God-Haters Control the US House of Representatives

What more proof does anyone need that many of America’s political leaders are God-hating moral and spiritual degenerates? Increasingly, godless America, unless it repents, is like a you know what swirling around in a giant spiritual toilet bowl that is about to be flushed.

If this and other similar actions of the Democrat Party don’t offend you, then what’s wrong with you? And if you have a problem with my posting this article and spotlighting the moral repugnancy of these political leaders who are leading America down to hell, then you’re spiritually and morally sick too! Don’t bother to post your complaints here against me; trust me, they won’t see the light of day. Change the channel; my blog is not for you!

On this blog, we take no political sides. We’re on the side of truth and righteousness as defined by the Bible regardless of one’s race, political party, gender or any other manmade delineations. We give credit to anyone who stands for truth and righteousness regardless of their political affiliation, and when their words and actions disagree with the Bible, then we will criticize them as well and hold them accountable according to the Word of Elohim who will eventually bring the whole world into judgment (Rev 19:11–16).

From Fox News at https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dems-move-to-strike-so-help-me-god-from-oath-taken-in-front-of-key-house-committee

Dems to strike ‘so help you God’ from oath taken in front of key House committee, draft shows

A key committee in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives is moving to eliminate the God reference from the oath administered to witnesses testifying before the panel, as part of a new rules package expected to be approved this week, according to a draft obtained exclusively by Fox News.

The draft shows that the House Committee on Natural Resources would ask witnesses to recite only, “Do you solemnly swear or affirm, under penalty of law, that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”

The draft rules also remove the phrase “his or her” throughout the document, changing those two pronouns to “their.” The rules additionally modify all references to the committee’s “Chairman” to instead refer only to the committee’s “Chair.”

Other rules changes relate to expanding the committee’s authority over natural gas in Alaska and fossil-fuel resources.

While many federal oaths include the phrase “so help me God,” some — most notably the presidential oath of office — do not.

The full committee is set to vote on the new language this week, and the rules would take effect immediately if adopted. Other committees were still in the process of finalizing their rules on Monday.

Republican leaders reacted with dismay to the proposed change, and suggested it was a sign of the Democratic Party’s leftward shift.

“It is incredible, but not surprising, that the Democrats would try to remove God from committee proceedings in one of their first acts in the majority,” House Republican Conference Chairwoman Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., told Fox News. “They really have become the party of Karl Marx.”

Spokespeople for the Natural Resources Committee did not immediately reply to Fox News’ requests for comment. The committee, which has oversight of national parks, wildlife and energy, is chaired by Democratic Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva.

The proposed change was not the first time Democrats have sought to strike references to God in official party documents. In 2012, the floor of the Democratic National Convention erupted over a sudden move to restore to the platform a reference to God and recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital — after heavy criticism from Republicans for initially omitting them. Democrats, though, were hardly in agreement over the reversal.

A large and loud group of delegates shouted “no” as the convention chairman (then-Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa) called for the vote. Villaraigosa had to call for the vote three times before ruling that the “ayes” had it. Many in the crowd booed after he determined the language would be restored.

Hard-left Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar is facing backlash and accusations of homophobia after repeating baseless allegations pushed by MSNBC and liberal activists that South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham is being blackmailed into supporting President Trump. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

The battle marked the biggest platform fight in either party’s convention, and signaled Democrats were worried the prior language could have been politically damaging in a tight election year.

A senior campaign official told Fox News at the time that then-President Barack Obama personally intervened to change the language in both cases. On the God reference, the official said the president’s response was, “Why did it change in the first place?”

The House panel’s proposed change comes as far-left progressive Democratic freshman in Congress, including Michigan Rep. Rashida Tlaib and Minnesota Ilhan Omar, have come under fire from Republicans for pushing what they call radical and unfounded religious-based attacks.

Omar, for example, wrote in 2012 that “Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel.” Tlaib was accused of engaging in an anti-Semitic slur earlier this month by suggesting Republican politicians were truly loyal to Israel, not the United States.

Omar and Tlaib made history by becoming the first-ever Muslim women in Congress.

 

We’re back from Western Mexico

Sandi and I just returned from a cruise to the west coast of Mexico in celebration of our 28th anniversary. Now it’s time to get back to work. YHVH granted us safe passage, despite some jet plane mechanical problems coming and going.

I will start posting articles again and open the comments section.

Today, my boys and I have a very large tree to remove, and I will be up in the tree for hours taking it apart piece by piece. A lot of rope work on this one. I’m getting to the age where someone else needs to do the climbing, but until I find someone with my skill level to take my spot, I still have to do most of the high tree climbing.

Here are a couple of pictures from Mexico. We still haven’t transferred most of the photos to our laptops yet.

Sunrises and sunsets at sea are incredible! Sunrises are definitely worth rising early for. As for sunsets, Sandi and I would spend hours watching them as they changed minute by minute—a kaleidoscope of colors. This is why we always get a balcony stateroom when we cruise, so we can watch the ever-changing, never boring movie screen of YHVH’s creation in front of, below and above us. We find savoring the natural wonders of nature much more thrilling and entertaining than the shows, music and party life on the ship, which, quite frankly, bore us. Some folks may think we’re weird, for this, but I don’t care. We’re wired differently than most people. On several mornings, I arose early to find an unoccupied deck on the ship where with the wind in my face, I’d sing and pray to Elohim as I welcomed the morning sun rising. I couldn’t help think about Mal 4:2; Ps 84:11; 2 Cor 4:6; John 8:12; 3:18–20; Rev 1:16.

Giant cacti in southern Baja California. Being a tree lover, these plants fascinated me. Had never seen any before.

Lady Gaga the wild brown pelican has learned to land on excursion boats and to take fish from tourists’ hands. Amazing fun. Maybe I’ll show you some video of this later.

A quiet paradise-like cove south of Puerto Vallarta.

A nuclear sunrise at sea.

 

On Vacation Until Next Sunday

I will not be posting any blog articles for the next week, since I will be on vacation celebrating our anniversary with my wife of nearly 28 years. Also, the comments section on this blog will be disabled while we are gone, since I won’t be able to manage it. No internet.

This will  be a great time for you to catch up on your  back reading. You can simply scroll down through the blog to read any posts that you may have missed. You can also use the search engine on the main page and type in your favorite biblical subject that you want to learn more about. See what comes up and go from there. Also, read the comments after each article for additional insights and discussions.

We’ll see you when we get back!

 

A New Member of the Family

This is what Natan does when he’s not writing for and managing this blog. Check  out his Good News Tree Service website at www.goodnewstree.com.

Today Good News Tree Service, Inc. welcomed a new member of our family—a Stihl MS880 chainsaw. This is the biggest saw that Stihl makes and has a five foot bar and stands at about seven feet tall. In Nathan’s left hand is the smallest chainsaw that Stihl makes. Can’t wait to bury this new big boy saw into a log!

 

California pastor ousted after ‘homosexuality is sin’ church sign stirs protests

WARNING! This blog will NOT accept any critical or disparaging comments about this pastor or his message. Such  comments will never see the light of day, or will be immediately deleted and the person making them will be banned from ever commenting again on this blog.
I for one am fed up with namby pamby, lukewarm, biblically illiterate “Christians” who all but take their talking points and marching orders from the godless heathens around them instead of the Word of Elohim, and who are doing nothing to stop the spread of evil, but can only criticize those who are trying to do so. Take your comments somewhere else; you’re not welcome here!— Natan Lawrence, the owner of this blog. 
To the rest of you: please pray for Pastor Justin Roke of Weed, California. It’s time that righteous, Bible believing people began sticking together and supporting one another in the face of the tsunami of evil and the Antichrist spirit that is sweeping our country and the world. The US and this world is currently on a spiritual  precipice and about to go over the edge unless enough people repent of their sins and turn to the Bible and to Yeshua the Messiah!

Who will rise up for me against the evildoers? Who will stand up for me against the workers of iniquity? (Psalm 94:16)

A sign calling homosexuality a sin sits on display outside of the Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church near Weed, California, on Dec. 31, 2018. | PHOTO: FACEBOOK/JUSTIN HOKE

A northern California pastor has begrudgingly stepped down as members threatened to leave after he posted a church sign that called transgender celebrity Caitlyn “Bruce” Jenner a man and stated that “homosexuality is still a sin.”

Justin Hoke, who formerly served as pastor at Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church in the town of Weed in Siskiyou County, took to Facebook to announce that he is leaving the church. His departure comes following protest and vandalism in response to his church sign.

On New Year’s Eve, Hoke used his personal Facebook page to post a picture of the sign outside of the church that read: “Bruce Jenner is still a man. Homosexuality is still sin. The culture may change but the Bible does not.”

The sign incited a pro-LGBT “Love Rally” demonstration Sunday morning before Hoke’s weekly service on Jan. 6.

Additionally, the church sign and the message was vandalized last week. The organizers of the rally say they don’t know of anyone involved in the vandalism and condemned the act.

“As of today, I am no longer the pastor of Trinity Bible Presbyterian Church,” Hoke wrote in a Saturday Facebook post.

In the post, Hoke felt the need to “communicate what has taken place.”

He stated that he was informed by an elder that the elder could no longer follow his lead as pastor of the church. Hoke added that he was also told by “essentially all but one couple in membership” that they would leave the church if Hoke did not step down.

“Our other elder and the couple felt that those who left would likely return if I would leave,” Hoke wrote. “Our other elder was agreeable to stay and assume the pastoral responsibilities. Therefore it was determined that it would be in the best interest of the local body for [TBPC and the Hoke family] to part ways.”

On Monday, Hoke updated the Facebook post to explain that he did not want to leave the church.

“I did not quit, and I was willing to stay,” Hoke asserted.

The Christian Post reached out to TBPC (also known as Lake Shastina Community Bible Church) for comment on Hoke’s departure. A response is pending.

In an interview with The Siskiyou Daily News, Hoke said his intention with the sign was to express his thought that the Bible doesn’t change even though the culture may.

“If you see a burning building, there are only two reasons not to warn those inside: if you think the danger isn’t too great, or if you don’t love those inside,” Hoke stated.

He told the Daily Wire that he was inspired to create the sign after reading about a customer at a store who “threw a fit because a clerk had accidentally referred to him with the masculine gender [pronoun].”

Another “Love Rally” demonstration was held during Sunday’s service with yet another planned for next Sunday.

Organizers of the protest told NBC 5  that their goal was not to get Hoke fired.

“I don’t want to be responsible for someone losing their job. The point in this protest is to show love for the LGBTQ community and other members of the community as well,” organizer Charolette Kalayjian said.

Hoke told the television news outlet that the protests were not the reason for his departure.

“There was a fear we would lose what little congregation that we had if I remained,” Hoke explained.

 

The Bible on Illegal Immigration and National Borders

Someone wrote the following in the comments section of this blog mildly taking me to task for something I just posted.

According to Jewish thought, Sodom and Gomorrah’s main sin was allowing people to die at the gates of those cities. The gates would be closed at sunset and would not re-open until morning. Since they were desert communities, many people waiting to get in would die of thirst or starvation by the time the gates re-opened in the mornings. Sexual sins sure were a big problem there but was not the main reason those cities were destroyed. They were destroyed mainly because of they’re hardness of hearts. Sound familiar? Does history always have to repeat itself like this?

Here is my response to them:

With all due respect, if you intend to post on my blog, you’d best have your facts straight and represent the Bible correctly, or you’ll be called on it. Moreover, instead of looking to Jewish thought for our biblical understanding, how about going directly to the Bible? Jewish thought also declares that Yeshua is NOT the Messiah. So “Jewish thought” must be taken with a huge grain of salt, and, in most cases, can’t totally be relied on as the basis for biblical understanding.

Now to the point:

It is a myth and a misunderstanding of Scripture to say that YHVH Elohim primarily destroyed Sodom for its lack of hospitality. This argument was raised to justify homosexuality, and is based on a mis-reading of Ezek 16:49. Those who proffer this myth not only overlook all the other biblical scriptures that talk about the sins of Sodom, but also overlook the context of Ezek 16:48 including the very next verse—Ezek 16:50. Here it is stated that Elohim overthrew Sodom because they proudly committed abominations, which was in addition to their lack of hospitality. What abomination is this? The Bible only calls a few sins abominations. Homosexuality is one of them (Lev 18:22).

Now let’s address America shutting its borders to illegal immigration.

First let’s address the issue from a secular perspective. A nation has to have laws or there will be anarchy, mayhem and it will not be a safe place for its inhabitants to live. A nation also has to have borders, or there is no nation. Period.

True, our nation is one of immigrants. My grandmother was born in Germany, and my great-grandfather in Sweden. Both came here legally. They didn’t crash the border. And when they got here, they went to work and assimilated into the American culture; they even refused to speak their mother tongue in favor of English. They didn’t come here with their hands outstretched looking for public assistance in the form of welfare benefits. They also weren’t full of diseases and with criminal backgrounds. Such people were turned away at Ellis Island and sent back home. Those who were deemed to be an asset to this country were allowed in.

This is not the situation with many, if not most, of those currently crashing America’s southern border illegally. Few of them seem to care about our laws and legal immigration. They feel it is their right to come to the US simply because they want to. Many of them are criminals, drug runners and will go on the public dole as they can get here. The US can’t handle this economically or socially. Currently 27 percent of all criminals in the US Federal Prison System are foreigners from our south.

Second, let’s address immigration from a biblical perspective. (This is a quick overview and a brief study, and not a comprehensive discussion of this subject.) Did Israel have borders? Yes. Did the Israelites defend these borders from foreign invasion? Yes, and by Elohim’s instructions. Did Israel have laws? Yes. That body of laws was called the Torah, which tells us how to love Elohim with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourself. Read the Bible. It’s all there.

Now, under what conditions were foreigners allowed to immigrate into Israel? First, they were to be treated with respect, but they had to accept YHVH Elohim, the God of Israel, and to follow the laws of Israel, namely the Torah of Elohim (Exod 12:43–49; 22:21; 23:9; Lev 24:22; Num 15:16, 29).

Second, they didn’t come into Israel as welfare dependents or criminals, nor were they allowed to bring in their foreign cultures or satanic religious systems. They had to assimilate into the tribes of Israel and once there they went to work, while, at the same time, accepting the God of Israel and his laws. They weren’t working to overthrow the borders, language and culture of Israel, or the God of Israel, nor were they sucking the economic resources out of Israel. If they fell onto hard times, like any other Israelite native or foreign born, they sold themselves into temporary servitude to their debtor and worked until their debts were paid off. There was no free lunch here!

To use the Bible to justify allowing anyone to come into America illegally for any reason, frankly, demonstrates biblical naivety if not ignorance of the facts.

 

Liars and Hypocrites in Congress!

So what’s wrong with this picture?
First, several years ago, these same hypocritical Democrat politicians and their political cronies were publicly in favor of a border wall to protect America from foreigners entering the nation illegally. Now, that President Trump is for a border wall, they’re suddenly against the very thing they supported during Barak Obama’s tenure as president. This is sick!
Second, it’s highly probable that these same jokers all have armed body guards, have Secret Service protection, live in gated and walled homes or communities, have security systems protecting their homes and offices, and have locks on all their doors, but they, at the same time, refuse to protect the US’s border, and you and me, from an invasion of illegal aliens.
Don’t know about you, but I’m sick of lies and hypocrisy from our political leaders who are trying to sell out our country. 
Unless spiritual revival occurs, this nation is going down quickly. I am concerned about civil war of one type or another engulfing us. Keep your eyes on Yeshua. He’s our only hope!
Now the article…

Shutdown showdown: Pelosi says ‘no,’ Trump says ‘bye-bye’

 / Updated 
By Jonathan Allen

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump abruptly walked out of a closed-door meeting with congressional leaders Wednesday in the White House Situation Room after Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said she wouldn’t fund his border wall even if he ended the government shutdown.

“She said ‘No,'” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, adding that Trump slammed the table. “He said, ‘Then we have nothing to discuss’ …He just walked out of the meeting.”

Trump quickly confirmed Schumer’s version of events in a tweet, making the details of the testy exchange the only thing the president and his Democratic counterparts could agree on in their fight over reopening a partially closed federal government and funding a border wall.

At one point, a congressional aide familiar with the meeting said, Schumer asked Trump why he wouldn’t open the government to relieve the suffering of Americans hurt by it.

“Because then you won’t give me what I want,” Trump responded, according to the aide.

White House officials described the president as calm during the meeting and one said afterward that he felt that he had called their bluff by offering to end the shutdown immediately if Democrats would agree to his border-security demands.

Several federal agencies have been shut down since Dec. 22. Trump has demanded that Congress include $7 billion in border security and humanitarian aid — including $5.7 billion in money for the wall — in any spending bill to re-open the parts of the government that have been shuttered for nearly three weeks.

As he met with Republican and Democratic leaders and Vice President Mike Pence, the White House issued a threat to veto a series of House spending bills that would open individual agencies because they don’t include money for the wall. The threat said Trump’s advisers “would recommend” that he veto the bills, rather than using the stronger language that the “president would” veto the bills that the Office of Management and Budget sometimes uses.

Pelosi opened her remarks after the meeting by describing the discussion as frigid.

“It’s cold out here, and the temperature wasn’t much warmer in the Situation Room,” she said outside the White House.

Pelosi cast Trump, the wealthy son of a real-estate developer, as insensitive to the plight of government workers who are due to miss paychecks this week.

“He thinks they could maybe just ask their father for more money, but they can’t,” she said.

Vice President Mike Pence said Trump has been clear about his priorities all along and that Republicans will “stand firm” on keeping the government shut down until Democrats agree to build the wall.

“There will be no deal without a wall,” Pence said. “There will be no deal without the priorities the president has put on the table.”

And, though Trump had just walked away from the actual negotiating table, Pence said Democrats “should come back to the table” to work on a plan to build the wall and fund the government.

Trump is scheduled to visit the southern border near McAllen, Texas, on Thursday, and he has said that he is considering declaring a national emergency to give himself greater authority to direct his administration to build a wall if Congress doesn’t appropriate money for that purpose.

The Pentagon, which undertakes military engineering and construction projects, has $4 billion in authority to transfer existing funds if the secretary of Defense deems such a move to be in the “national interest” — regardless of whether the president declares an emergency. But there are conditions on shifting the money around that could turn the maneuver into a major political and legal fightbetween Congress and the White House.