The Liberal Media Has Regained the Ability to Criticize the President

One of the most destructive factors about the nearly eight year Obama Administration is the protective relationship he has established with the liberal media. Every time he does something that is clearly harmful to the best interests of the American people, the press has defended his actions. Even in a case where people are suffering from some disaster and Obama is on vacation at Martha’s Vineyard—the criticism—never comes from the press. They give this special treatment to all Democrats.

The night that Hillary Clinton realized she had lost, she went into a rage. Reporters and Secret Service officers confirmed that she began yelling, screaming obscenities, and pounding furniture. She picked up objects and threw them at attendants and staff. Clinton in such an uncontrollable rage, she had to be sedated by a doctor. When a reporter working for CNN described what she had witnessed, her editor banned the story from going out to the public.

Now that Donald Trump has been elected to be America’s 45th president, the liberal media has gone into 24/7 attack mode. Anything they can find that is negative about Trump they will send out on the news feeds.

The Media Research Center found that 91 percent of news coverage about Donald Trump on the three broadcast nightly newscasts over the past 12 weeks has been “hostile.” He’s not even in office and the press had declared him a failure.

Paul Krugman, the head economist for the New York Times said “Trump is going to bring about an era of corrupt governance unprecedented in US history.” American University professor Allan Lichtman had reporters salivating when he predicted that Trump will likely be impeached.

The one-sided attack on Trump has backfired on the liberal media. When CNN’s Jake Tapper was trying to link Trump to white nationalist leader Richard Spence. They ran a banner that questioned “If Jews are people.” The backlash against CNN for highlighting a racist statement was so strong on twitter, Tapper had to return from vacation to apologize for being so callous against Jews.

The next day on CNN Charles Kaiser used the N-word while allegedly quoting Trump adviser Steve Bannon. He was quickly found to have quoted the wrong person. His use of the N-word sent the show’s host into panic mode:

All right, gentlemen. We’re done. We’re done. I appreciate both of your voices. The more I’ve sat here and listened to the fact that somebody used the N-word on the show…it is not okay! It is not okay. Charles Kaiser, I respect you. I enjoy having you on as a guest but…not okay. By the way, the claim that Mr. Bannon used the N-word — I’ve never heard of this. So there’s that. Take a break.

If you want to find a story that not biased against Trump, you need to turn to alternative news sources. Last week, Unionwear, the producer of political campaign material for mostly Democratic candidates, filed for bankruptcy.

The press gave coverage to the firm when it produced hats with slogans like “Make Donald Drumpf Again,” (a reference to Mr. Trump’s ancestors altered the family name) and “Make America Rage Again.” Not a single major news organization pointed out the firm’s demise from obvious poor sales.

The press may be irreparably undermining its credibility with its nonstop mud ball attacks against Trump. They have already eroded the public’s trust by being so obviously biased in their coverage of the 2016 election.

If they keep labeling him as racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic Islamaphobic—in a couple years the average American citizen will be immune to believing such charges. Trump could invite the KKK to have a clan rally on the White House lawn and people would just yawn at any outrage by the press.

The liberal media’s sudden role reversal may have a profound impact on the state of our nation. Come January, we will have a press that has no reason to continue hiding the fact that our national debt is growing out of control, crime is rampant in our urban cities, and the Middle East is a total mess.

The press may have the collective goal to damage Trump so that they can set-up the next Democratic candidate for the 2020 race. The rate at which the world is going downhill, I’m not sure Christians will be around to worry about the outcome.

“Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:28).

–Todd

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Pre-Tribulation Pondering

Listening to the “experts” thinking aloud on what this election means is exercise in frustration, if not futility. The talking heads across the cable and broadcast spectrum attribute Donald Trump’s win to everything from the late FBI turn of events to news media’s biased poll-taking and misreading of exit polling. These throw in that those in charge of the losing campaign just didn’t understand the people of middle America. They didn’t see the people’s pent-up rage against the Washington establishment–the D.C. insiders.

All of these elements no doubt contributed to this election–as many of the pundits put it–eventuating in a totally unexpected outcome. But, it is the never-mentioned aspect of this election dynamic that is frustrating to me as a Christian. It is this that produces a sense of futility.

No one in media is talking about the 81% – 84% (depending upon the figure you accept) of “evangelicals” who turned out in this election. Christian participation just isn’t figured in at the highest levels of broadcast and cable punditry.

This means, to me, that the experts believe this election had nothing to do with our being fed up with the social debauchery and degradation that has been taking place, particularly over the past almost eight years. The homosexual, transsexual, same-sex marriage agenda, with mandated same-sex, multiple-occupancy public restrooms, had no influence on the voting this election year, the experts are saying with their silence. We, the voters–who are Christians and came out in numbers that have not been seen in many elections–apparently weren’t (according to the pundits) making a statement that we are fed up with our White House being bathed in rainbow colors emblematic of the homosexual lobby. We aren’t sick and tired of having the homosexual rainbow flag flown atop that same American presidential edifice, is the message of the pundits’ silence.

This electoral landslide against the candidate and party that have crammed down America’s throat all of this hellishness–mostly through presidential, executive order-fiat–had nothing to do with the social issues, I guess we are to take away from this silence.

That we are disgusted with small bakery owners being publicly humiliated and fined for refusing to bake same-sex wedding cakes obviously isn’t considered worth mentioning in the analysis of this election results. The absolute horrors and atrocities that we learned about involving Planned Parenthood and the selling of human baby body parts didn’t, in the thinking of the post-election, political analysts, figure in our collective voting statement.

It was all about terrorism, wallet issues, and building back America’s defense, while determining to “drain the swamp.”

These were all important issues in my own thinking, as in the thinking of many other Christians, while election day approached. But, in addition to stopping a further tearing down of America’s founding structure, I wanted–and continue to want–a government that will stop the anti-godliness, down the road of which the administration of the last eightyears has deliberately moved this nation.

As expressed previously in these commentaries, it was God’s people praying the prayer of 2 Chronicles 7:14 that turned this election so dramatically. This is the answer the pundits are seeking when they ask incessantly about what happened that the news media types missed. How could this election have turned out so differently than expected right up until 9 p.m. EST Tuesday, November 8?

The fact is that the throne room of Heaven was deluged day and night with God’s people imploring Him for mercy–asking that He hear from Heaven and answer our prayers. This, of course required repentance–not of America’s population, but of God’s people. It is more than obvious that He did hear and answered in a spectacular way. God cannot lie, and He promised He would answer such prayer–uttered under biblically prerequisite conditions.

Now, the question is: Will we who are called by His name continue to pray and to follow up on those prerequisite conditions? How we respond will determine how our nation–and our lives–fare over the coming days, months, and, perhaps, years. We have proof that our Lord answers prayers in a spectacular way. The pundits will never see it, but we who did and are doing the praying certainly understand. We can further understand God’s influence in this election by the truly Christian people He has placed among the soon-incoming power elite.

So, in this pre-Tribulation time, we have a window of opportunity to honor our Lord’s merciful answer in giving us a leadership that promises a return to founding principles. Along with that merciful action, it is also obvious that we have been given a course-correction, a return to the moral pathway–out of the depravity foisted on us in recent years.

We don’t have to wonder about how to honor His mercy and kindness in having answered our prayers. His number-one priority has always been and will always be the salvation of souls. We are expected to honor His decision to give America a reprieve–I have no doubt–in order to, first and foremost, lift Jesus Christ so that the Holy Spirit draws all to Christ for salvation.

Just beneath that all-important mission for God’s people in America is to let the pastors of our churches know that the true, Christ-believing bodies of worship should be devoted to teaching and preaching truth. That is, we are now, more than ever, to be the Philadelphian church and not the Laodicean church. (Read Revelation chapter 3.)

There is no doubt that we see this gracious, merciful, moving of God’s hand in America. However, there are also signals that are growing stronger by the day that we are in times at the very end of the age.

Jesus forewarned in the Olivet Discourse that there would be great ethnic strife. We have been seeing it manifested in American cities. The seas and waves of humanity are “roaring” in America and in Europe. This election has intensified that roaring, I believe.

People who refuse to accept the election results are exemplifying the apostle Paul’s perilous times characteristic “incontinent”–or, “out of control.” Jesus said societal conditions will be exactly like now when He intervenes catastrophically into the affairs of mankind. That will happen with the Rapture.

With the United States now seeming to be headed back toward the America we once knew and loved, with the promises of the new administration, we can enjoy our moment of gratefulness this Thanksgiving season.

However, this time of national renewal is also likely to be a time like described by Jesus–a time that will bring His next catastrophic intervention into the affairs of mankind. That time might just be upon us.

“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24: 44)

–Terry

The Continued War on Cash

The heads of government, the mainstream media, and banking institutions have become obsessed with the idea that currency is evil. Because cash cannot be traced or controlled, it is blamed for drug dealing, terrorism, money laundering and tax evasion. The solution to this problem is the introduction of a cashless system that will allow the government to monitor all transactions.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had the black market in mind when he ordered the withdrawal of current 500 and 1,000 rupee notes from circulation. Modi said that while people could exchange their old notes for new bills at banks or post offices until the end of the year, or deposit them in their accounts—they are now no longer allowed for daily transactions.

“To break the grip of corruption and black money, we have decided that the 500 and 1,000 rupee currency notes presently in use will no longer be legal tender from midnight that is 8 November, 2016,” he said in a televised address to the nation.

Finance secretary Das said there had been a disproportionate rise in the number of 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in circulation in the last five years.

The 500 and 1,000 notes, which are worth around $7.50 and $15 respectively, are the largest bills in use in India. The average Indian only makes about 200,000 rupees or $3,000 a year. Numbers logic would call for the printing of 5,000 and 10,000 notes; but that would make it easier for the criminals to haul around the cash used for their fraudulent schemes.

The sudden move has triggered total panic in the nation. The Indian people are lined-up at banks trying to deposit their cash or exchange it for new notes. All types of business transactions that depend on cash have come to a standstill. The value of the rupee has dropped on foreign exchange markets.

The Indian government has a history of trying to restrict the financial options of its citizen. In 2013, the government imposed a 10 percent import duty on gold to dampen demand for the precious metal in the world’s second biggest consumer.

The rich people of India have no trouble escaping taxes and exchange rules. Their money is safe in Swiss and Singapore bank accounts. Over the past decade, some $439 billion left the country, according to estimates from the Global Financial Integrity group in Washington.

When the dust settles in India, I doubt the government is going to have a large windfall from taxable money that suddenly appears in the bank accounts of their citizens. India’s largest employment sector is agriculture—which employs literally hundreds of millions of people. It is completely exempt from paying income tax. The only people who do regularly file income taxes are believed to be salaried employees at big companies whose bosses file for them.

Despite widespread chaos and economic uncertainty in India following its surprise announcement, UBS Bank analysts think Australia should follow India’s lead and scrap its 100 dollar bank note. UBS supports the move because it would increase bank deposits in Australia by about 4 percent.

One major victim of the war on cash is the 500 Euro note. In May, the European Central Bank said it will no longer produce the 500 Euro note because of concerns that it could help facilitate illegal activities. Politicians and bankers would also like to get rid of the $100 U.S. note, Switzerland’s 1,000 franc note and Britain’s 50 pound note.

I think it is a great danger to allow government to use excuses to restrict access to cash currency. Governments should exist for the pleasure of the people, and not the other way around. It just seems that a demonic spirit is driving the world closer and closer to the point where the financial powers will be able to dictate how we live our lives.

Anyone who has a basic understanding of Bible prophecy should recognize the danger of cashless system. The Bible predicts that the Antichrist will use a financial system that allow him to enslave the world. All who fail to receive the mark of the beast will be locked out of the banking system. Because the 666 mark will occur within the Tribulation hour, believers in Christ have the hope of escaping this sinister financial system.

“And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (Rev.13:16-17).

–Todd

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Heaven’s Post-election Priorities

News pundits are pontificating in every direction about what President-Elect Donald J. Trump’s priorities will be come January 20, 2017.

We are told about building the wall on our southern border. There is much talk about repealing and replacing Obamacare. We hear about the new president’s intention to power up the faded U.S. military and to do away with many of the executive orders that he believes have helped bring the American economy and social structure to an unacceptable status.

The new president’s priorities are, of course, important. We welcome new direction as we sense reprieve from the God of Heaven this election has brought. The prayers of God’s people, as I’ve pointed out previously has, I believe, helped win that reprieve from what seemed impending judgment.

Perhaps correction would be the most appropriate term. God’s people prayed that God would hear from Heaven and would put the nation on a course correction.

This, He seemingly has done.

He intervened a century ago to make a profound course correction following the raucous Gay Nineties and the debauched era following World War I termed the Roaring Twenties.

Writer John Steinbeck captured this corrective era in his novel, The Grapes of Wrath. And, it was indeed an era when the crops of corrective judgment, whose seeds of refusing to follow the God-designed course for America had been planted more than a decade earlier, came to fruition.

Again, the tremendous Dust Bowl of the 1930s, I’m convinced, was a corrective easure while God prepared the American people for the Second World War–a conflict God didn’t cause, but certainly used to temper and harden this nation to make it ready to meet its destiny.

That destiny was primarily to bring modern Israel to birth on May 14, 1948. Also, to spread the gospel to the world through advancing communications technologies. The United States was blessed, economically, from that point, making it the wealthiest and most technologically advanced nation that has ever existed.

So, while Mr. Trump’s political agenda is important, even critical, to achieving worthy, laudable goals in turning America in the right direction, Heaven’s priorities are truly the matters for which God’s reprieve have been so mercifully given.

Of course, the Church (all born-again believers) should take this reprieve as a mandate to recapture moral ground–to roll back some of the social evils the Obama administration has brought forth–most through executive fiat. It is that very Church which has, in my estimation, allowed this slide toward the moral abyss through her acquiescence.

However, that said, I am convinced that the same two major issues are involved in this God-given reprieve.

Heaven’s post-election priorities again involve 1) seeing to it that the gospel message is carried forth throughout the world; and 2) that the nation Israel continues to have the most powerful nation on the planet as an ally and protector.

It is beyond argument that God doesn’t need the United States to protect Israel. But, it is also beyond argument–to my way of thinking, at least–that the Lord has used America to act first as midwife in birthing Israel into modernity and then to act as guardian during decades since that rebirth. The Lord of Heaven has chosen America for this specific function, it is likely, for as long as the planet remains in the pre-Tribulation era.

There will come a time when Israel will be under the wrathful hand of Antichrist and the rest of the world. God will intervene directly at that time. Daniel the prophet, passing along the angel’s words, puts it this way:

“And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.” (Dan 12: 1)

So, while we watch the unfolding of post-election aftermath, let us view things through the prism of Bible prophecy. We are not about to go into an era that offers prospect of the Church building Heaven on earth as the Kingdom-Now purveyors would have it. All is further stage-setting for the Rapture of the Church and the appearance of the son of perdition .

But, it is a reprieve from Heaven we are witnessing and living, so let’s keep in mind Heaven’s priorities.

The Great Commission is still the top priority. Bringing as many lost people as possible into God’s family before the time of Tribulation is our post-election mandate.

–Terry