A massive golden statue of President Donald Trump turned heads this week at Trump National Doral Miami as players, fans and media arrived for the Cadillac Championship.

The towering 15-foot display appeared outside the famed “Blue Monster” course as the PGA Tour returned to Trump Doral for the first time in roughly a decade. The eye-catching statue quickly sparked debate online and across the golf world, with supporters praising it as patriotic and critics calling it excessive.

According to Golf Digest, the statue was not commissioned by Trump himself. The project was reportedly funded by Patriot Token, a cryptocurrency group seeking to draw attention to its digital investment platform.

Photos and videos of the statue spread rapidly across X, where reactions ranged from amusement to admiration. The display’s bright gold appearance and larger-than-life scale made it impossible for tournament attendees to miss.

A new golden President Trump statue was unveiled at his Doral Miami course.

— Leading Report (@LeadingReport) April 28, 2026

The spectacle also reignited discussion surrounding the intersection of politics, celebrity culture and sports in America. Trump’s golf properties have long served as gathering places for both political allies and high-profile sporting events, and the return of professional golf to Doral has generated significant attention.

The image raises a deeper conversation that extends far beyond politics or sports. Scripture contains numerous examples of gold being used in ways that honored God. The Ark of the Covenant, the golden lampstand and many elements of Solomon’s Temple were crafted according to God’s command.

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At the same time, the Bible repeatedly warns against elevating images, leaders or symbols into objects of reverence. From the Golden Calf in Exodus to King Nebuchadnezzar’s towering golden image in Daniel, Scripture draws a clear distinction between honoring craftsmanship and crossing into idolatry.

So biblically, gold itself is not condemned. God even commanded the use of gold in sacred spaces. The problem arises when an image becomes an idol, a political symbol demanding reverence or a substitute for worship that belongs to God alone.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

The day after the Rapture, Pastor Jentezen Franklin said the world will descend into chaos unlike anything humanity has ever experienced.

In a recent sermon, a continuation of his end-times series, Franklin warned that the return of Jesus Christ will trigger the Great Tribulation, the rise of the Antichrist and devastating global judgment.

“The first thing that will happen is the return of Jesus Christ,” Franklin said. “It is the next thing to happen.”

Franklin pointed to 1 Thessalonians 4, saying believers will be “caught away” instantly while the earth enters a dark new era.

“The church will be caught away,” he said. “The people who are truly born again, loving the Lord, serving the Lord, will in the moment, in the twinkling of an eye.”

‘Great tribulation such as the world has never seen’

Franklin said Scripture makes clear that judgment will follow immediately after the Rapture.

Quoting Revelation and Matthew 24, he warned of “the wrath of the lamb” coming upon the earth after believers are removed.

“And then shall come there shall be great tribulation,” Franklin said, quoting Jesus’ words. “Such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time nor ever shall be.”

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Franklin said the Antichrist will emerge during the confusion and economic collapse that follows the disappearance of millions of people worldwide.

“He will conquer the entire planet,” Franklin said. “He will do it. Who is that? It’s the antichrist.”

He described the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse bringing war, famine and death across the earth, eventually leading to billions of deaths through violence, disease and starvation.

“The Bible actually predicts that 1/4th of the population, billions of people will die from the wars and the famines and the disease,” Franklin said.

One world government and the mark of the beast

Franklin also warned that the Antichrist will establish a one-world system controlling commerce, religion and government.

“He will set up a one currency system because the economies will fail,” Franklin said. “That’s when he will institute the mark of the beast according to the book of revelations.”

He added, “Men cannot buy and sell without the mark of the beast.”

Franklin pointed to growing global tensions involving Israel, Iran, Russia and China as evidence the world is moving toward the prophetic events described in Scripture.

Still, Franklin said believers have hope because God will ultimately deliver His people and establish His kingdom.

“God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,” Franklin said.

He closed the message with a warning and an encouragement for Christians to stay spiritually alert.

“Wake up,” Franklin said. “Look up. Jesus is coming. Look up. Your redemption draweth near, even at the door.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted Tuesday for a second time after a federal grand jury handed up charges tied to a social media post that many interpreted as a threat against President Donald Trump.

The indictment stems from a 2025 Instagram photo showing seashells arranged to spell out “86 47,” a phrase widely understood as a reference to removing or targeting the 47th president of the United States. Trump allies immediately blasted the post as dangerous rhetoric after two assassination attempts and multiple threats against the president.

Comey later deleted the image after backlash exploded online.

“It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” Comey wrote on Instagram after removing the photo.

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According to CBS News, the indictment was returned in the Eastern District of North Carolina following a federal investigation involving the Secret Service.

The exact criminal charges have not yet been publicly released, but the case marks another major escalation in the years-long battle between Comey and President Trump.

This is the second criminal case brought against Comey. In 2025, he was indicted on charges connected to alleged false statements to Congress and obstruction tied to testimony about FBI leaks during the Russia investigation. That case was later dismissed after a judge ruled the special prosecutor overseeing the matter had been improperly appointed.

Comey has remained a lightning rod for controversy since the 2016 election cycle, when he publicly announced the FBI would not recommend charges against Hillary Clinton over her private email server despite declaring she had been “extremely careless” with classified information.

Months later, Comey became one of the central figures behind the Trump-Russia hoax that consumed much of Trump’s first presidency. Comey and senior FBI officials have long been accused of weaponizing federal law enforcement through the now-discredited Steele dossier, FISA surveillance abuses and the Crossfire Hurricane probe that ultimately failed to prove any collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

A former strip club in Spokane, Washington, is being transformed into a faith-based center aimed at rescuing and restoring victims of human trafficking, offering what anti-trafficking leader Caleb Altmeyer described as a powerful example of redemption and renewal.

During an interview on “The Bible Bros Podcast With Billy Hallowell and Dalton Harper,” highlighted by CBN News, Altmeyer shared how his ministry, Helping Captives, purchased the former strip club and paid it off completely to create what will become the “Freedom Center,” a facility focused on helping women escape trafficking and begin rebuilding their lives.

Altmeyer said his ministry originally believed anti-trafficking outreach would be only a small part of its broader mission. That changed after launching a safe house and witnessing the staggering need firsthand.

“We thought that we were going to help three to five women,” Altmeyer said. “And we had 21 women go through our house in 9 months.”

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The ministry soon realized many survivors needed far more than temporary shelter.

“They need a recovery program with Jesus intertwined in and counseling and case management and they need to get off drugs,” he said.

As the outreach expanded, Altmeyer and his team began praying for a permanent emergency stabilization center where women coming directly off the streets could find immediate care, detox support and long-term recovery services rooted in faith.

Then an unexpected opportunity emerged when a local strip club shut down.

“I was like, ‘You know what? God, maybe you’re crazy enough that you would turn a strip club that was known for objectifying women and turn it into a center that would be known nationally for helping women come out of trafficking,’” Altmeyer said.

One of the most emotional moments came when a trafficking survivor touring the property revealed she had once worked there. After walking through the darkened building, survivors told Altmeyer they believed the facility should become the ministry’s new home.

“This is what God did in our life,” one survivor said. “He took something that was used for something that we are not really proud of and gave us a new meaning.”

Altmeyer described the former club as a place filled with darkness, addiction and painful memories. Yet the ministry saw something different: the opportunity for transformation.

The project faced major hurdles after the ministry was offered $1 million in government support that came with restrictions requiring the building to be used for “secular use only.” Altmeyer said the ministry declined the funding because faith in Jesus Christ is central to helping survivors heal.

“Because we love Jesus, we can’t do it,” he said.

The ministry later received private funding and officially paid off the building outright without restrictions.

The story stands as a reminder that redemption is at the center of the Gospel. We serve a God who restores broken places, heals wounded hearts and brings light into darkness. A building once tied to exploitation will soon become a refuge for freedom and hope.

And just as that strip club is being transformed into something life-giving, we know the Lord still does the same with people every day.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

A growing wave of concern is spreading across the eastern United States as officials warn that spotted lanternflies are poised for another explosive season, reviving fears of a destructive invasion that many residents are already comparing to a modern-day plague.

The invasive insect, first discovered in Pennsylvania in 2014, has now spread across large portions of the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, threatening vineyards, orchards, hardwood trees and agricultural economies. State agencies and researchers say the pest is advancing rapidly through human travel corridors and urban centers.

The comparison to biblical plagues has intensified online as images of swarms covering trees, sidewalks and buildings circulate across social media. While the insects pose no direct threat to humans, experts say their sheer numbers and aggressive spread have transformed them into a national nuisance with major agricultural consequences.

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The New York Post reported that New York City is “bracing for a resurgence” after a temporary decline in sightings, noting that the insects have now spread into nearly half of New York’s counties.

Officials in North Carolina warned the insect “poses a serious threat” to grape and wine industries and can damage more than 100 species of plants.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the spotted lanternfly “has spread so much faster than a lot of invasives” seen in the past, highlighting how quickly the infestation has moved across state lines.

Current infestation zones or confirmed reproducing populations now include Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia, according to multiple state agriculture agencies.

Agriculture officials say the insects feed on sap from trees and crops while leaving behind a sticky residue known as honeydew that promotes black mold growth and weakens plants. Pennsylvania officials warned the pest causes “serious damage” to crops and trees across quarantine zones.

The insects’ rapid spread has sparked renewed calls for aggressive containment efforts, including quarantines, egg-mass destruction and public reporting campaigns. Scientists are also exploring biological controls as the United States braces for another summer battling one of the fastest-spreading invasive species in recent memory.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

A worsening drought across the Great Plains is threatening America’s winter wheat harvest and forcing ranchers into painful financial decisions as dry conditions continue to intensify across key agricultural states.

As reported by Fortune, nearly 90% of Nebraska and Oklahoma are now under drought conditions, with more than half of Nebraska classified in “extreme” drought after months of limited rainfall, unusually warm temperatures and depleted soil moisture.

The drought is striking at one of the most important moments of the growing season as winter wheat matures ahead of the summer harvest. Without rain or irrigation, crops are struggling to produce grain, and some farmers are abandoning harvest efforts altogether and allowing cattle to graze the damaged fields instead.

“We’ve got a lot of modern precedent for these very rough conditions heading into the spring growing season, but this certainly ranks up there with some of the worst we’ve seen,” said Brad Rippey.

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The latest USDA data shows only 30% of the U.S. winter wheat crop is rated good to excellent, the weakest condition rating since 2023. Roughly half the crop across major wheat-producing states including Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas is now categorized as poor to very poor.

At the same time, farmers are dealing with soaring production costs. Fertilizer prices have climbed sharply following military strikes involving the United States, Israel and Iran, adding even more financial pressure to an already strained agricultural sector.

“I didn’t have enough moisture — it wouldn’t have done any good,” said Frank Lucas regarding his decision not to purchase nitrogen fertilizer for his wheat fields. “Number two, I’m not even sure what the cost would be.”

The drought is also hammering cattle producers. Dry pastureland and a wave of destructive wildfires have burned roughly 1 million acres of hayfields and grazing land across the southern Plains, damaging efforts to rebuild the U.S. cattle herd after years of decline.

“Drought just sets everything back,” said Ben Smith, a field operations manager with Farm Rescue. “That’s when guys start to have to make tough decisions on liquidating some of their herd if they can’t afford to buy feed or can’t find alternative feed.”

Forecasts show little immediate relief. Climate outlooks call for continued heat and below-average rainfall through much of the summer, increasing evaporation rates and further drying already stressed farmland.

“Moisture is desperately needed,” Rippey said, warning that the coming weeks will determine whether the winter wheat crop is “made or broken for 2026.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

For decades, the scientific establishment insisted humanity came from one ancestral population in Africa. Now even that narrative is collapsing as researchers unveil a new theory claiming mankind emerged from multiple interconnected human populations that mixed together over hundreds of thousands of years.

The latest study from University of California, Davis marks another step in the growing campaign to erase the biblical account of creation and replace it with an ever-changing evolutionary narrative designed to sever humanity from its Creator.

As reported by the Daily Mail, researchers analyzed DNA from modern African populations and concluded that early humans did not come from one ancestral group but from several populations spread across Africa that continuously exchanged genes.

“This new research changes the origin of species,” said anthropologist Brenna Henn.

That statement reveals exactly where this battle is headed.

The scientific community is rebuilding humanity’s origin story in real time. Darwinian evolution opened the door. Ancient hominin theories expanded it. Now researchers are constructing an entirely new framework where humanity emerged from a sprawling network of populations instead of being created intentionally by God.

Researchers described the theory as a “weakly structured stem,” claiming modern humans emerged from “two or more weakly differentiated Homo populations” that exchanged genes across massive spans of time.

“We are presenting something that people had never even tested before,” Henn said. “This moves anthropological science significantly forward.”

The study focused heavily on the Nama people of southern Africa, whose DNA researchers described as carrying extraordinary genetic diversity. Scientists used DNA samples and computer models to argue that humanity’s origins are rooted in multiple populations rather than a single source.

Co-author Tim Weaver celebrated the findings, saying, “Previous, more complicated models proposed contributions from archaic hominins, but this model indicates otherwise.”

This is the next rung in the ladder of disclosure.

The same systems pushing AI-driven morality, transhumanism and UFO disclosure are simultaneously dismantling the biblical foundation of human identity. Society is being conditioned to reject the truth that mankind was created in the image of God and instead embrace a fluid, ever-evolving narrative untethered from Scripture.

The Great Deception is unfolding in plain sight.

The world is being prepared to accept an entirely new understanding of humanity, origins and spiritual reality. Every pillar of biblical truth is under assault at the same time. Creation is being rewritten. Morality is being rewritten. Reality itself is being rewritten.

Jesus Christ warned that deception would dominate the last days. That warning is manifesting across science, technology, media and global culture simultaneously.

Christians, we must stand firm now. The deception is not coming. The deception is here.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

The pastor who met with convicted killer Tanner Horner after the murder of Athena Strand testified this week about a conversation that has now become part of one of the most horrifying criminal cases in recent American history.

Athena, 7, vanished from her family’s property in Paradise, Texas, on Nov. 30, 2022. Authorities found her body two days later in a river several miles away. Horner later pleaded guilty to capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. Jurors are now deciding whether he will receive life in prison without parole or the death penalty, as reported by People.

The pastor, identified only as Gary, told the court Horner reached out to him after the killing and asked to meet.

“As a pastor, we don’t always get to do the easy things,” Gary testified. “We do what we’re called to do. So I met with him, and I just wanted to make sure he was okay and wanted to make sure he understood, you know, really what had happened.”

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Gary said he prayed with Horner and warned him about the gravity of his actions.

“He told him his life was “never going to be the same,” adding that he wanted him to understand the severity of his actions.

During cross-examination, Gary testified Horner never admitted the full truth of what happened to Athena during their meeting.

“All I knew at that time was what had been out,” Gary said. “That is, he was driving for, I think, FedEx and had hit Athena, panicked, and then did what he did. That’s all I knew.”

When prosecutors asked if he now understood that version of events was false, Gary responded, “Yes, sir.”

The details presented during the sentencing phase painted a devastating picture of Athena’s final moments. Prosecutors showed surveillance footage that reportedly captured Horner lifting the little girl into his truck. Jurors reportedly became emotional while viewing the evidence.

Prosecutors said Athena remained calm during the abduction and questioned her captor before fighting back during the attack.

According to a report by People, the medical examiner testified that Athena died from blunt force trauma, smothering and strangulation.

The murder of Athena Strand left many of us heartbroken for a little girl we never even knew personally. We look at a case like this and grieve with Athena’s family because we cannot imagine the pain they have carried every day since her death. We should continue praying for her loved ones and ask God to hold them close, strengthen them and bring them peace in the middle of unimaginable sorrow.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

Rock legend Bruce Springsteen publicly prayed for President Donald Trump and his administration Sunday night following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington.

Speaking during an E Street Band concert at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, Springsteen addressed the violence that unfolded Saturday night when authorities say suspected gunman Cole Allen opened fire near a security checkpoint at the Washington Hilton Hotel.

“We also send out a prayer of thanks that our president, nor anyone in the administration, nor anyone attending, was injured at last night’s incident at the [White House] press correspondents’ dinner,” Springsteen told the crowd.

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Springsteen also condemned political violence directly.

“We can disagree. We can be critical of those in power, and we can peacefully fight for our beliefs. But there is no place in any way, shape, or form for political violence of any kind in our beloved United States,” he said.

Those comments marked a dramatic shift in tone after years of blistering attacks against Trump and his administration, most recently during Springsteen’s recent tour appearances.

Throughout his “Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour,” Springsteen repeatedly described the administration as “corrupt, incompetent, racist, reckless and treasonous” and labeled Trump “a president who can’t handle the truth.”

At a recent concert in Newark, New Jersey, Springsteen urged fans to choose “democracy over authoritarianism,” “truth over lies,” and “resistance over complacency.”

Praying for national leaders after a violent attack is commendable and reflects a needed rejection of political violence. But rhetoric matters. Public figures with massive platforms shape cultural emotions and political hostility. Years of portraying political opponents as existential threats, fascists or enemies of democracy helped fuel a climate where unstable individuals increasingly view violence as justified.

The attempted attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner exposed how overheated political rhetoric continues pushing the nation toward dangerous territory. Americans can fiercely debate policies and leadership without turning opponents into monsters.

Authorities arrested 31-year-old Cole Allen of California following the shooting. President Trump later praised the United States Secret Service and law enforcement officers who responded, saying they “acted incredibly.”

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.

A major archaeological discovery in Egypt is drawing fresh attention to one of the most debated figures in biblical history.

Archaeologists have uncovered part of a massive ancient statue in the eastern Nile Delta near the Red Sea, a region closely tied to the biblical Exodus narrative. The fragment, which includes the legs and base, stands about seven feet tall and weighs between five and six tons. It was found at Tel Faraoun during ongoing excavations led by Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.

Early analysis points to Ramesses II, one of Egypt’s most powerful rulers, as the figure depicted. The discovery immediately connects to a long-standing historical discussion surrounding the identity of the pharaoh in the Book of Exodus. As the report states, the fragment is “thought to depict Ramesses II, one of ancient Egypt’s most powerful rulers and a figure many historians associate with the pharaoh described in the Book of Exodus.”

The Bible describes Moses confronting a ruler who refused to release the Israelites from slavery, setting in motion the dramatic events of the Exodus. A key detail continues to anchor Ramesses II to that narrative. “People often identify Ramesses II as the biblical Pharaoh primarily due to Exodus 1:1, which mentions Hebrew slaves building the city of ‘Raamses’ (or Pi-Ramesses), a city famously built by Ramesses II in the 13th century BCE.”

That geographic overlap carries weight. The ancient city of Pi-Ramesses is believed to have been located in the same region where the statue fragment was discovered, reinforcing the connection between the ruler and the biblical setting. The statue itself also aligns with the period, as archaeologists noted it matches royal sculptures from Egypt’s New Kingdom.

At the same time, the discovery does not close the case. The biblical text does not name the pharaoh, and no direct archaeological evidence confirms his identity. As noted in the report, “while the Bible does not explicitly name the Pharaoh, this geographical link, combined with his long, dominant reign and the timing of the 19th Dynasty, makes him a popular historical candidate.”

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Even so, finds like this continue to sharpen the focus. Each new piece adds weight to the argument, placing Ramesses II firmly at the center of the conversation while leaving the final answer just out of reach.

James Lasher, a seasoned writer and editor at Charisma Media, combines faith and storytelling with a journalism background from Otterbein University and ministry experience in Guatemala and at the LA Dream Center. A Marine Corps and Air Force veteran, he is the author of The Revelation of Jesus: A Common Man’s Commentary and a contributor to Charisma magazine. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact media@.