Why do people suffer? Is it always because of sin in their lives?

Many people feel that this is the case, but that is not necessarily true. A question about sin and suffering was asked by Jesus’ disciples, who, upon encountering a blind man, asked the Lord:

“…Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:2.

Jesus’ answer was, “Neither.” It was necessary, rather, to minister to this man, manifesting the work of God in him by healing him of his blindness.

Job’s friends certainly felt it was because of sin. Take, for example, the words of Bildad the Shuhite, who said to Job about God:

“If thou wert pure and upright, surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase,” Job 8:6-7.

Job’s other friends echoed this sentiment through most of their discourses, that somehow Job’s sin was responsible for his misfortune. In Job’s case, this was not true, as was shown by God’s words to Eliphaz the Temanite at the conclusion of the book:

“…My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath,” Job 42:7.

Why, then, is there suffering? While it is not possible to know the entire mind of God on this or, for that matter, any subject (Romans 11:33), we can suggest several observations based on Scripture:

1. Punishment – As we have mentioned, not all suffering is a result of a person’s wrongdoing, but some of it certainly is. The Bible gives us the principle that what a man sows, so shall he reap (Galatians 6:7). Sometimes, there is a direct cause and effect in this area. For instance, those who abuse their bodies stand a high risk of contracting an illness based on the harm in which they indulge. Those who commit crimes against the government, which God has said is in place for society’s benefit (Romans 13:1-7), will likely be punished by the government.

2. Discipline – As members of God’s family, we can come under His discipline (Hebrews 12:5-11). This may or may not be the result of sin. It may simply be an effort on God’s part to refocus our priorities on Him, as we are so prone to wander away to other sources of fulfillment. Disciplinary suffering can produce in us a transforming effect to make us more Christ-like by producing in us those qualities that would make us conform to Him. These include patience (James 1:2-4) and faithfulness (1 Peter 1:6-9), among others. The goal here is to bring us into a closer relationship with the Lord, as we learn to trust and depend upon Him.

3. Testimony – Sometimes we suffer simply because we are Christians. Suffering for this reason was quite prevalent in the early Church and still is in many places in the world today. Even here in some areas of the U.S., some are losing freedoms once had to publicly honor God and exhort others to do the same. When we suffer for this reason, and do so patiently, it can have a positive effect on others, even our enemies, that would cause them to ask about the reason for the hope that is in us (1 Peter 3:15). An ancient Church father once observed, “The blood of the martyrs was the seed of the Church.” When people saw Christians suffer and die for their faith, it drew people to Christ rather than repelling them.

When we suffer – for one of these reasons, for another reason, or even if we do not know the reason – we are to remain faithful to God and trust Him under all circumstances. We must remember the “big picture” that God has for us as Christians, that we have a hope that the world does not. The eternal home that God has prepared for us will make the obstacles that we may encounter between here and there fade into insignificance:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him,” 1 Corinthians 2:9.

One in Seven Christians Face Persecution and Discrimination for Their Faith

Christian persecution reached an unprecedented scale worldwide in 2025. The findings of Open Doors US annual World Watch List show that the 388 million Christians facing high levels of persecution and discrimination for their faith — more than one in seven — marks an increase of more than 8 million over the previous year. Ryan Brown, CEO of Open Doors US, said there are multiple dynamics at play beneath the surface of such trends, but noted there is “expansion of the levels of really extreme violence that are taking place.” He added that much of it is concentrated in sub-Saharan Africa, which is home to 14 countries on the watch list.

Nigeria is “at the center of a lot of the things going on,” and is the primary hotspot for deadly violence, accounting for the most faith-related killings globally. This region of more than 720 million people, nearly half of whom are Christian, remains a critical area of concern. Of the 4,849 Christians killed worldwide for their faith, 3,490 were Nigerian, which is an increase from 3,100 last year.

Somalia landed as the second-most dangerous country for Christians for the fourth consecutive year. Aweis Ali, son of a Muslim cleric and a convert to Christianity, recounted the violence Christians face there. “Somali Christians are among the most extremely persecuted in the world,” he said. “You could be sitting in a cafeteria, enjoying your meal, and somebody could come and attempt to decapitate you, to cut your head off.”

Syria is also highlighted. It achieved its highest-ever score on the ranking system after experiencing the most significant single-year increase in Christian persecution recorded by any country since the nonprofit's ranking methodology began in 2014. Intensified pressures on the Christian community amid ongoing conflict has lingered on for more than a decade. The militant Islamist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which took power after the Assad regime collapsed, at first engaged in dialogue. They expressed that Syrians “could worship freely and different faith persuasions would have a seat at the table,” Brown said. “While we haven't necessarily seen the difficulties at the hand of the central government, we have seen, due to the weak rule of law, that there have been vacuums of power that have been created throughout the country, and extremists have stepped into those vacuums,” he said. Brown added that Christians are suffering elsewhere because of similar examples of extremists filling a power vacuum.

The World Watch List is not just an informational resource, but also a prayer resource. Persecuted Christians are asking fellow believers around the world to pray for them. The list offers specific prayer points for each of the 50 countries that are detailed. “These are prayer points that our brothers and sisters on the ground have told us … the things that they are praying for,” explained Brown.

PRAY: Let us pray and intercede on behalf of our fellow believers experiencing terrible persecution and even death.

Programmable Digital Currency

Globalist leaders are actively working to introduce central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). A CBDC is a digital currency that is issued directly by a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve in the US, the European Central Bank in the EU’s eurozone, and the Bank of England in the UK. Critics say that these CBDCs are part of the dream of being able to control the global economy and therefore controlling people’s lives. Several of those steps are already a reality, including shutting down dissent and free speech. In Europe, people are routinely fined and arrested for saying things their government does not like.

The Oxford-educated, German economist Richard A. Werner warned in an interview, “The push for CBDCs is the final step in a multi-decade program by central planners to increase their power over the people and over countries. This is the ultimate step because the powers of CBDCs are so extraordinary that, I mean, even the worst dictators of past centuries could only have dreamt of having such enormous power over the lives of so many people.

“We are talking about a very dystopian future if we allow central banks to issue central bank digital currencies. You know, even if the original designers and heads of central banks who are launching this are super well-meaning, you know, let’s give them the benefit of the doubt, we just know what human nature is like and history is the best guide…”

“I think the power would be abused, if not by the original generation of launchers, then by the next generation.... It will be a completely totalitarian system of such frightening proportions, it’s hard to imagine...The micromanaging decision about your spending will then be automated and... you have no right to appeal the algorithm... You just won’t be able to use your money for certain things and then there is nothing that you can do... That by definition endsfreedom....” he continued.

CBDCs will indeed be “programmable”: In 2021, the Bank of England asked for ministers to have the final word on whether a central bank digital currency should be “programmable”, meaning that the central bank would have a veto over how people would spend their money, the Telegraph reported. Tom Mutton, a director at the Bank of England, said during a conference that programming could become a key feature of any future central bank digital currency.

According to Mutton, “There could be some socially beneficial outcomes from that, preventing activity which is seen to be socially harmful in some way. But at the same time, it could be a restriction on people’s freedoms. That is a delicate debate that needs to be had. It is not something we can settle ourselves, that is for the Government to lead on.” Programming, Mutton made it clear, would enable the state or an employer “to control how the money is spent by the recipient.”

Not only is such a scenario horrifying beyond words, but half the world is already hurtling towards this nightmare: A study by the Atlantic Council last year found that 134 countries — including the U.S. at the time — were pursuing central bank digital currencies, with almost half of those countries at an advanced stage in this process. The Biden administration was working towards an American CBDC. But, in May 2024, the House of Representatives passed a bill to prevent the Federal Reserve from introducing a CBDC. Shortly after coming into office, President Donald Trump banned the establishment of a CBDC in the United States. The European Union is barreling ahead towards a central bank digital currency for those EU countries that are a part of the eurozone, which includes most EU countries.

Biblical Connections: While CBDCs are not inherently bad in themselves, one can see how this type of power could one day be used by the Antichrist. He could control the global economy to such an extent it would be almost impossible to buy or sell goods without permission, as outlined in Revelation 13.

PRAY: Pray those in power making the decisions on these types of massive digital overhauls will be wise and thoughtful in their actions.

Increased Aid to Nigeria to Protect Vulnerable Christian Populations

The United States has signed a $5.1 billion, five-year bilateral health agreement with Nigeria, directing substantial new funding toward Christian faith-based healthcare providers to expand health services and protect vulnerable Christian populations. The move marks a new phase in U.S.-Nigeria cooperation under the America First Global Health Strategy. The America First Global Health Strategy, launched in September, covers countries receiving U.S. health assistance. The memorandum of understanding, formalized over the weekend, commits nearly $2.1 billion from the U.S. government toward prevention and treatment of HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, polio and maternal and child health, according to the U.S. State Department. Nigeria has pledged an accompanying $3 billion in domestic health investment over the same period, the largest co-investment made by any nation under the strategy to date.

Of the U.S. funding, around $200 million will go to more than 900 Christian health facilities operating across Nigeria. These clinics and hospitals serve over 30% of the population, despite representing just 10% of healthcare providers, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria said in a statement. The agreement ties U.S. support to recent Nigerian government reforms aimed at protecting Christian populations from targeted violence. It includes provisions to expand integrated services for infectious diseases and maternal and childcare at Christian-run facilities. 

Northern Nigeria is predominantly Muslim, with many states enforcing Sharia law alongside federal law, and religious police like the Hisbah regulating public morality. The south is largely Christian, with no religious law and a strong presence of churches and Evangelical movements. This divide influences politics, education and social life, while the central Middle Belt region remains religiously mixed and often experiences violent clashes rooted in both faith and ethnicity. Tens of thousands of Nigerian Christians have been killed in the last decade, while many others have been displaced amid the rise of Islamic extremist groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State in the northeast and the increase of attacks carried out by radicalized Fulani militias against predominantly Christian communities in the Middle Belt states.

The global Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors has warned in recent years that more Christians are killed in Nigeria for their faith annually than in all other countries. The State Department said these investments are designed to complement public-sector efforts and strengthen Nigeria’s overall health infrastructure. 

The MOU was signed in the context of a larger U.S. push to recalibrate global health assistance toward bilateral cooperation models. Principal Deputy Spokesperson Thomas Pigott said the agreement is part of a new strategy that seeks increased financial participation from partner nations and a stronger focus on healthcare system resilience. Nigeria’s maternal and child health indicators remain among the worst globally, with the country accounting for 30% of the worldwide malaria burden.

The State Department said the U.S. president and secretary of state retain authority to pause or end assistance programs that no longer align with national interests. U.S. officials said they expect continued progress from Nigeria in addressing extremist violence affecting Christian communities.  

Biblical Connections: Christian persecution in Nigeria has been brutal and unchecked for over a decade. While it is good to see the United States is finally attempting to address mass persecution, it is also a reminder that for years this has been occurring with basically zero visibility or intervention throughout the world. When Christians are persecuted, it is rarely worldwide news, and non-Christians do not seem to care about it. It should remind Christians that one day, when the Antichrist arises during the Tribulation and turns on the Tribulation Saints, the world at large is not going to stand up to him.

PRAY: Pray for the persecuted Christians in Nigeria and that the United States will push to protect Christians throughout the world that are under persecution.

Palestinian Authority Refuses to Reform National School Curriculum

A report by the Israel- and United Kingdom-based Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education (IMPACT-SE) found that the Palestinian Authority’s 2025-2026 national school curriculum has not been reformed to eliminate inciting and hateful elements, despite promises to do so. The report, released by the educational watchdog organization, represents the first comprehensive review of the full corpus of educational materials used by the Palestinian Authority since its previous report in 2021.

The European Union and the Palestinian Authority signed a Letter of Intent in 2024, in which the EU agreed to restore funding to the PA, which had been suspended over the inciting curricula, based on the promise of significant reforms to the curricula. That letter of intent led to the transfer of over €400 million ($462 million) from the European Union to the PA on the commitment to initiate significant reforms in its curricula. In a familiar phenomenon when dealing with the PA, the letter of intent, published in English, made clear statements regarding “substantial and comprehensive reforms of the Palestinian Authority.” However, PA officials, speaking in Arabic, told a different story to their public than the one told to the EU.

IMPACT-SE found that PA curricula “continues to systematically violate UNESCO principles and educational standards,” through material which “incites antisemitism and violence, promotes jihad and martyrdom, glorifies terrorism, rejects peacemaking and the two-state solution, and erases Israel from maps.” IMPACT-SE found little change from the modest reforms first established during the 2016 reform cycle.

Specifically, the survey of PA curricula found that despite both the PA and the European Union claiming that the materials for Grades 1-4 and Grade 12 would be reformed and “fully aligned with UNESCO standards of peace and tolerance,” in actuality, the materials were virtually unchanged since 2021. The differences between the newer materials and those from 2021 represent shortening of material through formatting adjustments, “and not an effort to expunge problematic content.”

In September 2024, after receiving the transfer of funds from the EU, Abdul Hakim Abu Jamous, head of the Humanities Division in the Palestinian Ministry of Education, told the PA-affiliated Al-Quds news network, “The Ministry of Education has not approved any modifications to the Palestinian curriculum.” He even stated that “not a single word has been deleted or altered in textbooks.” IMPACT-SE stated that “Antisemitism remains a central feature of the curriculum. Hate and collective accusations specifically directed toward Jewish people appear across grades and subjects, depicting them as deceitful, manipulative, or inherently corrupt enemies of Islam, drawing on classical Islamic polemic, historical distortions, and modern antisemitic motifs used to describe the current conflict.”

The report found that in some materials, Israelis are depicted as “demonic monsters, laughing while committing atrocities, slaughtering children, and extinguishing life.” Other materials accuse the Israeli government of fabricating Jewish holy sites to steal Palestinian land. IMPACT-SE found that jihad is always interpreted in a militant sense connected to the conflict with Israel and presented as an obligation that leads to divine reward. Such subjects are imposed upon the curriculum, even when no direct connection is necessary.

According to IMPACT-SE CEO Marcus Sheff, “The obvious conclusion of this report is that barring long-overdue, deep and sustained intervention by the international community, the systematic indoctrination of Palestinians via extremist education is here to stay.”

PRAY: Pray the heart of sin and darkness that leads to generational hate will be softened and the push to create more evil in the coming generations will cease.

Sunday Morning Attack

On Sunday January 21, Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota was invaded by around 36 protestors, including former CNN host Don Lemon. Chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee” the agitators chose to terrorize the church during morning services.

Pastor Jonathan Parnell issued a statement on the church’s website stating in part:

“Jesus is real. When we gather on Sunday mornings to worship him, we are gladly giving ourselves to what is most central and sacred in our life together. On Sunday, January 18, a group of agitators jarringly disrupted our worship gathering. They accosted members of our congregation, frightened children, and created a scene marked by intimidation and threat. Such conduct is shameful, unlawful, and will not be tolerated.

“Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God, lived, died, and rose again for the rescue of all who put their faith in him. He offers a love that transcends cultures, borders, policies, and politics. As those who have been loved and rescued by him, we will not shrink from worshiping Jesus, nor will we stop ‘teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah’ (Acts 5:42). Church buildings are meant to be places of peace and solace, where worshipers can hear and live out this message. We therefore call on local, state, and national leaders to protect this fundamental right. We are evaluating next steps with our legal counsel.”

Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General, posted on social media that the U.S. Department of Justice is investigating federal civil rights violations by “these people desecrating a house of worship and interfering with Christian worshippers. A house of worship is not a public forum for your protest! It is a space protected from exactly such acts by federal criminal and civil laws!”

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Krisi Noem promised the agitators “will soon be held accountable.”

Citing FACE, Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances & Places of Worship Act, there is precedent for lawsuits to be files against the protestors trespassing in the house of God. The First Amendment to the Constitution established the right of every American citizen to exercise religion, assemble peaceably and speak freely.

Political theater cloaked as activism has no place in churches, synagogues or other places of worship.

Biblical Connections: Jesus reminds us in John 15:18-19, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” Jesus was hated without cause, and further on in Chapter 15, He says that “the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” During the End Times, the church and Christians will experience extreme opposition and persecution. We should not be surprised by this latest example of hatred. However, we must continue to share the Good News of the saving grace of God.

In the prophetic plan of God, does the Church replace Israel?

This is an often taught but erroneous doctrine that is making its rounds in prophetic circles. This view teaches that all the covenant promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament are conditional. Advocates of this doctrine believe that because Israel failed, and rejected the Messiah, God has taken the Kingdom away from them. Instead, He has given the Kingdom blessings to the Church. So, the Church is literally the Kingdom of God on Earth today, and we can claim Kingdom authority. 

Sometimes, there is confusion between the unconditional prophecies of the Old Testament and the conditional prophecies. God said to Abraham, “I will bless you unconditionally. I will make a great nation of you, a great name, and a great people, and you will be a blessing to all nations” (Genesis 12:1-3). God cut the covenant with Abraham. The power of God, represented by fire, moved between the pieces of the animals when they cut that covenant in Genesis 15. God did it while Abraham was asleep in a trance. God was saying, “I will keep this covenant. I will make this happen.” It is an unconditional covenant. The promise to give the land to the nation of Israel is an everlasting promise — a covenant — of God. 

If the promise of the everlasting covenant of the land to Israel were not everlasting, then we would have cause to wonder if we, in the New Testament, can depend upon the promise that everlasting life is indeed everlasting, or if it is conditional as well. Of course, we know that everlasting life is an unconditional promise of God. Likewise, the Bible makes it very clear that God has not cast away His people Ismael. 

“I say, then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I am also an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew...,” Romans 11:1.

As Paul writes about his burden for Israel in Romans 11, he says, “Yes, they have rejected the Messiah. Yes, they are under the judgment of God. But God has not abandoned them. God has not cast them away. God forbid,” Paul says. In Romans 11:11, he says, “Have they stumbled, that they might fall, and never get up again? No, not at all.” Their temporary blindness (Romans 11:25) is to provoke them to jealousy, while God gives His blessing to the Gentiles.

Paul sees the distinction between the Church and Israel. God is blessing the Church in the New Testament age, so that Israel will ultimately see that they have missed the blessings of God. They have been provoked unto jealousy that will ultimately and irresistibly draw them to the Savior. That will convince them Jesus Christ really is their Messiah and Lord. In Romans 11:25, Paul said this would go on until the “fullness of the Gentiles” has become complete. God is still in the process of building His Church today. In the process of building that Church, many Gentiles will come into the family of God. Some of the Jewish people will come into the family of God as well. They will come to believe that Jesus indeed died on the cross for their sins. 

The Scripture says it is all according to the grace of God, who calls Jew and Gentile, Black and White, male and female, Arab and Israeli. He calls every one of us to put our trust in Jesus Christ, because only Jesus went to the cross to die for our sins. Only Jesus shed His blood for us. Only Jesus rose from the dead. And only Jesus is coming again to take us home to the Father’s house.

December Arrests Target Christians in China

Chinese persecution of Christians continues to rise. On December 15, more than 1,000 police, SWAT and paramilitary units carried out a crackdown on Christian churches across at least 12 congregations in Yayang Town, Zhejiang province. According to the U.S.-based advocacy organization ChinaAid, led by veteran rights activists Bob Fu, several hundred people were detained within the first two days, and at least four more were taken into custody by Dec. 17.

Roads were sealed off around churches and Christians were barred from entering. A heavy police presence remained in the area during the five-day operation. As of Jan. 6, at least one church has undergone destruction of property. Items belonging to targeted Christians were confiscated.

Two of the primary targets were 58-year-old Lin Enzhao and 54-year-old Lin Enci. Both described as key figures in the local church and listed on wanted notices as leaders of a “criminal organization,” with a reward offered for information. The listed offense was “picking quarrels and provoking trouble,” a common charge used in political cases.

These men have long been involved in church affairs and were previously targeted for opposing the removal of crosses from church buildings. Officials reportedly labeled them “gang-related,” but church members viewed them as defenders of religious space. Their resistance to the forced installation of national flags at churches was given as one source of tension.

Religious institutions are required to display the Constitution, national laws and party slogans, and adapt religious practices to political directives, under a policy titled “Five Entries and Five Transformations.” These requirements have led to conflict and confrontation between local churches and government officials.

Information about the crackdown was swiftly removed from online platforms and communication was heavily restricted. On the night of Dec. 15, a fireworks display was held in the town square. There was no official celebration on the calendar, and residents suspected the timing was meant to distract from the raids. Fireworks videos were widely circulated online along with posts from state-linked accounts repeating slogans such as “Listen to the Party, follow the Party," according to ChinaAid. These accounts described the fireworks as a public celebration of a crackdown on crime.

In 2014, Zhejiang province launched a campaign to remove crosses from the churches. Christian groups in Yayang Town pushed back against the demolition. In 2017, clashes broke out when officials tried to install surveillance cameras, multiple injuries were reported.

A previous incident in June 2025 reportedly involved the mayor of Yayang leading a group that dismantled church gates and walls to raise the Chinese national flag on the property. Church members said this encroached on religious space and violated their rights.

Following the latest operation, a rally was held in Yayang on Dec. 18 titled “Elimination of Six Evils.” Police vehicles, SWAT units and riot officers were displayed in public to reinforce the anti-crime narrative. Residents claim officers stationed near Christian homes had asked them to accuse the detained leaders of wrongdoing. ChinaAid described posters and statements circulating that framed the community as part of a cult or criminal group.

The exact number of people formally detained across Yayang’s churches remains unknown. Initial counts suggest more than 20 individuals may have been charged. In September, at least 70 Christians were arrested during a separate wave of raids targeting unregistered churches, with accusations ranging from fraud to illegal assembly, according to Open Doors, which monitors anti-Christian activity across the world.

PRAY: Pray for the believers in China that are constantly under the threat of violence and arrest, that they would be safe but more importantly that they would continue to promote the cause of Christ.

Outlook for 2026

The year 2025 was filled with events of major importance: the ending of the Israeli Palestinian war and the rescue of many of the hostages; the continuation of the Russia-Ukraine war; and the Iran Nuclear base strike. New technology along with the rise of artificial intelligence continues to dominate the headlines as well.

What are some things that we should be looking for in the coming year? Five things stand out in this area to keep our eyes on.

1. Will the temporary peace in the Middle East hold?

The end of the Israeli Palestinian War with the ceasefire brokered by President Trump was obviously a major steppingstone to the end of tensions in the Middle East. However, there are still many challenges in the region. Iran, although briefly pushed back with the strike against its nuclear facilities, has shown no plans of stopping their plans to destroy Israel and plunge the Middle East into more chaos. Turkey has continued to move closer to both Russia and Iran while moving away from both Israel and NATO, even though they are a part of NATO. While we can be thankful for the peace that we currently have in the region, we are very much on the razor’s edge of another explosive powder keg if Iran and Turkey continue down this path.

2. Will the Russia-Ukraine war finally end?

This war has dragged on far longer than anyone could have initially anticipated. It has seemingly stood at a standstill for the past year or so. However, casualties continue to pile up on both sides. Until a lasting peace can be reached, Eastern Europe will continue to be a massive hotbed. Russia’s aggression united NATO behind Ukraine. That foundation is shaky at best. How long will it hold? Only time will tell. This war has impacted geo-political relations throughout the globe for years to come.

3. Will we continue to see the West surrender to Islam?

If you had told someone that almost 25 years after the September 11th attack on America a Muslim would become the mayor of New York, they would never have believed you. However, that is exactly where we are with the election of Zohran Mamdani, born in Uganda, who is not only Muslim but is also a radical, progressive democratic socialist.

We have seen Islam continue to push into the West, not through conquest but through immigration. Will this continued push from Islam to overcome the West? Once a bastion of Christianity, how long until Sharia Law is enacted in London, New York or Paris? Will the Western world finally push back? This is a major story to watch in the coming year.

4. How will new technology continue to drive us to the foundation of the Tribulation?

While new technology can be incredibly helpful, it also might be something that leads us down the path to the Tribulation. The creation of things such as digital ids, while not inherently evil themselves, could possibly be used in the future by the Antichrist to control much of the population of the world. The continued use of phones, Ipay, cash apps, etc. could make it very easy for the Antichrist to control the economy of the world and simply shut off people’s money with a single click. What new technologies will be developed this year that could continue us down this path?

5. Will there be a revival in the West or will secularism continue to thrive?

The last 18 months have created several inflection points in the United States in particular but the West as a whole for a chance at revival. Many saw the election of President Trump as a possible kickstart to a major revival. The death of Charlie Kirk and the memorial service watched by hundreds of millions of people with the Gospel presented so clearly also seemed liked a chance for a major spiritual revival. Up to this point, neither of those events have had a lot of spiritual legs to them in terms of leading to a massive revival. Will there ever be a spiritual revival in America or the West or will the drive to secularism continue?

This year might be a critical year in turning the trajectory toward secularism around and toward revival instead. 

PRAY: Pray God will move in 2026, both through peace in the world but also through revival in our nation.

Persecution of Christians Intensifies

Persecution of Christians worldwide has increased significantly in both quantity and intensity, human rights experts in Berlin, Germany, said recently. Thomas Schirrmacher, president of the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR), said at a press conference announcing the release of the ISHR 2025 yearbooks “Religious Freedom” and “Persecution and Discrimination of Christians” that the situation of Christians in many regions has deteriorated significantly across the globe.

“This takes the form not only of direct violence (murders, kidnappings), but also of legislation, social discrimination, restrictions in public and private life and control of churches and religious services,” Schirrmacher said at the German Evangelical Alliance offices in Berlin. “The rise of authoritarian regimes, religious nationalism, political instability and violent conflicts is increasing the pressure of persecution.”

Schirrmacher, founder and co-editor of the yearbooks and former secretary general of the World Evangelical Alliance, said they evaluate contemporary threats to freedom rights, including state persecution, extremist violence, imperialist dominance and anti-religious discrimination. Religious freedom is a fundamental human right, but threats against it are increasing worldwide, said Schirrmacher, who just returned from meeting religious minorities in Syria and Iraqi Kurdistan. Highlighting two case studies, he noted that Islamist groups in Nigeria — such as Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Fulani herdsmen militias — continually target Christian communities. Terrorist attacks, kidnappings, murders and the destruction of church facilities occur regularly, affecting not only individuals but forcing entire communities to live in fear and uncertainty.

Despite laws to combat such abuse, implementation remains weak. While some courts show progress in protecting minors, discrimination continues. International pressure from the European Union and others has brought cautious signs of improvement, but the situation remains serious, Schirrmacher said. “These and numerous other cases the yearbook cover show that the situation for Christians is precarious in many regions,” he said. “As publishers of the Yearbooks on Persecution and Discrimination of Christians, we call on politicians and civil society — also on behalf of our authors and supporters — to defend religious freedom resolutely and not to remain silent about the fate of persecuted Christians.”

Schirrmacher emphasized that politicians must consistently defend religious freedom as a fundamental human right and not treat it as a marginal political issue. He added that history has shown time and again that when freedom of belief ends, the erosion of other fundamental freedom rights begins.

Two factors are the root causes of global persecution of Christians, he said. First, dictatorial, one-party states like China, Cuba and North Korea view Christians as a threat and therefore strictly monitor and oppress them. Second, militant political-religious movements or groups victimize Christians. “They suffer discrimination in professional and social life, violent attacks, kidnappings, expulsions and abuse,” he said. “They remain victims without effective state protection because there is no rule of law.”

Schirrmacher noted that Christians in Egypt, Syria, Nigeria, India and Myanmar suffer particularly under such conditions. He cited other states such as the Islamic republics of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan that have “tied their social order to a religion in a totalitarian manner and ruthlessly enforce their religious-political coercive order with state resources.” “In all these states, Christians suffer, and with them other religious communities,” he said. “We must not be indifferent to this! We must analyze and publicize the motives of the oppressors. The enemies of freedom fear this most, and it can put a stop to their activities.”

PRAY: Pray this increase in persecution worldwide would lead to a spread of Gospel as it did in the Book of Acts and pray for the believers being persecuted.

FBI Cuts Ties with Southern Poverty Law Center

The FBI has cut ties with the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has a long history of labeling its political opponents as “hate groups” amid renewed concerns about political violence in the United States. In a statement posted on X, FBI Director Kash Patel announced that all the federal law enforcement agency’s ties with the SPLC “have been officially terminated.” “The Southern Poverty Law Center long ago abandoned civil rights work and turned into a partisan smear machine,” wrote Patel, adding, “Their so-called ‘hate map’ has been used to defame mainstream Americans and even inspired violence.”

While Patel did not provide specific examples of how the SPLC’s hate map has “inspired violence,” two of the organizations included on the map, which is a database of conservative individuals and groups that the SPLC deems “hateful,” have faced violence in recent years. Most recently, Turning Point USA, which is listed on the hate map as an “antigovernment general” organization, saw the assassination of its CEO, Charlie Kirk, on Sept. 10. In a statement provided to The Christian Post on the day of Kirk’s assassination, SPLC spokesman Ricky Riley declared, “The Southern Poverty Law Center unequivocally condemns the shooting of Charlie Kirk and all forms of violence,” stressing that “Violence is never acceptable.”

Earlier this year, the SPLC published a report denouncing the conservative organization for purportedly “sowing and exploiting fear that white Christian supremacy is under attack by nefarious actors, including immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community and civil rights activists.” The report also accused the group of exploiting “complicated feelings of insecurity and anxiety to manufacture rage and mobilize support to revive and maintain a white-dominated, male supremacist, Christian social order” and embracing an “extreme, authoritarian vision for the country that threatens the foundation of our democracy.” In an X post back in May, Kirk described the “game plan” of the SPLC’s labeling of his organization as a hate group as to “scare financial institutions into debanking us, pressure schools to cancel us, and demonize us so some unhinged lunatic feels justified targeting us.” Recalling how “an SPLC-inspired gunman went after” the Family Research Council in2012, Kirk insisted that “They’d love nothing more than to see TPUSA in the crosshairs.”

 As Kirk mentioned in his May X post, the socially conservative Family Research Council, which was listed on the hate map in 2012, became the target of shooter Floyd Corkins. Corkins opened fire at FRC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 2012, wounding the building’s unarmed building operations manager. FRC President Tony Perkins pointed to the SPLC as the source of the “reckless climate” that allowed the attack to take place.

 The FBI’s partnership with the SPLC received a renewed focus in February 2023 following the leak of an internal document that circulated in the agency’s Richmond Field Office, expressing concerns about “radical-traditionalist Catholic ideology” and listing the SPLC as a source. The FBI responded to backlash over the document by releasing a statement maintaining that it “did not meet the exacting standards of the FBI.” “Upon learning of the document, FBI Headquarters quickly began taking action to remove the document from FBI systems and conduct a review of the basis for the document,” the statement added. “The FBI is committed to sound analytic tradecraft and to investigating and preventing acts of violence and other crimes while upholding the constitutional rights of all Americans and will never conduct investigative activities or open an investigation based solely on First Amendment protected activity.”

Kyle Seraphin, the former FBI employee who made the contents of the memo public, maintained that the memo marked a departure from FBI policy, noting that the “FBI has distanced itself from the SPLC as a source in the past 10 years” over what he referred to as its “blatant partisan blindness.”

PRAY: this push to demonize and destroy Christianity in the West will be stopped and the West would turn back to its Christian foundation.

A Special Announcement from Dr. Jeff Kinley

It is with a heart of gratitude that, as of November 21, I can officially announce that I have successfully completed my Doctoral Degree from Liberty University’s School of Divinity, having earned a Doctorate in Theology and Apologetics along with a National Honor Society status. This Doctor or Ministry degree (DMin) represents over two years of nonstop study, reading and research, and meticulous writing that culminated in a 243-page Thesis addressing the error of Replacement Theology. This study and research will only enhance my ministry going forward, but also, Lord willing, eventually result in another book project in the future.

The question I have been asked the most the past few weeks is, “Jeff, how were you able to achieve such a huge academic milestone while simultaneously hosting and teaching two TV shows, two podcasts, maintaining a rigorous monthly travel schedule, co-writing another book, teaching a weekly, local Bible study, launching and co-leading the Prophecy Pros Academy, plus birthing and launching a nation-wide youth prophecy conference ministry (Future Hope)?”

My response is that God’s grace and the physical stamina, mental toughness, and emotional support He provides upheld me throughout this entire process.

I also felt called and committed to this DMin journey, motivating me to invest hundreds of long hours, constantly working extremely hard in my studio office, on international flights, in a London library, hotel rooms in Belgium and Asia, and countless airport lounges and coffee shops across the country.

Further, I received a LOT of regular encouragement from my wife, Bev, my close friend Todd Hampson, my weekly Vintage Truth Bible study regulars, and from many other friends around the world, including many of you who subscribe to my weekly newsletter. Thank you all for your prayerful, positive support!

And with that being said, now “Dr. Kinley” will get back to work equipping the saints!

Blessings, and Maranatha!

- Jeff

Polish Official Stirs Up Antisemitic Rhetoric

Antisemitism has reared its ugly head again in Poland, at the site of one of the most terrible concentration camps in World War 2, after a terrible comment by one of Poland’s major political officials. Polish MP Grzegorz Braun said outside the Auschwitz concentration camp that, “Jews want to be super-humans in Poland, entitled to a better status, and the Polish police dance to their tune.” Braun, the head of the Confederation of the Polish Crown party, made the comments amid news of the Polish government’s plans to adopt a resolution combating antisemitism.

In October, a draft resolution of the Council of Ministers on the adoption of the National Strategy for Counteracting Antisemitism and Supporting Jewish Life for 2025-2030 was published on the website of the Chancellery of the Prime Minister. “Poland is for Poles. Other nations have their own countries, including the Jews,” Braun continued, adding that promoting Jewish life in Poland was like “inviting Hannibal Lecter to move in next door”. He went on to promise that his party “will scatter the International Auschwitz Council to the four winds” if it gains influence in government. He said that under his governance, the council would have no basis in law or budget. Braun also said, “The area of the German Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau is de facto an extraterritorial zone. It is no longer a Polish territory.”

The tirade caused massive controversy in the country. Poland’s Prosecutor General and Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek responded by telling the Polish Press Agency he would act against Braun and his party. “I will not leave this without a response. There is no place for antisemitism in Poland, and such statements cause significant damage to the Polish state internationally and within our country,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to express such views with impunity. We will pursue them resolutely. It is truly shameful for Poles that someone like this, in the 21st century, after what happened in Poland during World War II, is turning this place [Auschwitz] into some hideous political game.”

Zurek personally signed a request to strip Braun of parliamentary immunity previously, when Braun made comments denying the existence of gas chambers in Auschwitz-Birkenau. Such statements violate Polish law, specifically Article 55 of the Act on the Institute of National Remembrance (IPN Act) – Denying Nazi Crimes, which prohibits public denial of Nazi crimes; gross distortion of what happened in German-run concentration camps; or statements suggesting that Poland was responsible.

Braun has a long history of antisemitic actions. He became more known internationally for these in 2021 when he approached a public Hanukkah display in the Polish Parliament and extinguished the hanukkiah, calling it “anti-Polish.” He also opposes restitution for Holocaust survivors. Braun finished fourth in most recent presidential elections. This is not the comments of some political outsider, but someone who has a major political position and gained significant support throughout the nation.

Biblical Connections: Throughout their history, the Jewish people have constantly been attacked by the forces of Satan, seeking to eradicate God’s people. From Pharaoh to Haman to a future Antichrist, the Jewish people have had to deal with constant attacks throughout both Scripture and history. The Book of Revelation talks about the persecution the of Jewish people in Revelation 12-13 during the time of the Tribulation. That Antisemitism continues to be such a major issue in a major European power and throughout the globe shows just how easy it will be for the Antichrist to get the world to turn on the Jewish people once more.

PRAY: Pray that this type of blatant Antisemitism will not be tolerated in society.

Are you concerned with all that is going on in America today? As followers of Christ, we know that nothing surprises God. He is in control. He has a plan. When you are feeling overwhelmed, I encourage you to dig into Scripture. One of the most vital things we can do in these uncertain times is to take an eternal perspective.

When we concentrate on the blessings of God, particularly His greatest gift of salvation through Jesus Christ for those who have placed their trust in Him, we will strengthen our relationship with Him and look at our circumstances with a new and more positive outlook. This in turn will give us more impetus to trust God to provide for all our needs and to direct our paths.

One of the main issues in discussing Thanksgiving is the One to whom thanks should be given, and that, of course, is God.

Looking back to the first American celebration of Thanksgiving, we know that the Plymouth colonists landed in the late fall of 1620, just before the dead of winter. Not able to plant, most of them stayed aboard their ship, the Mayflower, though the winter, where about half of them died from exposure or disease.

When the survivors emerged in the spring, a bilingual Native American by the name of Squanto aided the colonists by showing them how to cultivate crops, hunt, fish, and avoid danger in their new environment. The Pilgrims’ first harvest was a success, and the result was a three-day celebration of thanks in November 1621, in which they invited their new Native American friends who had helped them so graciously.

However, the Pilgrims knew that in spite of their hardships the previous year, it was ultimately God who had provided them a new home in the New World. Had they landed a few miles away either north or south, they may have missed their encounter with Squanto, had a disastrous first crop, and all perished. But God’s provision had sustained them.

George Washington called upon Americans to celebrate Thanksgiving in 1789, in gratitude for a successful conclusion of the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. In the dark days of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official American holiday, but asked that citizens request of God to “commend to His tender care of all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners, or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

It is clear the thanks should be given regardless of the outward circumstances in which we find ourselves. “O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever,” Psalm 136:1.

Jesus Himself expressed thanks to His Heavenly Father. As part of His prayer when He raised Lazarus from the dead, He said, “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me”(John 11:41). At the Last Supper, He took time to give thanks for the elements of the first Communion service (Matthew 26:27), although He was just hours from the events that would ultimately lead to His death on our behalf. 

We can always find something about which we can express our thanks to God.  

We can be thankful that He has led us by His Holy Spirit into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ that has provided us with an eternal home in glory. We can thank Him for the opportunity of living in a nation that allows us the freedom to vote. We can thank Him for family and friends who reflect His love for us. May we always be mindful of these things.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. 

Thanksgiving is all about knowing the truth of who we really are in Christ, and what we have received from the hand of God. It is the understanding that we are not just here as an accident of chance or circumstance. We are not just the product of a biological mistake of evolution. But we are men and women created in the image and likeness of God Himself. We are designed to have a relationship with God and to have fellowship with Him.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,” James 1:17.

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.