 percent).

The study of 1,000 people was conducted Sept. 27-Oct. 1, 2016, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. {eoa}

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