Digital IDs Coming to the United Kingdom?

 The United Kingdom is introducing a national digital ID scheme to crack down on illegal migrant workers. A government press release announced that the digital ID will be stored on mobile devices through an official UK government wallet app currently in development and will be a mandatory requirement for adults to work in Britain by July 2029.

 “Digital ID is an enormous opportunity for the UK. It will make it tougher to work illegally in this country, making our borders more secure,” UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in the press release. “And it will also offer ordinary citizens countless benefits, like being able to prove your identity to access key services swiftly — rather than hunting around for an old utility bill.” The digital ID scheme isn’t finalized and will need to go through parliamentary approval before it can be enforced. A public consultation will be launched by the UK government later this year to receive feedback regarding how the digital ID service will be delivered, according to the press release.

 The announcement has sparked privacy concerns from civil rights groups, with Big Brother Watch saying the scheme would “fundamentally change the nature of our relationship with the state and turn the UK into a ‘papers, please’ society.”

Plans to introduce digital ID were announced in January, with the GOV.UK wallet app initially pitched to give UK citizens the option to digitize their driver’s licenses and make government-issued documents easier to access. The GOV.UK wallet app is still in development and described as “entirely optional” on the government website.

 The new mandatory ID requirements and focus on illegal immigration come amid growing public concerns around migrant boat crossings and mounting pressure from the populist party Reform UK. The UK currently has no citizen ID card and does not legally require people to carry photo ID, such as passports or driver’s licenses. The EU is planning to introduce a similar Digital Identity Wallet next year for “European citizens, residents and businesses to prove who they are when accessing digital services” and a place to “safely store, share and sign important digital documents.”

 Biblical Connection: Revelation 13:16-17 states, “He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” The Mark of the Beast is perhaps the most famous aspect of the Book of Revelation, maybe even more infamous than the Antichrist himself. The question has always been, “How could someone have the power and authority to be able to control the economy of the entire world?”

 While these digital ids themselves are clearly not the mark of the beast, as we are not in the Tribulation and the Antichrist is not present, these types of electronic identification and cashless society movements that are being pushed today as “security” could easily become something very similar to the mark of the beast. Imagine in the future there is no cash and suddenly someone stops your debit and credit cards? Imagine if you could not work without checking in through some kind of digital database that is connected to a government system?

 These things are all within the realm of possibility now and show just examples of how the Antichrist could control the economy during the Tribulation.

 PRAY: Pray technological advancements will be used for good until the time God opens the Tribulation period with the Rapture of the Church.

Turkey Targeting Christians as “National Security Threats”

Turkey has been deporting hundreds of foreign Christians and blocking their return by labeling them national security threats, according to an international legal advocacy group. ADF International Legal Officer Lidia Rieder told a gathering of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Human Dimension Conference in Warsaw, Poland, that such designations are issued through internal security codes and have left local Protestant communities without leadership.

Since 2020, at least 200 foreign Christian workers and their families, totaling around 350 people, have been barred from the country under internal security codes N-82 and G-87, ADF International reports. The codes are used by the Ministry of Interior to prevent re-entry or deny residence permits, often without charges or evidence of criminal wrongdoing, the group said. Foreign Christians from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, South Korea, Latin America and other parts of Europe have been denied visas or deported in recent years. Many had lived in Turkey with their families for extended periods and had no criminal record or pending legal cases, the Protestant association said.

A June 8 ruling from Turkey's Constitutional Court rejected an appeal by nine foreign Christians against the N-82 code. The court published their names, prompting media outlets to label them as missionaries and enemies of the state. The report noted that many online comments called for the death penalty and described killing them as a religious duty.

Between December 2024 and January 2025 alone, at least 35 new codes were assigned, including to people who had lived in the country for decades. These administrative bans have significantly disrupted religious life in Turkey, where many congregations rely on foreign pastors. One such case is Wiest v. Türkiye, currently before the European Court of Human Rights. The plaintiff, a U.S. citizen who had resided legally in Turkey for more than 30 years, was blocked from returning without explanation. ADF International said it alone is supporting over 30 related legal challenges in Turkish and European courts.

Although Turkey's Constitution protects religious freedom, foreign Christians and local churches face growing restrictions. The historic Halki Seminary remains closed, Protestant seminaries lack legal status, and Bible education is prohibited even as Islamic theological training continues under state oversight, ADF International notes, adding that congregations such as the Bursa Protestant community have lost access to their places of worship.

The Association of Protestant Churches, in its 2024 Human Rights Violation Report, documented a rise in hate speech and violence against Christians in Turkey. Among the incidents was an armed attack on the Salvation Church association building in Çekmeköy last December, when an individual fired shots from a car and attempted to remove the church's signs, the report noted. Also in December, a Christian English teacher lost her job at a private evening school in Malatya without explanation. A school official warned her about the associations she attended and the foreign friends she kept. Her appeal to local authorities was dismissed, and she avoided filing a lawsuit out of fear for her civil servant sister, the report said.

Biblical Connections: Turkey, even as a member of NATO, has turned away from its desire to become a more Western nation and has moved back into an Islamic state in many ways. As one of the enemies of Israel listed in Ezekiel 38-39 with the Gog and Magog war, this should not surprise believers. Turkey is growing closer to both Iran and Russia while becoming a vocal critic of both Christianity and Israel.

PRAY: Pray for the churches in Turkey that are being impacted throughout these persecutions.

China Cracks Down on Pastors’ Online Activities

China has quickly become one of the major hotbeds for religious persecution in the world. Not only have they attacked people of faith throughout their country, but they also have exported these ideas throughout the globe, setting the stage for increasingly religious persecution around the globe.

 Recently, China has instituted numerous regulations prohibiting religious content online, including teaching Bible lessons to children and forming youth groups. Based on prior laws and regulations, the articles released by the National Religious Affairs Administration significantly restrict faith content online, religious rights magazine Bitter Winter reported. “This is not the first time China has tightened its grip on religious life, but it may be one of the most technologically invasive,” the group reported. “In the age of digital ministry, where sermons stream and prayers ping, the regulation feels like a deliberate attempt to unplug the sacred from the social.”

 In a translation of the regulations by Bitter Winter, Article 5 states that clergy can only preach or provide religious education and online training through registered religious organizations’ websites, applications, forums and platforms that have an “Internet Religious Information Services License.” “Personal social media accounts, livestreams, WeChat groups or informal forums are strictly off-limits for religious instruction,” the online magazine noted. “Self-promotion is banned, and clergy may not use religious identity to attract followers or traffic. Foreign entanglements are forbidden: no supporting or participating in ‘overseas religious infiltration.’”

 Article 10 also forbids clergy from spreading religious ideas to minors or “inducing beliefs” in them through the internet and bans organizing children to participate in religious education, training and camps. “Clergy may not evangelize to underage users or organize youth religious camps or training,” Bitter Winter reported. “Commercialization is a no-go. There should be no fundraising, selling religious merchandise, or monetizing religious activities online. AI evangelism is also off the table. Clergy may not use generative AI to produce or disseminate religious content.”

 Violators may face administrative penalties, including suspension of religious credentials, closure of online accounts and criminal investigation, Bitter Winter noted. “Platforms hosting non-compliant content may be ordered to restrict, warn or shut down offending accounts,” it stated.

 While Americans and those in the West can think that this is only a communist issue, the increase in the popularity of these types of ideas in the West has also increased greatly, with several Western nations also having major crackdowns on free speech, especially religious speech, with social media and other forms of mass communication. China might be the instigator in a lot of these areas in religious persecution, but they are certainly not the only nation looking to continue these ways.

 Biblical Connections: The Book of Revelation describes a time when the Antichrist will persecute anyone who supports or dares to speak the name of Christ. Technology like video technology, texting and other forms of mobile communication have been used by Christians to spread the Gospel quicker and over greater distances than ever could have been imagined. However, while this technology can be used as a tool for the spread of the Gospel, it doesn’t mean that Satan is just going to sit idly by and do nothing to try to stop the spread of the Gospel. The Antichrist will be able to try to do the same types of things to limit the spread of the Gospel as the Chinese have been doing since the rise of the communist regime, except the Antichrist will be able to do these kinds of things on a global scale.

 PRAY: Pray for the faithful believers in China and in other nations experiencing religious persecution. Pray for it to stop. Pray for the Gospel to continue to spread despite persecution.

Halloween predates Christianity by many centuries. It was part of the ceremonial rituals of the Druids, a mystical religious order which existed in Ireland. History reveals that the Druids held what was called the “Vigil of Saman” on October 31, for the purpose of calling together certain wicked souls by Saman, the lord of death.

These Druids claimed to be descended from a god in the Latin pantheon of gods, and worshipped Mercury, Apollo, Mars, Jupiter, and Minerva. They were followers of astrology and believed in the immortality of the human soul and reincarnation. Their religion was saturated with mysticism and superstition, and involved ceremonialism in which human sacrifices were offered.

Many superstitions related to Halloween were derived from the Druids. They believed that cats were sacred and had once been human beings but were changed into cats because of their evil deeds. Druids also believed in ghosts, spirits, witches, fairies, and elves, some of which came out to harm people on Halloween.

The celebration of Halloween as practiced in Western civilization today is an adaptation of those Druid ceremonies of so long ago. The early Catholic Church tolerated it. They chose various days to celebrate the life, death, or martyrdom of each of the people the church had proclaimed “saints.” Thus, November 1 became known as “All Saints’ Day.” The night before that day became “All Hallow’s Eve,” thus “Halloween.” On that evening, it was believed that the demons were free to harass people, but they had no power at all on All Saints’ Day. Thus began the concept of Halloween, complete with some of the old Druid trappings.

Because of this, the Protestant churches adopted October 31 as “Reformation Day.” Today, many evangelical churches hold “Harvest Festivals” in place of Halloween, giving Christian children a positive alternative to that holiday.

For one who understands the origin and significance of Halloween, it is a painful reminder of how Satan has craftily perverted Christianity and then wed it, in this instance, to paganism. Neither the religion of the Druids nor the observation of “All Saints’ Day” or the evening before it has any relationship whatever to Biblical Christianity.

“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20

Quoting the Bible on Social Media Leads to Hate Speech Trial

The consequences of one tweet posted seven years ago continue to reverberate for Finnish MP Päivi Räsänen, who is at the center of an ongoing legal case for “hate speech.” In 2019, Räsänen, who is also a former government minister, posted a tweet questioning the appropriateness of the Evangelical Lutheran Church being a sponsor for an LGBT pride event in Helsinki. Her tweet also included an image of a Bible verse from Romans Chapter 1, which states, “The men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.”

 In 2021, Räsänen was charged with “agitation against a minority group” under the section of the Finnish criminal code that deals with “war crimes and crimes against humanity.” The charges relate to the tweet, as well as her comments in a radio debate and a church pamphlet published in 2004. The co-publisher of the pamphlet, Bishop Juhana Pohjola, was also charged. In the debate, Räsänen argued that, according to the Bible, marriage is between one man and one woman and that homosexual relationships are sinful. The pamphlet also included these biblical beliefs.

 Both Räsänen and Pohjola were acquitted of all charges in 2022 and again in 2023. However, the prosecutor has appealed yet again, taking the case to Finland’s Supreme Court, which is set to hear oral arguments on Oct. 30. One of the key issues in the trial is Räsänen’s use of the word “sin.” Described as hateful and insulting by the prosecution, Räsänen’s defense notes that this is the term used in the Bible and that, as such, it is not she who is on trial, but the Bible itself.

 The Finnish State prosecutor, Anu Mantila, said, “You can cite the Bible, but it is Räsänen’s interpretation and opinion about the Bible verses that are criminal.” Speaking of her ongoing ordeal, Räsänen said, “It isn’t a crime to tweet a Bible verse, or to engage in public discourse from a Christian perspective. “The attempts to criminalize me for expressing my beliefs have resulted in an immensely trying last few years, but I still hope for a positive result that will stand as a key precedent to protect the human right to free speech in Finland.”

Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International and part of Räsänen’s legal defense team, expressed disbelief that the state was continuing to go after her. “It is shocking that after two unanimous acquittals, Päivi Räsänen is again being dragged to court to defend her fundamental right to freedom of speech,” he said. “As we have warned for years, vaguely worded ‘hate speech’ laws allow ideological prosecutions like this to take place. We stand behind Päivi and we will continue to work toward the bigger victory when such ludicrous cases are no longer brought. In a free and democratic society, all should be allowed to share their beliefs without fear of punishment.”

 Biblical Connections: That a public prosecutor would ever state that one’s interpretation of the Bible, an interpretation that is clearly what the Bible was saying and has been the major interpretation of said passage for thousands of years, should be a major warning to any Christian. If someone in authority is going to try to arrest someone for their interpretation of a passage, in a Western nation, then no believer is safe from this type of persecution if the West continues to move in its current direction.

 PRAY: Pray Päivi Räsänen will be found innocent once again and the increase in persecution by those that view the Word of God as dangerous and evil, will stop.

Federal Judge Blocks Texas’ New Ten Commandments Law

A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction blocking a Texas law that would have mandated the display of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom across the state. In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery in San Antonio temporarily prohibited 11 Texas school districts from displaying the Ten Commandments. The judge said a lawsuit filed by a coalition of Dallas-area families, faith leaders and civil liberties advocates raised questions about the constitutionality of Senate Bill 10, which would have required the displays in schools statewide starting September 1. The decision marks the third time a federal court has struck downsuch a state-level requirement, following similar rulings in Louisiana and Kentucky.

Biery’s 55-page ruling emphasized the potential impact on students and teachers, noting that “even though the Ten Commandments would not be affirmatively taught, the captive audience of students likely would have questions, which teachers would feel compelled to answer. That is what they do.” He maintained that such displays could lead to unintended religious discussions, placing educators in the difficult position of navigating complex theological issues in a public school setting, potentially infringing on students’ rights to a secular education.

As an example, the judge offered a fictional account of a similar law in Hamtramck, Michigan, where the majority Muslim community “decreed” that the Quran should be taught in public schools. As part of the example, Biery quoted directly from the Quran. “While ‘We the people’ rule by a majority, the Bill of Rights protects the minority Christians in Hamtramck and those 33 percent of Texans who do not adhere to any of the Christian denominations,” the judge wrote. He also cited the biblical accounts of Abraham leaving the land of Ur to proclaim, as the judge wrote in quotations, “the one true God.” Naming Moses, Jesus and Mohammed as the “triad of the ‘desert religions,’” the judge said elsewhere other belief systems were formed, including “those which have come to exist in the American experience.” Claiming that humans “evolved over several million years to be the only species which knows it will die,” Biery attributed the rise of human religion to people “not wanting their existence to end.”

Quoting everything from Stephen Hawking to Sonny and Cher, the judge also quoted from John 11:35, saying Jesus — who he called the “cousin” of Moses and Mohammed — would have wept if he saw the “blood spilled by their followers against each other.” Writing that SB 10 “officially favors Christian dominations over others” and “crosses the line from exposure to coercion,” Biery expressed concern that public displays of the Ten Commandments “are likely to send an exclusionary and spiritually burdensome message” that would identify the plaintiff families as “the other.” “The displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious backgrounds and beliefs while at school,” the judge wrote. 

In his closing statement, Biery — a 77-year-old known for using puns and colorful language in his rulings — appeared to suggest Christians might resort to violence in response to his ruling. He offered a “prayer” using the New Testament phrase “grace and peace” and concluding with “Amen.” “For those who disagree with the Court’s decision and who would do so with threats, vulgarities, and violence, Grace and Peace unto you,” he wrote. “May humankind of all faiths, beliefs and non-beliefs be reconciled one to another. Amen.” The case is expected to move to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which ruled against a similar Louisiana law in June, before potentially advancing to the Supreme Court, where a 6-3 conservative majority could redefine the boundaries of church-state separation. 

PRAY: Pray the Ten Commandments, the most basic and fundamental moral laws given by God, will be allowed to be displayed for our students.

Tim Kaine Doubles Down on Comments About God-given Rights

Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., has doubled down on his criticism of the idea that people's rights come from God and not the government, as his recent remarks during a U.S. Senate hearing have drawn backlash from religious and political leaders. Kaine, a Catholic who was the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 2016, wrote an op-ed for Fox News responding to another Fox News op-ed written by Bishop Robert Barron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester two days earlier.

During a recent Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Kaine characterized the idea that rights come from God as "extremely troubling." The senator insisted that such an idea is "what the Iranian government believes," calling it a "theocratic regime that bases its rule on Sharia law and targets Sunnis, Baha'is, Jews, Christians and other religious minorities" because "they believe that they understand what natural rights are from their Creator."

Barron wrote that Kaine's remarks are what's "truly troubling" and urged readers to "resist this dangerous rhetoric" and celebrate "inalienable rights." "And it's a fruit, I would argue, of the increasing marginalization and privatization of, if not outright hostility toward, organized religion, which is the bedrock of our democracy," the bishop asserted. Barron also posted a video on social media a few days earlier, calling Kaine's comments "dangerous to our democracy."

In response to Barron's op-ed, Kaine called the bishop's views "deeply disturbing." The senator expressed agreement with the notion of the Founding Fathers that "all people are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." At the same time, he detailed how his experience working alongside Catholic missionaries in the military dictatorship of Honduras taught him that "rights are essentially meaningless unless they are protected by law."

Kaine listed the rights to vote, trial by jury, freedom of the press, bear arms, due process, assembly, and not to be subject to cruel and unusual punishments as examples of rights explicitly protected in the U.S. Constitution that are not mentioned in "the Bible or other sacred texts." He cited the legality of slavery until the passage of the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution as an example of how a natural right to freedom was not protected in the U.S. until slavery became illegal. "Unless protected by law, everyday people cannot rest secure that their critical rights will be protected. Claiming that all rights come from the Creator and not from laws or government leaves the door wide open for dictators to ignore the law and simply proclaim that they are doing God's will," he wrote. "That has happened throughout history and it's happening today in many parts of the world. It's one reason why America cast off the British monarchy 250 years ago — we don't accept a 'divine right of kings' to set, change or destroy the rules."

Kaine said Barron "should thank God that his rights, and the rights of all Americans, are protected by law." "Bishop Barron should thank God that his rights, and the rights of all Americans, are protected by law," Kaine wrote. "When it comes to the important business of ensuring legal rights, we should all heed the wisdom often attributed to St. Augustine: 'Pray as though everything depends upon God. Work as though everything depends upon you.'"

Biblical Connections: The United States, while not a theocracy like ancient Israel, was a nation founded on the principles that God was the Creator and that He was greater than any type of government. It is shameful that a sitting politician would claim otherwise and deny the very words of the Declaration of Independence.

PRAY: Pray that this push to drive God out of our nation would stop and America would again turn to the Lord.

Pray for our World: ISIS Reorganizing and Rebuilding

The Islamic State terror organization continues to pose a significant global threat, adapting to military setbacks by leveraging technology, propaganda and regional instability, a United Nations expert told the U.N. Security Council. The terror group’s ability to reorganize and exploit new tools has enabled it to retain influence across several continents even after its military defeat in Iraq and Syria.

Vladimir Voronkov, under-secretary-general of the U.N. Office of Counter-Terrorism, remarked at a recent briefing that the Islamic State, also known as ISIS, ISIL or Da’esh, has shown “volatility and complexity” in its operations, particularly in Africa, Syria and Afghanistan, where it continues to rebuild its operational strength despite counter-terrorism campaigns.

Islamic State affiliates remain active in several regions, including the Sahel, West Africa and Lake Chad Basin, with Africa now accounting for over half of the world’s deaths from terrorist attacks. “Africa remains significantly affected, currently experiencing the highest intensity of Da’esh activity globally. The situation in West Africa and the Sahel remains particularly urgent,” Voronkov said. “During the reporting period, a resurgence in the activity of Islamic State in the Greater Sahara was observed, while Islamic State West Africa Province emerged as a prolific producer of terrorist propaganda and attracted foreign terrorist fighters, primarily from within the region.”

Recent arrests in Libya uncovered logistics and financing networks with links to the Sahel region of Africa, Voronkov added, indicating a cross-border infrastructure supporting the Islamic State’s presence in the region.

In Somalia, the group launched a major attack in Puntland, anticipating an upcoming military counteroffensive. The assault involved foreign fighters, but Somali security forces killed about 200 militants and arrested more than 150 during the response, according to Voronkov. The Islamic State’s presence in Somalia remains supported by regional networks, and the group continues to operate in weakened form, suggesting the need for sustained pressure to prevent resurgence.

In Iraq and Syria, where the Islamic State controlled swaths of territory and established a so-called caliphate beginning in 2014, jihadis are attempting to rebuild the group’s capabilities, focusing on the Badia desert in Syria’s northwest and aiming to destabilize local authorities. The expert noted ongoing covert operations and exploitation of sectarian divisions, saying that the Islamic State had benefited from gaps in security following the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad last December and takeover by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham in parts of Syria.

The Critical Threats Project at the Washington think tank American Enterprise Institute stated in a January report that the Islamic State has “gradually rebuilt its capabilities since 2022 in the central Syrian desert — where regime forces infrequently and ineffectively patrolled — and gradually infiltrated then-regime-held towns along the Euphrates River.” In Afghanistan, the Islamic State Khorasan Province, or IS-K, was described as one of the “most serious threats” to Central Asia and beyond. Voronkov said the group has targeted civilians, minorities and foreign nationals, while exploiting public dissatisfaction with Afghanistan’s de facto authorities.

Natalia Gherman, executive director of the Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate, told the Associated Press that IS-K is deploying “propaganda tactics and online campaigns” aimed at recruitment and fundraising across Central Asia and Europe. Gherman warned that the group’s use of advanced technology has introduced new threats. “Its ability to adapt and exploit instability continues to pose significant challenges,” she said, pointing to its experimentation with artificial intelligence, use of encrypted messaging platforms and abuse of crowdfunding systems.

Gherman highlighted the group’s recruitment efforts targeting individuals with cybersecurity expertise, as well as its attempts to integrate artificial intelligence into propaganda production and operational planning.

PRAY: Pray this situation can be overcome through peaceful negotiations, the hostages can be released, and the terrorists will be defeated.

Oregon Can’t Force Woman to Embrace LGBT Ideology to Adopt

Oregon officials cannot prevent a conservative Christian mother from adopting solely because she objects to LGBT ideology, a federal appeals court panel has ruled. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled 2-1 that Jessica Bates was wrongfully denied an adoption application by the Oregon Department of Human Services, reversing a lower court decision.

 A widowed mother of five, Bates applied to receive adoptive parent certification through ODHS in May 2022 so that she could adopt two children who were under the age of nine. However, ODHS denied her application due to her stated refusal on religious grounds to adhere trans-identified child’s preferred pronouns.

 Circuit Judge Daniel A. Bress authored the majority opinion, writing that Oregon was wrong to require adoptive parents to agree to “respect, accept, and support” the self-identified gender identity and sexual orientation of a child. “We hold that Oregon’s policy violates the First Amendment as applied to Bates. We reverse the district court’s denial of preliminary injunctive relief and direct that a preliminary injunction be entered,” wrote Bress.

 Bress said that adoption is “not a constitutional law dead zone” and that “a state’s general conception of the child’s best interest does not create a force field against the valid operation of other constitutional rights. Oregon’s rule, as reflected in the Resource and Adoptive Families Training materials, quite clearly restricts and compels speech based on both content and viewpoint,” he continued. “The situation would be no different if the state had restricted parental speech favoring more ‘progressive’ views of sexuality and gender identity, while compelling speech along the lines of Bates’s more traditional understanding.”

Circuit Judge Richard R. Clifton authored a dissenting opinion, arguing that the state “should not be powerless to protect children for whom it has parental responsibility and for whom it has decided respect should be given. No one should be able, as a matter of right, to require the state to turn over its wards and treat them in ways that are, in the state’s judgment, disrespectful and even dangerous,” wrote Clifton. “Oregon has determined that the ability to respect a child’s sexual orientation and gender identity is an important qualification for a foster parent. It is not our job to quarrel with that determination.”

 Jonathan Scruggs of the Alliance Defending Freedom, who argued the case on behalf of Bates, celebrated the decision. “Jessica is a caring mom of five who is now free to adopt after Oregon officials excluded her because of her common-sense belief that a girl cannot become a boy or vice versa,” said Scruggs in a statement. “The 9th Circuit was right to remind Oregon that the foster and adoption system is supposed to serve the best interests of children, not the state’s ideological crusade.” Jenny Hansson, spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice, told OregonLive that state officials were “disappointed in the ruling but are reviewing to determine next steps.”

 Biblical Connection: We have seen over the last decade or so a concentrated attack against the traditional family unit throughout the Western world. Satan has clearly gone on the offensive in this area. Perhaps we are starting to see a bit of a change in this arena where more traditional family values will again be given priority in adoptions and be able to raise children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord.

 PRAY: Pray this attack on the traditional family unit will continue to be driven back and the biblical based family unit will again be the dominant family unit once more.

Europe Moves to Place More Sanctions on Iran

Europe’s powerhouse trio, the U.K., France and Germany (E3), initiated the process to reimpose sweeping sanctions against Iran over its "significant non-compliance" with international nuclear agreements. The three nations submitted a letter to the president of the United Nations Security Council, Panama's Ambassador Eloy Alfaro de Alba, notifying him of their intent to trigger the snapback sanctions mechanism enshrined under the 2015 nuclear deal known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). "We the foreign ministers of France, Germany and the United Kingdom, share the fundamental objective that Iran shall never seek, acquire or develop a nuclear weapon. We will continue to strive to diplomatically resolve the issue of Iran's significant non-performance,” they stated. The letter concluded by noting that sanctions "will be restored" unless the U.N. Security Council unanimously decides otherwise.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi responded to the move as "unjustified and illegal" in a post on Telegram. Secretary of State Marco Rubio championed the move as "welcome" and said, "Snapback does not contradict our earnest readiness for diplomacy, it only enhances it." “I urge Iranian leaders to take the immediate steps necessary to ensure that their nation will never obtain a nuclear weapon; to walk the path of peace; and to, by extension, advance prosperity for the Iranian people," he added.

The action comes after months of warnings from European leaders, and years of calls from the U.S. dating back to the first Trump administration in 2018, flagging that Tehran was in violation of nuclear agreements made under the JCPOA – though Iran's record of non-compliance did not initiate until 2019, per findings by international nuclear watchdogs. According to a U.K. official, the decision to enforce snapback sanctions, which is expected to have severe consequences for Iran's already flagging economy, was not a decision that was made "lightly."

The official confirmed that there has been "very intense diplomacy" over the last "12-months, 6-months, 6-weeks" that ultimately led to this decision – including three major factors like Tehran's uranium stockpile levels, its operating of advanced centrifuges and its refusal to adhere to international inspection regulations – all of which are dictated under the JCPOA. The official confirmed that in May Iran was found to have roughly 20,000 pounds of enriched uranium, including 900 pounds of near-weapons grade highly enriched uranium (HEU) – which is 45 times higher than the JCPOA limit of under 660 pounds of enriched uranium. "Iran is the only non-nuclear weapons state producing highly enriched uranium," the official said, adding that those stockpiles remain unaccounted for.

But in speaking to reporters in Washington, D.C., the head of the U.N.’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said there is "still time" for Iran to prevent the sanctions from taking hold. "Iran will have to comply," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said. "I think there is a possibility. I'm not naively optimistic, but at the same time, there is no reason why we should not [have] a good outcome."

The E3 and the U.S. have made clear there are specific steps that Tehran needs to take to avoid snapback sanctions, including giving the IAEA full access to all Iranian nuclear sites, direct negotiations with Washington, and accounting for roughly 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium (HEU). But Grossi also noted that it would be "almost impossible" for Iran to get to a point of compliance with the JCPOA due to too many technical advances.

Biblical Connections: As Iran gets increasingly desperate, could this lead them to ally with other nations to launch an attack on Israel like what is described in Ezekiel 38-39?

PRAY: Pray that the United States and Europe will continue to push Iran towards peace and that Iran will stop their mad desire for a nuclear weapon.

Americans’ Trust in the Church Rebounding

Public trust in the church as an institution has risen after three years of stagnation, with 36% of Americans now saying they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in it. The shift, recorded in Gallup’s latest survey on the topic, marks the first significant increase since 2020. Confidence in the church fell to 31% in 2022 and remained around 32% over the following two years, near its lowest recorded levels.

Gallup has tracked this trend annually since 1973, when trust stood at 66%, reaching a high of 68% in 1975. The only other major rebound in recent decades came in 2001, when post-9/11 sentiment briefly raised confidence to 60%, the last time the institution earned such broad support, as reported by Lifeway Research.

The latest numbers show the American church regaining some ground, matching levels last seen in 2021 when confidence was at 37%. While still far from majority support, the increase is notable across several demographics, particularly among political conservatives. Among Republicans, trust in the church jumped from 49% in 2024 to 64% this year. That change aligns with broader gains in institutional confidence among Republican voters. In contrast, confidence in the church fell slightly among Democrats, from 22% to 21%, and rose modestly among independents from 28% to 30%, according to Gallup.

Women, younger Americans and lower-income households showed marked increases in trust toward the church over the past year. Women’s confidence rose eight points to 36%, closing the previous gender gap. Americans aged 18 to 37 experienced the largest increase, rising from 26% to 32%. Those aged 38 to 54 increased three points to 31%, and Americans 55 and older grew from 39% to 42%.

Trust among black and Hispanic Americans remained lower than among white Americans, but all groups showed modest gains. Thirty-one percent of black Americans and 33% of Hispanic Americans expressed high confidence in the church, compared to 37% of white Americans. In 2024, the figure for all non-white respondents stood at 30%. Those with some college education but no degree reported one of the steepest increases — up 11 points to 36%. People earning less than $50,000 per year also grew from 31% to 39% in confidence, while those in households earning more than $100,000 rose from 29% to 36%.

Despite the increase, the church still ranks behind small businesses (70%), the military (62%), and science (61%) in terms of public trust. It falls in the middle tier, alongside the police (45%), higher education (42%), and the medical system (32%). Institutions with lower levels of confidence than the church include the presidency (30%), banks (30%), public schools (29%), the U.S. Supreme Court (27%), and large tech companies (24%). Newspapers (17%), the criminal justice system (17%), big business (15%), television news (11%), and Congress (10%) occupy the bottom of Gallup’s 2025 ranking.

Biblical Connections: The Bible declares that there will be a falling away from the faith as we approach the coming return of Christ with the Rapture and then the future Tribulation. It looked as if we were moving in that direction in the past few years. However, with this possible rebound for the church, could this buy a little more time before the coming of the Lord, or will this rebound only be a temporary reprieve that will change with the winds and continue us on this downward trajectory leading up to the coming of the Lord.

PRAY: Pray this rebound of trust in the church would lead to an awakening of spiritual renewal in America and that many will come to saving faith in Jesus.

UN Staffers Pushing to Call Gaza a Genocide

Hundreds of UN staff have asked Volker Turk at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to explicitly describe the Gaza war as an unfolding genocide, according to a letter seen by Reuters. The letter said the staff consider the legal criteria for genocide in the nearly two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza have been met, citing the scale, scope, and nature of violations documented there. “OHCHR has a strong legal and moral responsibility to denounce acts of genocide,” said the letter signed by the Staff Committee on behalf of over 500 employees. They called on Turk to take a “clear and public position. Failing to denounce an unfolding genocide undermines the credibility of the UN and the human rights system itself.”  The letter cited the international body’s perceived moral failure for not doing more to stop the 1994 Rwanda genocide that killed more than 1 million people.

 Turk has the full and unconditional support of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, adding: “Labelling of an event as a genocide is up to a competent legal authority.” There was no immediate response from the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Israel has previously rejected accusations of genocide in Gaza, citing its right to self-defense following the deadly October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. The subsequent war in Gaza has killed almost 63,000 people, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, while a global hunger monitor says that part of it is suffering from famine.

 The appeal to Turk, an Austrian lawyer who has worked for the United Nations for decades, was backed by around a quarter of his 2,000 global staff. Some rights groups like Amnesty International have already accused Israel of committing genocide, and an independent UN expert, Francesca Albanese, has also used the term, but not the United Nations itself. UN officials have in the past said that it is up to international courts to determine genocide. In 2023, South Africa brought a genocide case against Israel’s actions in Gaza to the International Court of Justice, but the case has not yet been heard on its merits, a process that can take years.

“The situation in Gaza has shaken us all to our core,” said OHCHR spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani, citing difficult circumstances faced by the office as it tries to document facts and raise the alarm. “There have been and will continue to be discussions internally on how to move forward,” she said about the letter. Turk, who has repeatedly condemned Israel's actions in Gaza and warned of the increasing risk of atrocity crimes, said the letter raised important concerns. “I know we all share a feeling of moral indignation at the horrors we are witnessing, as well as frustration in the face of the international community’s inability to bring this situation to an end,” he said in a copy of his response seen by Reuters, calling for employees to “remain united as an Office in the face of such adversity.”

 Biblical Connections: Shortly after the events of October 7, 2023, most of the world was in support of Israel defending itself and trying to get the hostages free. However, as the war has continued, antisemitism has caused many throughout the world to turn on the Jewish people once again. Throughout the Bible the Jewish people have been hated and the Book of Revelation says that they will again be hated in the future Tribulation.

 PRAY: Pray that the people of Israel will be able to defend themselves without being constantly attacked and accused of genocide in the public square.

New Religious Guidelines for More Religious Freedom Unveiled for US Government

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM), under Director Scott Kupor, issued a memo directing the heads of federal departments and agencies to allow employees' religious expression in the workplace. According to the July 28 memo titled "Protecting Religious Expression in the Federal Workplace," federal employees are allowed to display religious items at work, engage in individual or group prayer during non-duty hours, discuss their religious beliefs and attempt to persuade co-workers in a "polite discussion" without harassing them. Employees are also allowed to invite co-workers to religious services and express their faith, even in public-facing roles such as a national park ranger speaking with tour groups.

Agencies were directed to allow religious expression to the greatest extent possible unless it imposes an "undue hardship" on business operations, which does not include a co-worker disliking such expression. Agencies were advised to review and revise internal policies to ensure compliance, avoid disciplining employees for religious expression that is not harassing, and ensure the right of supervisors to engage in religious discussions. The memo cited Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which defines religion to include "all aspects of religious observance and practice as well as belief."

Kupor emphasized in a statement that the guidance is intended to protect federal employees of all faiths. "Federal employees should never have to choose between their faith and their career," Kupor said in a statement. "This guidance ensures the federal workplace is not just compliant with the law but welcoming to Americans of all faiths. Under President Trump's leadership, we are restoring constitutional freedoms and making government a place where people of faith are respected, not sidelined."

The memo comes a week after another OPM memo encouraged robust accommodations for religious liberty among federal employees, including telework options and modified work schedules for religious accommodation. Andrew T. Walker, who serves as an associate dean at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, praised the new guidance and suggested it restores the federal government to neutrality." I have no problem with it whatsoever," Walker told Politico. "To me, that's simply reaffirming the First Amendment, that has proper caveats if you're not engaging in harassing behavior. I think this is just reiterating basic principles of the First Amendment."

The policy is not without its detractors. Attorney Mikey Weinstein, who founded the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, was critical of the new guidance, telling the outlet that "If your supervisor decides to sit down and make it very clear that it's important to her or him, that you accept this weaponized version of the gospel of Jesus Christ, what do you think your chances are for advancement?" In a video posted, Weinstein described the rules as "unconstitutional savagery" and likened them to "Nazi Germany, 1933."

The OPM memos come amid the Trump administration's push to "eradicate anti-Christian bias" in the federal government. In addition to a February executive order establishing a task force within the U.S. Department of Justice for such a purpose, Trump also issued an executive order in May to create a presidential commission on religious liberty.

Biblical Connection: The US was founded with the First Amendment that was meant to allow for freedom of religion for its citizens. However, in recent years, it had almost become “leave your religion at the door” if you wanted to work for the government. Hopefully these new policies will allow for more believers to live out their faith.

PRAY: Pray that these religious freedom policies will allow for more believers to live out their faith and have gospel moments with their coworkers.

What the Bible Says

QUESTION:

At the Judgment of the Believer’s Works, will everyone have all their sins revealed for others to see? Or will this just be private, between us and the Lord?

ANSWER:

The preponderance of evidence in Scripture is that the things that are presently kept secret on the Earth will be revealed in eternity. For example, Jesus said:

“… for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known,” Matthew 10:26.

The Apostle Paul, who, in the context of this passage, was referring to Christians specifically, said:

“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God,” 1 Corinthians 4:5.

The writer of Hebrews summed things up by saying:

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do,” Hebrews 4:13.

Remember that the Judgment of the Believer’s Works is not to determine our salvation. Our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus Christ, if we have received Him as Savior. But at this judgment, we will be rewarded with authority in eternity based on our activities from the time we became Christians until the time we arrive in glory.

Even as Christians, we have all done things for which we are ashamed. So, no one will be able to look down at his or her brothers and sisters in the Lord, because we have all had problem areas in our spiritual lives from time to time. We will all be looking down at our own selves, realizing that we have failed God periodically, but at the same time, we will be praising the Lord because our sins have been covered by His sacrificial death on our behalf.

Further, with the record books completely opened, so to speak, everyone in Heaven will know that the Lord’s assignment of eternal rewards is totally fair based upon our performance on Earth.

Two additional items are vital for consideration in this discussion. First, the sins and failures we have committed for which we have asked forgiveness will not be brought into account. John, in addressing believers, said:

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,” 1 John 1:9.

Those who have confessed and overcome their failures before the Lord prior to meeting Him face to face will have them forgiven and forgotten, and they will not be held against them in this judgment. That is why it is vital that we keep “short accounts” with God and conduct a daily examination of our own lives to see if they are in conformity with His Word, so that we may “not be ashamed before him at his coming” (1 John 2:28).

Second, Jesus reminds us that our faithful service to Him will be rewarded even if we never receive public recognition. In fact, He urges us not to do good deeds just to receive the praise of men. All our faithful works should be to His glory.

It was with this in mind that Jesus said:

“But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly,” Matthew 6:3-4.

Therefore, may we live our lives with the goal of pleasing the Lord, doing that which is pleasing in His sight, and avoiding those things that would grieve Him. In so doing, we can look forward with confidence to meeting Him in Heaven when He reviews our lives and bestows rewards upon us.

Texas to Allow Religious Education for Public School Students

Texas has passed a law allowing students to receive religious instruction off-campus during the school day for a limited time, which supporters are characterizing as a victory for parental rights. Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1049 into law. The measure, which passed the Republican-controlled Texas Senate in a 30-1 vote and the Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives in a 123-12 vote,  goes into effect on Sept. 1. It received bipartisan support, with only one Senate Democrat and 12 House Democrats opposing it.

The legislation adds a new section to state law governing what constitutes an excused absence from school under state law. Texas schools are now required to excuse students “from attending school to attend a released time course for at least one but not more than five hours per week.” The measure requires all public school districts and charter schools in the state to enact policies allowing students to attend religious instruction during the school day by Jan. 1. Additional provisions in the measure require schools to secure written consent from parents before approving requests for released time and ensure the entity offering religious courses off-campus keeps attendance records while stressing transportation to such instruction is to be provided by parents and/or the entity providing the instruction.  

Under the legislation, the entity providing the off-campus religious instruction assumes liability for students when the class is taking place. The measure also prohibits permitting the use of school facilities for religious instruction during the school day and using “district or school funds” to “facilitate the provision of a released time course.”

The conservative legal nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom reacted favorably to Abbott’s approval of Senate Bill 1049. “Parents have the right and responsibility to guide the upbringing and education of their children,” said ADF Senior Counsel Greg Chafuen in a statement. “The government should not stop families from raising their children in the family’s faith. SB 1049 respects parents’ educational decisions, allowing public school children to be briefly excused from school to receive free, off-campus religious instruction taught by private charitable organizations,” he added.

Although he did not name the decision directly, Chafuen noted that allowing released time for religious instruction during the school day is consistent with U.S. Supreme Court precedent. The justices ruled in the 1952 case Zorach v. Clauson that laws permitting students to receive instruction during the school day are consistent with “the best of our traditions” and determined that they did not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Texas is not the only state to enact legislation allowing students to attend religious instruction off-campus during the school day in recent weeks. Iowa’s Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds signed a similar measure into law. Other states with laws allowing students to receive religious instruction during the school day include Ohio and Oklahoma.

Released time laws have drawn scrutiny from secular legal advocacy organizations like the Freedom From Religion Foundation, who argue that such programs cut into “valuable school hours” and students who don’t participate are left to do busy work. Following the passage of Ohio’s release-time law in 2023, FFRF said it “received several complaints from families in different school districts alleging that non-attending students were given busy work, or no work at all, as a consequence of staying behind during released time classes. 

Biblical Connections: The Bible makes it clear that education should be founded on the Word of God. For many years in America, that foundation has been lost by driving God out of the public schools. It seems like at least the possibility of overcoming this push is at least in the cards with these new state laws going into effect that allow for Christian education again in some part in public schools.

PRAY: Pray that many students will hear the Gospel through these new laws.

Massive Earthquake in Russia

Tsunami waves struck coastlines in Hawaii, California, Alaska and Japan after a powerful earthquake off Russia’s Far East triggered alerts across the Pacific. Authorities in several countries issued evacuation orders as water levels surged, though no major damage or casualties were reported in these areas. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck at 8:25 a.m. local time in Kamchatka, a remote peninsula in Russia’s Far East that lies between the Sea of Okhotsk and the Pacific Ocean. The quake was centered about 74 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, the region’s main city, at a depth of 12 miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Kamchatka Peninsula sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is one of the most seismically active areas in the world. The quake, one of the strongest recorded this century, caused violent shaking across the region and triggered aftershocks as strong as magnitude 6.9.

 In Hawaii, waves up to 1.7 meters (5.5 feet) were recorded, and water receded by up to 30 feet at Haleiwa Harbor on Oahu, The Associated Press reported. Gov. Josh Green said authorities had activated helicopters and high-water vehicles in preparation for potential rescues. Flights in and out of Maui were suspended earlier in the day but resumed by evening. While evacuation shelters were set up in schools and community centers, no damage was reported.

 Along the U.S. West Coast, tsunami advisories prompted warnings in Crescent City, California, where waves of 3.6 feet were observed. City officials turned on tsunami sirens and urged residents to avoid beaches and waterways. The National Weather Service warned of multiple waves continuing through high tide and noted that flooding was possible in low-lying coastal areas. In Alaska, waves just under 1.5 feet were reported in the Aleutian Islands. Dave Snider from the National Tsunami Warning Center said that the impact could persist for more than a day due to the nature of tsunamis, according to NPR. He noted that they travel as fast as jet aircraft in deep ocean waters but slow and pile up near shores.

 While speaking in Santiago, Chile, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said the threat of a major tsunami hitting the United States “has passed completely.” She added that officials are “in really good shape right now” and that they “were fully deployed and ready to respond, if necessary, but grateful that we didn’t have to deal with the situation that this could have been.”

 Russia’s Severo-Kurilsk, located on the Kuril Islands, was hit by four tsunami waves, including one as high as five meters, which partially flooded the port and a fish processing facility, according to Reuters. Power was cut off and boats were swept from their moorings, though local authorities reported no major injuries. Verified footage showed the town’s shoreline submerged and some industrial structures surrounded by water. Japan issued evacuation advisories to nearly 2 million residents in 220 municipalities along its Pacific coast. Waves up to 1.3 meters (4.2 feet) were recorded in Iwate and Hokkaido, and ferries and train services were suspended in affected areas. One injury was reported in Hokkaido when a woman in her 60s fell while trying to evacuate.

 Biblical Connections: We are thankful that the massive earthquake hit a remote region and did not cause disastrous tsunamis around the globe. However, it does remind us of the wreckage that can occur when such an earthquake hits. The Book of Revelation lays out that catastrophic earthquakes will be a part of God’s judgements during the Tribulation. We can only fathom the devastation that will occur when these earthquakes hit in the future.

 PRAY: Pray for those who were impacted by the earthquake and following tsunami. Pray for the spread of the Gospel and for lost people to come to salvation before the coming judgements mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

Supreme Court Upholds Sex-Change Surgery Ban for Minors

The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld a Tennessee law banning body-mutilating surgeries and hormone drugs for trans-identified minors, affirming a lower court ruling. In a decision in the case of United States v. Skrmetti, the high court ruled 6-3 that Tennessee’s law banning the controversial procedures, also known as Senate Bill 1, does not violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the majority opinion, joined by justices Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett. Justice Samuel Alito concurred with the judgment.

Roberts rejected the claim by plaintiffs that the law engaged in sex-based discrimination, writing that “the law does not prohibit conduct for one sex that it permits for the other.” “Under SB1, no minor may be administered puberty blockers or hormones to treat gender dysphoria, gender identity disorder, or gender incongruence; minors of any sex may be administered puberty blockers or hormones for other purposes,” he wrote. “The plaintiffs fail to note that Tennessee also proclaimed a ‘legitimate, substantial, and compelling interest in protecting minors from physical and emotional harm.’ … And they similarly fail to acknowledge that Tennessee found that the prohibited medical treatments are experimental, can lead to later regret, and are associated with harmful — and sometimes irreversible — risks.”

Roberts emphasized the legitimate medical concerns over the use of puberty blockers for minors, pointing to recent developments in the United Kingdom in which the government banned such drugs for children for the foreseeable future, except for clinical trials. “This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments in an evolving field. The voices in these debates raise sincere concerns; the implications for all are profound,” Roberts added. “The Equal Protection Clause does not resolve these disagreements. Nor does it afford us license to decide them as we see best. … Having concluded it does not, we leave questions regarding its policy to the people, their elected representatives, and the democratic process.”

Justice Sonia Sotomayor authored a dissenting opinion, joined by Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson and, in part, by Justice Elena Kagan. “Tennessee’s law expressly classifies on the basis of sex and transgender status, so the Constitution and settled precedent require the Court to subject it to intermediate scrutiny. The majority contorts logic and precedent to say otherwise,” wrote Sotomayor. “Thus, the majority subjects a law that plainly discriminates on the basis of sex to mere rational-basis review. By retreating from meaningful judicial review exactly where it matters most, the Court abandons transgender children and their families to political whims. In sadness, I dissent.”

Tennessee passed Senate Bill 1 in March 2023, banning healthcare providers from performing genital mutilation surgeries or giving puberty-suppressing drugs to minors exhibiting gender dysphoria.

“The legislature declares that the integrity and public respect of the medical profession are significantly harmed by healthcare providers performing or administering such medical procedures on minors. This state has a legitimate, substantial, and compelling interest in protecting minors from physical and emotional harm,” noted the findings of SB 1.

Multiple progressive groups sued to strike down the law on behalf of trans-identified children and their families, with the support of the U.S. Justice Department of the Biden administration. Although a lower court placed a preliminary injunction against the law, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed the legislation to take effect. Last September, a 6th Circuit panel ruled 2-1 in favor of the law.

The Supreme Court heard the case last December, with U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar arguing the Tennessee ban was discriminatory on the basis of sex. Prelogar said “we do think there is a real space for states to regulate here” and pointed to West Virginia, where a ban on trans procedures provides an exemption for teenagers who are considered at risk for suicide or other self-harm. “We don’t think that that means the states are entirely barred from regulating in this space,” she continued. “Obviously, they are grappling with these issues in a variety of contexts.”

PRAY: Pray more states will follow in outlawing these terrible practices that are essentially mutilating our children.

New Study Shows Majority of US Denies Absolute Truth

A new survey reveals that most Americans reject the idea of an absolute moral truth as the prominent Christian researcher behind the report warns that the absence of this concept has wide-ranging implications for societal harmony. The Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University released the latest installment of its 2025 American Worldview Inventory. The data in the report is based on responses collected from 2,100 adults in January. The research examined Americans’ views about whether or not there is an absolute moral truth.

When asked whether they agreed that “a mature human accepts different truth views to be just as valid as their own views,” 67% of respondents answered in the affirmative. Majorities of non-Christians (69%), those without any particular faith (68%), self-identified Christians (67%) and theologically identified born-again Christians (56%) agreed with this statement. Thirty-one percent of integrated disciples agreed with this view, making them the only group where less than half rejected the idea of an absolute moral truth.

The survey defines a theologically identified born-again Christian as someone who believes “they will go to Heaven after they die but only because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior,” while clarifying that the term “Integrated Disciples” refers to “adults who possess a biblical worldview, based on answers to worldview-related questions.”

Most respondents (58%) also agreed that “there can be multiple, conflicting moral truth views in any given situation without anyone being wrong.” Larger majorities of non-Christians (64%) and non-religious respondents (61%) ascribed to this view as did most self-identified Christians (56%). Less than half of theologically identified born-again Christians (47%) and a minuscule share of integrated disciples (6%) embraced this idea.

While only 45% of respondents believed that “perceptions of moral truth change over time and across cultures, proving there is no absolute moral truth,” most non-religious (55%) and non-Christian respondents (53%) believed that moral truth can change over time. Less than half of self-identified Christians (41%), theologically identified born-again Christians (28%) and integrated disciples (6%) endorsed this view.

In a statement reacting to the research, Arizona Christian University professor and Cultural Research Center Director George Barna maintained that there is a direct correlation between Americans’ views on absolute moral truth and the volatile climate the U.S. finds itself engulfed in. “It is impossible to separate America’s core values — such as honesty, respect, service, responsibility, trustworthiness — from beliefs about moral truth,” he said. “New data shows that Americans trust each other less, are disappointed in the lack of respect shown toward others, a growing emphasis upon being served rather than serving others, and the generational divide over commitment to personal responsibility,” Barna added. “These are all outgrowths of the increasing belief that there are no absolute moral truths that bind us together and should shape our life choices for both personal and communal benefit.”

Barna added: “Accepting all truths as equally valid cannot help but dig a deep foundation of chaos, confusion and helplessness. In the absence of strong, consistent, logical, and compassionate opposition to philosophies that reject moral absolutes, cultural gravity will lead to the acceptance of an authoritarian political savior or powerful elitist group as the arbiter of truth for the masses.” While stressing that “such leaders have claimed to reject moral absolutes in favor of policies that are good for the people,” Barna warned that “objective analyses indicate that more often than not they simply impose their own absolute moral code under the guise of looking out for the best interest of the masses.”

PRAY: Pray this drive within culture to eliminate the absolute standards given to humanity by God Himself will be stopped and biblical values will reign again.

DOJ Arresting Church, Pro-Life Center Vandalizers

A leading Trump administration attorney says the U.S. Department of Justice dismissed several cases against pro-life activists filed by the Biden administration and vowed to prosecute perpetrators responsible for vandalizing churches and pro-life pregnancy centers in the wake of the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022.

 In an appearance on “The Glenn Beck Podcast”, Assistant Attorney General for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon identified protecting “the rights of people of faith throughout the United States, whether they’re in federal agencies or not” as one of the key aspects of the Trump administration’s agenda.

 Dhillon also discussed the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act and how it is “supposed to protect people going into abortion facilities from violence.” The legislation in question subjects anyone who “intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person” seeking to provide or obtain “reproductive health services” to federal charges.

 “The only violence being done in recent years is to the law and to the rights of speech and of prayer of people of faith who want to pray, which is in their entire First Amendment right, outside abortion facilities,” she said.            

 “Those elderly and young Americans have been arrested and persecuted by the Biden DOJ. One of the first things that was done under the new administration was to dismiss multiple cases. Cases in Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio have been dismissed.” Dhillon vowed: “We are not going to be pursuing these FACE Act cases other than in extraordinary circumstances involving death, serious bodily harm or extreme property damage.” Dhillon maintained that “none of the recent cases have any of those fact patterns.”

 Host Glenn Beck asked Dhillon if she could use the FACE Act to “get the people that are firebombing or doing harm on the other side,” referring to the wave of violence directed at pro-life pregnancy centers following the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that determined that the U.S. Constitution does not contain a right to abortion.

 “Facilities … involving prenatal care are protected by the FACE Act and so we will be aggressively going after” the perpetrators of such crimes, Dhillon responded. “There were more than 200 incidents in the last few years of those kinds of facilities where people were counseled about their choices, about adoption, about keeping the baby. Those facilities have been violently attacked by activists with no action by law enforcement, federal or state.”

 Aside from a group of pro-abortion activists responsible for vandalizing pro-life pregnancy centers in Florida, prosecution of perpetrators behind most other attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers and churches has been relatively muted.

 “We will be going after those cases because every woman has a right to go into those facilities and get fair, open and even in some cases, religiously inflected advice about their choices with respect to the baby that they are growing in their bodies,” Dhillon said.

 Beck lamented the violence and vandalism that broke out following the Dobbs decision also impacted churches, saying that the perpetrators “never seem to go to jail.”

 Dhillon pushed back: “We actually have won prosecutions of firebombings of churches in recent weeks and the Civil Rights Division, our criminal section, has done a tremendous job going after that.”

 Dhillon stressed that the DOJ “has a zero-tolerance policy for violence or intimidation against any person of faith in the United States that prevents them from getting an education, worshiping freely, enjoying the right to go to a church, mosque, temple, gurdwara and use that appropriately within federal law. We venerate religion in our country, in our Bill of Rights. It is a founding basis of our country, and we’re very, very committed to it,” she said.

 PRAY: Pray those that would break the law and try to intimidate churches and pro-life places will be prosecuted so that people in need will have access to these facilities and options.

Pope Leo Affirms Catholic Church Teaching on Abortion and Marriage

In an interesting and helpful development, Pope Leo XIV has affirmed the Catholic Church’s teachings about the sanctity of human life and marriage.

 In remarks to the Vatican Diplomatic Corps, Leo XIV listed “peace,” “justice” and “truth” as the “three essential words that represent the pillars of the Catholic Church’s missionary activity and the aim of the Holy See’s diplomacy.” When discussing the topic of “justice,” he stressed the “responsibility of government leaders to work to build harmonious and peaceful civil societies. This can be achieved above all by investing in the family, founded upon the stable union between a man and a woman,” he said. “In addition, no one is exempted from striving to ensure respect for the dignity of every person, especially the most frail and vulnerable, from the unborn to the elderly, from the sick to the unemployed, citizens and immigrants alike.”

 In addition to demonstrating his support for upholding Church teachings on abortion and marriage, Leo XIV cited “migration, the ethical use of artificial intelligence and the protection of our beloved Planet Earth” as “the challenges of our time.” He credited the “truth” with enabling the shared confrontation of “the challenges that require commitment and cooperation on the part of all.”

 “The Church can never be exempted from speaking the truth about humanity and the world, resorting whenever necessary to blunt language that may initially create misunderstanding,” Leo XIV added. “Yet truth can never be separated from a charity, which always has at its root a concern for the life and well-being of every man and woman. Furthermore, from the Christian perspective, truth is not the affirmation of abstract and disembodied principles, but an encounter with the person of Christ himself, alive in the midst of the community of believers.”

 Leo XIV also shared his belief that “religions and interreligious dialogue can make a fundamental contribution to fostering a climate of peace.” According to the pontiff, “This naturally requires full respect for religious freedom in every country since religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships.”

 Leo XIV’s conversation with diplomats from around the world comes amid concerns that he will be a woke pope. The pontiff’s brother, Louis Prevost, attempted to put to rest these concerns in an interview with Piers Morgan. Prevost insisted that his brother abides by a philosophy centered on the idea that “you have to maintain the rules of the Catholic Church.” When asked specifically about his brother’s views about homosexuality, Prevost predicted that he would not “endorse gay marriage.” “Because of his studies in canon law and his background, he’s still, at his roots, he’s Catholic and he follows the rules of the church,” Prevost maintained.

 Biblical Connections: While Evangelicals and Catholics have major disagreements on many theological areas, traditionally they have both agreed on these two areas: that marriage is between a man and a woman and that life begins at conception. While the Catholic Church does not have the same type of political influence it once had, it still holds significant political power and influence. They also have significant influence in the realm of education. Catholics and Evangelicals can agree to work together to defend these areas in societies that are trying to move away from these biblical beliefs.

 PRAY: Pray the Catholic Church under Pope Leo XIV will continue to stand firm on these biblical issues and work together with Evangelicals to help defend Christian values in society.