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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Criminalizing Prayer in Australia?

In April, the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) began enforcing a new law criminalizing anti-conversion therapy, which now includes praying with someone about their gender or sexual identity and even encouraging abstinence for Christians who experience same-sex attraction. On the website Anti-Discrimination New South Wales, a government body that administers and investigates anti-discrimination, it’s explained that “praying with or over a person with the intent to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity is unlawful … even if that person has asked you to pray for them to be able to change or suppress their sexuality or gender identity.”

 NSW’s Conversion Practices Ban Act 2024 is part of a trend of laws that seek to outlaw “conversion therapy,” the clinical practice of forcibly changing someone’s gender or sexual identity. What makes the NSW law different is how broadly “conversion therapy” is defined beyond a traditional clinical setting.

 In an interview with The Washington Stand, Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, said, “This is a terrible new law in this Australian state, and they aren’t even trying to hide it. According to the state government’s own admission from their website, this law will prevent a pastor or any believer from praying with someone who is asking for prayer for freedom from gender identity issues.”

 This prohibition extends not just to private prayers and requested counseling from a pastor but also to statements made publicly during sermons.

 The NSW government webpage explains that “a religious leader preaching to or praying for their congregation” may be considered an illegal conversation practice if it’s determined there is “intention to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.”

 Another concerning feature of this law’s breadth is how far, geographically, it seeks to reach. According to the same NSW government website, people outside NSW who are praying or pastoring NSW residents online in a way that violates this law can be fined or face three years in prison. The maximum prison sentence for those within NSW who commit an illegal conversion offense is five years.

 Proponents of the law argue that the law still allows for things like preaching and praying and that those that are attacking the law are simply taking it out of context. For example, the law allows for “A religious leader preaching to or praying for their congregation, a religious leader praying for or providing pastoral care for an individual, a parent or guardian respectfully discussing sexuality or gender with their child – including offering advice and guidance or expressing a belief or religious principle, or a health practitioner providing supportive, affirming care.”

 However, what these proponents fail to accurately represent is that the law allows for all of these actions only if “there is no intention to change or suppress an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity”.

 Therefore, if a pastor preaches a sermon and someone claims that the sermon intended to change their sexual orientation or gender identity, then the pastor could be charged. Even a parent could be arrested if their child claims that the parent intended to change their sexual orientation or gender identity.

 Anyone who “feels” like they are under attack could file these charges and it would be very difficult for the defense to argue against this feeling. This law, therefore, could be a major tool used to attack any person who refuses to accept the LGBT+ agenda within the state.

 Biblical Connection: The Bible makes two things very clear: God is the one who created man male and female and parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children. This law attacks both biblical concepts.

 PRAY: Pray this movement to drive away biblical principles on human sexuality will be defeated and not spread to other nations.

China Imposes New Bans on Missionary Work

China has banned foreign missionaries from preaching and establishing religious organizations, justifying the move as necessary for national security. The latest restrictions announced by the Chinese Communist Party, will intensify the crackdown on Christianity in the country. The newly revised rules explicitly prohibit non-Chinese citizens living in China from preaching without authorization, founding religious schools, producing or selling religious literature, accepting religious donations, or recruiting Chinese citizens as religious followers, according to Mission News Network. Foreign clergy can only preach if officially invited by state-sanctioned religious institutions, and all preaching content must receive prior government approval.

Chinese state media have stated the restrictions promote national security, describing the measures as protective of “normal religious activities,” noted the U.S.-based persecution watchdog International Christian Concern. The CCP typically defines normal religious activities as those conducted strictly within the confines of state-controlled institutions. Religious groups operating outside these boundaries are often branded by the government as cultish or extremist.

The new legislation reflects China’s ongoing campaign under President Xi Jinping to assert tighter control over religious practices within its borders. Xi first articulated a goal to “Sinicize” all religions in 2016, a policy designed to ensure religious loyalty aligns with the priorities of the Communist Party. Consequently, state-run religious institutions such as the Protestant Three-Self Church and the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association have emerged as approved channels for religious activities.

The independent house church movement has particularly felt the effects of this policy shift. Raids and arrests targeting house church members have become commonplace, as Chinese authorities seek to dismantle groups deemed to pose threats to “political security and social stability.” A report by China’s Global Times earlier this year explicitly boasted about increased efforts by public security authorities to dismantle such groups in 2024, noted The Washington Stand. The Ministry of Public Security openly admitted to increased investments in surveillance technology and manpower dedicated to monitoring and curtailing the activities of independent religious organizations.

China uses extensive technological surveillance to monitor citizens’ movements and associations, assessing their loyalty to the Communist Party. This system targets individuals associated with unregistered house churches or those inclined toward religious practices outside state-sanctioned frameworks. However, Chinese officials maintain their stance that religious freedom exists, albeit within strictly controlled parameters. According to representatives from religious organizations already active in China, the new regulation will make foreign engagement significantly more difficult but does not entirely halt religious activities.

Organizations such as Bibles for China, already active within state-sanctioned structures, believe their operations might not immediately suffer under the new rules. However, foreign missionary efforts — especially involving visits, meetings with pastors and direct involvement on the ground — will likely become more challenging. Funding from foreign sources for religious initiatives also faces increased scrutiny.

Arielle Del Turco, director of the Center for Religious Liberty at the Family Research Council, expressed serious concern. She told the Stand that China’s justification of national security is inappropriate, and banning foreign missionaries will harm China’s international relations. Del Turco urged the U.S. government to closely monitor the developments due to potential implications for American citizens visiting China. She recommended that American leaders publicly condemn the Chinese government’s actions and keep a watchful eye on religious freedom conditions within the country.

Biblical Connections: The persecution of Christians in the largest population on the planet is a terrible but not unsurprising thing. Jesus told us, “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also” (John 15:20).

PRAY: Pray for the persecuted church, both in China specifically but also around the world as well.