Day: March 5, 2020

Moscow Targets Chinese-Looking People with Raids As Virus Fears Grow

Written by Larry Spargimino on March 5, 2020. Posted in Bible in the News. No Comments on Moscow Targets Chinese-Looking People with Raids As Virus Fears Grow

Bus drivers in Moscow kept their WhatsApp group chat buzzing with questions this week about what to do if they spotted passengers who might be from China riding with them in the Russian capital.

“Some Asian-looking people have just got on. Probably Chinese. Should I call the police” another driver messaged his peers. Reports are coming in that Russian authorities are going to significant—some argue discriminatory—lengths to keep the virus from resurfacing and spreading.

City leaders in Moscow have ordered police raids of hotels, dormitories, apartment buildings, and businesses to track down the shrinking number of Chinese people remaining in the city. They also authorized the use of facial recognition technology to find those suspected of evading a 14-day self-quarantine period upon their arrival in Russia. Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, “conducting raids is an unpleasant task, but it is necessary, for the potential carriers of the virus as well.”

In the Ural Mountains 1,100 miles east of Moscow, members of the local Chinese community are also under watch. Self-styled Cossack patrols in the city hand out medical masks along with strong recommendations to Chinese residents to visit a health clinic. The containment measures in the capital came as the Russian government instituted an indefinite ban on Chinese nationals entering the country that could block up to 90 percent of travelers coming to Russia from China. Several weeks earlier, Russia shut down the country’s long land border with China, suspended all trains, and most flights between the two countries.

The Moscow Metro confirmed to the Associated Press that the underground system was actively monitoring the stations and has a protocol in place for dealing with people who have recently returned from the People’s Republic of China. “We ask to see their documents and to show us documents proving that if they have recently returned from the People’s Republic of China that they have undergone a two-week quarantine period,” Yulia Temnikova, Moscow Metro’s deputy chief of client and passenger services, said. If the individual does not show proof of completing the quarantine, Metro workers ask the person to fill out the form and call an ambulance, Temnikova said.

LifeWay Research: Pentecostal Pastors Least Likely To Support Same-Sex Marriage

Written by Larry Spargimino on March 5, 2020. Posted in Bible in the News. No Comments on LifeWay Research: Pentecostal Pastors Least Likely To Support Same-Sex Marriage

According to a LifeWay Research survey of mainline, evangelical and Pentecostal pastors, 47 percent of mainline pastors support same-sex “marriage, only 8 percent of evangelical pastors do, and only 1 percent of Pentecostal pastors do.”

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research stated, “The movement we see among pastors’ views of same-sex marriage has less to do with their denominational tradition than their view of the Bible.” It would appear that those who hold most faithfully to the authority of Scripture will be the least inclined to change their views on homosexuality. To put it another way, those who believe the Bible to be God’s inspired, unchanging Word will be the least likely to compromise their convictions based on societal changes.

Dr. Michael Brown, Pentecostal scholar, radio host, and author believes that because the Bible is unambiguous in its condemnation of homosexual unions, those who have a high view of Scripture and are more likely to embrace all of it, including speaking in tongues and the abiding validity of all the spiritual gifts, will not endorse same-sex unions of any kind. He says, “Ironically, it is the Pentecostals, who are often derided for their belief that the Spirit continues to speak today, who are the most conservative of all, with only one percent of their pastors affirming same-sex ‘marriage.’”

Coronavirus Less Deadly Than Flu, But Weaponized To Bring Down the President

Written by Larry Spargimino on March 5, 2020. Posted in Bible in the News. No Comments on Coronavirus Less Deadly Than Flu, But Weaponized To Bring Down the President

There were reports that the coronavirus outbreak could cause the Tokyo Olympics to be moved, thousands are lining up to buy face masks as cases of the virus in Italy have skyrocketed. And the concerns were so great that the stock market was down by roughly three percent for a time. Is the coronavirus really that bad?

Rush Limbaugh said that the virus is simply being weaponized as yet another element to bring down Donald Trump. “The drive-by media hype of this thing as a pandemic, as the Andromeda strain, as ‘Oh, my … If you get it, you’re are dead.’ Do you know that the survival rate is 98 percent?” Rush said.

There were similar comments made in a Jerusalem Post article. It stated that according to the WHO—the World Health Organization—about 13 percent of those on Planet Earth who get the standard Influenza bug die; but only 3 percent who get the Coronavirus die. In addition, the Jerusalem Post reported that half of the 600 people who contracted the coronavirus aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship had no symptoms whatsoever. Of the 50 percent who developed symptoms, 80 percent of them had very mild symptoms, such as a short fever or cough, and then completely recovered. The other 20 percent of patients with symptoms, however, had a severe case of the disease. In other words, only a total of 10 percent who were infected had a severe case of the disease.

Rush believes that one of the ways it being used is to scare investors, to scare people in business. It’s to scare people into not buying Treasury bills at auctions. “It’s to scare people into leaving, cashing out of the stock market—and sure enough, as the show began today, the stock market—the Dow Jones Industrial Average—was down about 900 points, supposedly because of the latest news about the spread of the coronavirus,” Rush reported.

Rush has a point. The fact that the economy is doing really well is one of the irrefutable arguments for Trump. It’s like James Carville said many years ago, “It’s the economy, stupid.” This is one of the latest efforts on the part of the left-wing media to show that somehow Trump and capitalism are destroying America and destroying the world.

Should We Agree with Bernie Sanders That Criticism of Castro’s Cuba Is Unfair?

Written by Larry Spargimino on March 5, 2020. Posted in Bible in the News. No Comments on Should We Agree with Bernie Sanders That Criticism of Castro’s Cuba Is Unfair?

Some people like large Mediterranean snails boiled in olive oil, flavored with garlic and red pepper. Others would rather eat more standard table fare. But how about those who think that Fidel Castro’s Communist Cuba really wasn’t all that bad and shouldn’t be criticized? Do you think Bernie Sanders’ comments about Castro are a little bit unpalatable and out of touch with reality?

I don’t know if he has been eating snails, but it sounds like he has taken a fall and landed on his head! Bernie Sanders is an unashamed socialist and has had a big win in the Nevada caucus. Sanders was grilled by CNN’s Anderson Cooper about a number of issues, namely his past comments praising Fidel Castro. Instead of backtracking the comments, which sounded more like communist propaganda, Sanders chose to heap words of praise on Castro. Sanders said, “It’s unfair to simply say everything is bad. When Fidel Castro came into office, you know what he did? He had a massive literacy program. Is that a bad thing, even though Fidel Castro did it?”

That sounds like my grandfather. He was from southern Italy and my grandfather was always praising Benito Mussolini. He said Mussolini built roads all over rural Italy and was good for the Italian people. Toward the end of the war, the Italian people did not like Mussolini.

When Sanders praised Castro’s literacy program, Anderson Cooper quickly interjected and said, “A lot of dissidents in prison weren’t big fans of Castro simply because he had a literacy program.”

After Castro died in 2016, an alarming number of people were praising the murderous dictator and sugarcoating his legacy. Castro ended up looking like a Mother Teresa-type. Humberto Fontava, an author, columnist, public speaker, and political commentator wrote extensively about Castro and Castro’s Cuba. Fontova wrote that Castro jailed and tortured political prisoners at a higher rate than Stalin. Fontova wrote: “Fidel Castro shattered—through mass executions, mass jailings, mass larceny, and exile—virtually every family on the island of Cuba. Many opponents of the Castro regime qualify as the longest-suffering political prisoners in modern history, having suffered prison camps, forced labor and torture chambers. …”

According to scholars and researchers at the Cuba Archive, the Castro regime’s total death toll—from torture, prison beatings, firing squads, machine gunning of escapees, and drownings, approaches 100,000. According to the human rights group Freedom house, 500,000 Cubans (young and old, male and female) have passed through Castro’s prison and forced labor camps.

The Castro regime was a brutal one, and yet there are many in America who, along with Bernie Sanders, praise Fidel Castro. In 1984, two-time candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Jesse Jackson bellowed, while arm in arm with Fidel Castro, “Viva Fidel! Viva Che!” Jesse Jackson is supposed to be a freedom fighter, fighting for the oppressed. How can he praise an oppressor?! George McGovern, Democratic presidential candidate, said “Fidel Castro is very shy and sensitive. I frankly like him and regard him as a friend.” Jimmy Carter, former president of the United States and elder statesman of the Democratic Party said, “Fidel Castro first and foremost is, and always has been, a committed egalitarian. He wanted a system that provided the basic needs to all Cuba, has superb systems of health care and universal education. … We greeted each other as old friends.”

NBC’s Andrea Mitchell said this about Fidel Castro—“Fidel Castro is old-fashioned, courtly—even paternal, a thoroughly fascinating figure!” And Dan Rather said, “Fidel Castro could have been Cuba’s Elvis!”

I pastored in the Florida Keys back in the 1970s. Our town was 90 miles from Havana. We had a lot of Cuban refugees. They were in the fishing business. They told me some horror stories of life in Cuba under Castro. No wonder many of them fled from Cuba in little boats, inner tubes, and floating tables. Death in the ocean was better than living in Cuba!

Knowing God

Written by David Smith on March 5, 2020. Posted in Encouragement. No Comments on Knowing God

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. Verse 8, He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love (1 John 4:7–8).

How can we know God? If you have read the Bible, it isn’t hard to know God. From Genesis to Revelation God has made His presence known. He hasn’t tried to hide Himself from us. Some of us may not want to acknowledge Him, but be assured He is very real.

What is amazing is those who won’t acknowledge Him get offended when His name is used. If someone doesn’t exist, why does it offend them? They use His name in vain and use it when they curse. I think that down deep within their soul they know He does exist. Someday they will see God in all His glory; they won’t be able to deny Him.

How can we truly know God? It starts by reading God’s Word and believing what it says. The world makes all types of promises that attempt to satisfy our needs. Man’s promises are just that—man’s. These promises fail and can only satisfy for a moment. But God’s promises are eternal. John 17:3, Jesus said, “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”

A key point to truly know God is to recognize that we are sinners. Romans 3:23 says: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” In Romans 3:10 we read: “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” Verse 14 says, “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.” And in verse 18 we read: “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” These scriptures tell us that we cannot know God because of our sinfulness.

In John 1:12, we read: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.” This gives us a way to know Him by becoming His child. This means that we must believe in order to know Him. When we begin to believe in God, we have begun our journey of knowing God in a personal way. Our belief in God is personal; no one can make the decision for us whether to believe or not to believe. We must read and understand what the Bible tells us about God. The Bible is God’s revelation, promises, and His will. The Bible is full of love that God has expressed toward us. The Bible is God’s love letter to mankind.

“But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:14–16). This is a way that we can know God by adhering to His Word. Our earthly father taught us these same things when he was raising us. We paid attention to him, just as we should pay attention to God.

God created us to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 says: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” We can know God better when we do the good works that He called us to do. We are to begin in faith. When we start this way, we will get to know God in ways that we thought could never be done. When we are born again and get to know Jesus, we will know who God is. The Holy Spirit will guide us in our journey to know God. We must rely on Him to help us and not try to do it on our own.

When we pray it brings us closer to Him. Praise and glorify His name every time we pray. Rely on His promises and thank Him for what He has done for us. In closing, how do we get to know God? Accept Jesus as Saviour, read the Bible, and live a life that is pleasing to Him. When we do these things, God will fill our lives with His presence.

If you want to know God, all you must do is accept Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of your sins. He is waiting for you to invite Him into your life.

Roaring Lion

Written by David Smith on March 5, 2020. Posted in Encouragement. No Comments on Roaring Lion

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Peter 5:8).

We overlook this scripture. Most people won’t acknowledge that there even is a devil. This scripture is warning us to be sober. In other words, we are to pay attention and be on guard, because our adversary is trying to devour us.

An adversary is not on your side. It is against you. The devil is against you and everything that you stand for when it comes to being a Christian. We have gotten the attitude that what will be will be. When Adam and Eve sinned against God, this opened the door for Satan to walk in and become the ruler of this world.

Jesus told us three times that Satan is the prince of this world. In John 12:31, we read: “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” John 14:30 says: “Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” And again in John 16:11, we read: “Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.”

Jesus defeated Satan at the cross. Until the final judgment that is coming, Satan is still active in the world. It doesn’t matter who or what stands in his way; he will destroy everything that he can. Christian or not, Satan is not your friend. He is a liar and a thief.

Satan and his demons are roaming the earth this very day, doing what they can to undermine Christians. How? When churches and ministries begin to conform to this world, it opens the door for Satan to move in and distort what is being taught. Satan knows Scripture and goes to church, too.

Therefore, it is so important for us to keep Jesus the central focus of everything that we teach and preach. We are to revolve around Jesus, not Jesus around us. Our teachings need to line up with the Word of God. Our opinions, desires, and hopes need to be secondary. Churches are losing people because of their worldly ways.

There is too much focus on me, and not enough on Jesus. Why is there a spotlight on the preacher? It is, “Look at me; I am the one bringing the Word.” The spotlight is to be on Jesus, not man. There is a lack of self-respect as well. Look at the way the preacher and some of the congregation are dressed. Granted, God doesn’t look at our clothes, but that is not the point. We need to look and act different than the world. God wants us to look and act holy, not like the bum on the street.

Jesus said there would be a falling away in the latter days. Is it because of the way we act, or is it because we have allowed Satan to move in and take over? We need to surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit and follow Him. Allow God to bring the Word to us as it is written.

Satan uses suffering to destroy us, by telling us that God doesn’t love or care about us. This is a lie from Hell. God does love and care about us. If God didn’t love or care about us, why did He send His So to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins? Scripture tells us that by Jesus’ stripes we are healed.

God has promised us that we can have eternal life with Him. When we falter in our faith, this allows Satan to move in and lie to us. Stand strong in your faith, no matter what may come your way. Resist with all your might and rely on the Holy Spirit to help you. Satan will devour us when we are fighting among ourselves. This is one of his favorite things to do. No matter what our differences may be, we need to stop the infighting. We are allowing Satan to not only destroy us, but he is laughing at us.

When we fight, we are weak. Shove Satan aside and allow the Holy Spirit to come and heal our differences. We don’t pray enough for one another. We need to pray for one another more each day, for God to guide and protect us. God is the ultimate lion tamer. We are the “give it to me now” generation. We was it now and we want it free, but nothing is free. Someone, somewhere paid for it.

Our salvation is not free. Jesus paid the price for our sins. A roaring lion is not to be messed with. It will eat you, so stop throwing meat at it. The more that we feed it, the more it will want. It is time that we begin to starve him. When we begin to starve him and act like true Christians, he will not be able to devour us. His roaring is not going to stop until Jesus comes and puts an end to it.

“Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world” (1 Peter 5:9). “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Through the Holy Spirit we can overcome evil, including sin. There are many trials that may come our way. This includes suffering, sorrow, and false teachings. Allow Jesus to come into your life. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins. Live a life that is pleasing to Him. Resist the devil in Jesus’ name and will flee from you.

Sufferings of Christ

Written by David Smith on March 5, 2020. Posted in Encouragement. No Comments on Sufferings of Christ

“And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me” (Matthew 26:37–38). Jesus was under so much stress that the capillaries in his sweat glands began to bleed.

“Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands” (Matthew 26:67). After Jesus was arrested, he was then taken before the Jewish council. There he was blindfolded, mocked repeatedly, and spat on. How would you or I stand up against this type of abuse?

“And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor” (Matthew 27:2). The next morning, Jesus—battered and exhausted—was taken before Pilate. After he was interrogated, Pilate asked the people who they would rather set free: Jesus or Barabbas.

“The governor answered and said unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. … Then released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to be crucified” (Matthew 27:21, 26). Roman scourge had the victim stripped of their clothes and then stretched against a pillar or bent over a low post where their hands were tied. The whip that was used had a wooden handle with leather straps, with bits of iron or bone attached. This would ensure that the beating would be severe. Mosaic law required that the one being beaten receive forty lashes. Jesus withstood this beating so that Isaiah 53:5 could be fulfilled:“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Jesus suffering wasn’t over. After He was beaten, we read in Matthew 27:28–29: “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews!” Little did they know that someday they will bow before Him and call Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We read in verse 30: “And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.” The crown of thorns was driven into His head. More punishment and humiliation, more name-calling followed. But Jesus continued to endure this treatment. Could you?

In verse 31, we read: “And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him.” Now they lead Him to Golgotha, but the punishment that Jesus had endured was too much for Him to carry His cross. He fell several times, and was unable to get back up. “And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross” (verse 32).

When they came to Golgotha, Jesus’ punishment continued. He was given vinegar to drink. It was mingled with gall (gall is a bitter, poisonous herb with a possible narcotic effect), and when He had tasted thereof, He would not drink. When Jesus arrived at Golgotha, He was laid on the ground on the beam of the cross. His arms were stretched out. The iron nails were then driven through His wrists. The cross was then set upright. His feet were extended, and another iron nail was driven through them.

“And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots” (verse 35). We can only imagine the pain that these nails caused when they were driven into Him. None of us could withstand the punishment that Jesus went through. Verse 39 reads: “And they that passed by reviled him, wagging their heads.” Even on the cross, the soldiers continued to mock Him.

By this point, Jesus must have looked very bad: blood-soaked, His back bleeding badly. He experienced hours of pain and suffering. Jesus was aware of what was happening to Him. He continued to endure this even though He was in intense pain.

“And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (verse 46). Even Jesus at this point thought that God had forsaken Him. We all experience this as well when suffering comes our way, even though Scripture tells us that God will never leave nor forsake us.

Jesus suffered on the cross so that we could be forgiven of our sins. He paid the price for the sins of the world. He suffered a painful death and rose again so that we can have eternal life with God.

“Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent” (verses 50–51). His work on earth had been completed. The debt for our sins had been paid in full. The way was opened for us to come to God. The curtain was removed, which allows those who will believe in Christ as Savior to come to God.

Do you think you could have withstood this punishment? Would you give your son as ransom for a lost and dying world? None of us would. We read in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

If you are not a Christian, I urge you to think about where you will spend eternity. Will it be with God in Heaven? Or will it be with Satan in Hell? Eternity is forever. You will spend it somewhere. The choice is yours to make.