Ron Paul: Why is U.S. 'taking military actions that benefit ISIS?'

President Donald Trump is veering from his campaign promises to destroy ISIS at all cost, says former presidential candidate Ron Paul.

On Saturday, a U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down a Syrian war plane after it attacked rebel forces being supported by Washington.
The F-18 launched from the USS George H.W. Bush in the Mediterranean Sea near Israel and shot down a Syrian SU-22 fighter over Syrian territory. This is the first time the U.S. has engaged in an air-to-air shoot-down since the U.S. attack on Yugoslavia in 1999.
In response to the U.S. attack, the Russians have suspended the use of the military hotline and announced that they will view all unidentified aircraft operating in the vicinity of Russian military aircraft as potential targets.
Paul is mystified by the Trump administration’s actions.
“The U.S. claims the attack was in self-defense, that the Syrian jet was threatening U.S.-backed rebel forces in the area,” he said in an emailed statement. “That claim has been debunked by even the pro-rebel Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.”
The shoot-down of the Syrian plane is the latest in a pattern of military actions against the regime of President Bashar Assad.
“This marks the fourth recent U.S. attack on Syrian government forces as they engage ISIS in attempt to eject the terrorists from eastern Syria,” Paul continued. “Each time, U.S. intervention has benefited ISIS.”
Paul put forth similar criticisms in a June 16 column titled “Why are we attacking the Syrians who are fighting ISIS.”

Read more at WND

God is Greater than Satan

People of the Second Chance by Mike Foster

“Dispelling the Beautiful Lie”
Today I want to begin with a harsh truth. You see, most if not all of us believe what I call the beautiful lie.

The lie says this is what really counts: to be wealthy, powerful, influential, attractive, admired, talented, popular, and, above all, valuable. We must make a life that is worth something to others. Worth more than others. The world screams at us to hurry up and matter. Our lives become a reaction to this lie.

According to the lie, we must not be nothings. To be good for nothing is to be as good as dead. And death is what we fear most. The death that says our lives have no value.

So we thrash about in a pool of comparison and one-upmanship. Our lives become burdened by the heaviness of getting it right. Our joy becomes brittle, and our hearts slowly break. The only possible outcome of this hurry-up-and-matter hustle is the slow crushing of our souls.

But God offers real life, where our brokenness is redeemed. He says we can abandon society’s beautiful lie and allow him to breathe new life into us, his beloved.

I think of the passage in Ezekiel where the Lord leads the prophet through a valley. Ezekiel wrote: “God’s Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bone all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun” (37:1-2, msg). That’s our condition. We’re like dead, dry bones.

And yet God tells Ezekiel to prophesy—to reveal something by divine inspiration—over these bleached and broken things. The prophet does. And in the story the bones come alive. Broken things are made beautiful.

Here’s the point: God breathes life into our dead and imperfect things. So if we feel that we don’t measure up, that doesn’t mean we have to climb onto the build-your-worth treadmill. We already have worth. In God’s eyes. By his doing. And our worth is permanent, lasting far longer than any worldly attempt to uphold the beautiful lie could ever last.
Are you seeking your self-worth through redemption in Christ or through striving to gain others’ approval?

ISIS Surrounded: Trump's Plan to 'Annihilate' the Islamic Caliphate

ISIS is facing a major defeat as opposition forces backed by the United States are surrounding their capital city.
U.S. coalition forces are increasing the pressure in their battle against ISIS in Syria.

"Our strategy right now is to accelerate the campaign against ISIS," Defense Secretary James Mattis recently told CBS' "Face the Nation."
Mattis says his order from the president of the United States is to eliminate the Islamic terror group once and for all.

 "We have already shifted from attrition tactics where we shove them from one position to another in Iraq and Syria to annihilation tactics where we surround them," the secretary said.

So now a major battle is underway as Kurdish and Arab fighters backed by the United States are carrying out an offensive against Raqqa, Syria, which had served as the so-called caliphate or capital of the Islamic State.

For several months, U.S.-backed coalition forces have been encircling the symbolic and strategic city, which ISIS seized in 2014 and has used as a base to plan attacks abroad.

Up to 4,000 jihadists are reportedly defending Raqqa, and the coalition forces are wearing them down. Mattis says once the group is completely surrounded, they'll go in and clean them out.

"Our intention is that the foreign fighters do not survive the fight to return home to north Africa, to Europe, to America, to Asia, to Africa, we are not going to allow them to do so. We are going to stop them there and take apart the caliphate," said Mattis.

Faced with defeat in Raqqa, ISIS is moving its forces elsewhere in the region. But as ISIS faces major setbacks in Syria and Iraq, the group is telling its followers not to give up.

In one of its recent magazines, the group tells readers to "worship your lord until death comes to you" and reminds fighters that "hardships cause a hidden strength."

It goes on to say that Islam needs men who are "inclined to work hard, find comfort in pain and toil, strong resolutions and those who refuse to be entangled by weariness… so roll up your sleeve."

In an audiotape released this week, an ISIS spokesman called on supporters to launch attacks in the US and Europe during Islam's holy month of Ramadan which began two weeks ago.

Since then, there have been 95 terror attacks by radical Muslims that have killed roughly 1,100 people, including victims in Britain, Egypt, Iran and the Philippines.

Source: George Thomas, CBN News

Parable of the Fertilizer

In Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus describes His followers as salt and light. Like salt, they’d be a preservative in society. As light, they’d illumine the beauty and presence of God to dispel the darkness that blinds us to all that is good in the world.
When I was a kid, my family lived in a small North Jersey town not far from New York City. Being Italian, we had a very large garden. Every spring, a large amount of fertilizer was delivered to help us prepare the soil for planting. It had quite an aroma, as you could imagine! But it was effective when used properly.
Now, I’m taking liberty with what Jesus said and adding another trait of the Christ-follower’s persona. We are to be like fertilizer, along with salt and light. We are meant to spread throughout the land and nourish the environment so that things can grow and be fruitful. Today, our culture needs more than just preserving. It needs replenishing. Ideally, we as Christians should be known by the way we enrich the world by our presence.
But, take that same fertilizer and store it for too long and it begins to fester and smell. It’s not a pleasant aroma when that happens. Instead of contributing to the overall productivity of the soil, it becomes useless.
So, ask yourself the question. Am I preserving the land? Or do you remain in the saltshaker clumped together with the rest of the salt? You know what happens then. The longer it stays in that shaker, the harder it is to shake loose.
Is your light pleasant to be around? Or is it blinding? Just what are you illuminating anyway?
And, finally, are you acting like fertilizer? Spreading out to enrich the land—or stockpiling yourself with other believers?
By the way, what’s that I smell? Just thought I’d ask.

Question: How are you spreading the love of Christ throughout your land to enrich those around you?

Source: The Politically Incorrect Jesus by Joe Battaglia

Deliverance From Temptation

We face a very clear and present danger in our generation. Behind the scenes a battle is being fought for the very hearts and lives of men, women, and children across the planet. This invisible war is being waged between the forces of evil and the forces of good, between God Himself and a created being known as Satan.
We, as believers, are in this battle and we're in it to the very end. We are not tourists on a vacation in this world if we're following Jesus. We are soldiers on a mission for Him. And the only way to win this war is to prepare and to pray.
Jesus taught us to pray in order to overcome the temptation of the enemy. When we pray, we are protecting our faith, our future, and our families. In these times, we must remember that we are fighting a spiritual battle that can only be won with the spiritual weapons God has provided. God has promised deliverance for His children if we pray.
Maybe you're in the throes of temptation right now and you're tempted to compromise your purity. You're in a test of your faith. Perhaps you are tempted by unhealthy habits or to say words that are better left unsaid. What do you do? Turn to God for strength in times of temptation and realize that He understands the pressure you are experiencing. In a world filled with temptation, we have a stronghold against the enemy because our God is a deliverer.
Pray this day for the power of Jesus Christ in your life to deliver you and the ones you love from temptation.

Listen to prayer

Find peace, purpose and strength with Jesus in prayer.

Source: 30-Day Prayer Challenge, YouVersion Bible App.

PRAY FOR OTHERS

Perhaps one of the greatest ways to experience the power of prayer is through intercession - praying for others. Intercession is the graduate level of prayer.
The Bible names several specific groups of people for whom we are to pray.
Those in public leadership. This includes the President and Congress, our national leaders, our state and local government leaders, police officers, teachers, and others in authority. Whether or not we agree with their policies and opinions, we are to pray for them - that they would come to saving faith in Jesus Christ.
Our spiritual leaders. The devil aims his biggest guns at God's leaders, and today, many are discouraged, hurting, and even falling into sin. God's people need to pray for God's leaders. I ask you from the depths of my heart to pray for the pastors, missionaries, and Christian leaders in America and throughout the world.
The lost. Are you praying for those in your life who do not know Jesus? Prayer is the means by which we help point others to faith in Christ. You and I know people who have yet to receive God's gift of grace, and the first step we ought to take is to commit the matter to prayer. Only God, by His Spirit, can reach a neighbor, rescue a prodigal child, and turn a wayward heart toward Him.
Our country. We need to cry out to God and pray for our country. And if you love this country you will pray for God to revive His Church. Pray that God would renew our families and our communities. We need to pray for our fellow citizens and our neighbors, and turn our prayers to action. Psalm 33:2 says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." Let us join in prayer that our nation will return to its roots of honoring God.

Source: 30 Day Prayer Challenge, YouVersion App 

Yuuuuge! Trump hits ISIS with biggest U.S. non-nuke

President Trump told the American public Thursday that the U.S. military’s decision to drop a giant bomb – the largest non-nuclear device in the U.S. arsenal at 21,000 pounds – on ISIS in Afghanistan was a “another very, very successful mission.”
Officials announced the Massive Ordnance Air Blast, or MOAB – also known as the “mother of all bombs” – was dropped in Nangarhar Province near the Pakistan border.
It was the first time the weapon ever has been used in combat.
The president, addressing the media only briefly on the topic, said he had given U.S. military commanders in the Middle East region “total authorization.”
“That’s why they’ve been so successful lately,” he said.
His orders to the military comply with a campaign promise to bomb and destroy ISIS.
“We have an incredible military,” the president said. “Another very, very successful mission.”
What do YOU think? What are your thoughts on Trump dropping the Big One? Sound off in today’s WND poll!
Asked if bombing ISIS sent a message to North Korea, he responded: “I don’t know if this sends a message. Doesn’t make a difference if it does or not.”
He added, however: “I think China has been working very hard. I have gotten to like and respect President Xi. He’s a very special man. I think he’s going to try very hard.”

Read more at WND

A Hundredfold Return

He was brought up on one of the roughest estates in Manchester. His father was an alcoholic. He left school at fifteen. He ran away from home. He lived on the streets. He joined a gang. He got involved in crime and ended up in prison. When he came out he joined the army. He went through two divorces.

In 1994, he walked into HTB and did Alpha. He gave his life to Christ and was filled with the Holy Spirit. He started visiting prisoners. He joined the HTB staff to head up the work in prisons. He started an organisation to care for ex-offenders. He set up a homeless project. He started a course to help those with addictions and courses to help those struggling with depression and debt.

Under his leadership, Alpha for Prisons has spread through the prisons in the UK and seventy-six countries around the world. Thousands have come to faith in Jesus Christ. Hundreds of men and women have been placed in churches through the ministry of Caring for Ex-Offenders. The ministries he now heads up have the potential to touch millions of lives around the world.

Paul Cowley is an example of someone who was the good soil on which the seed fell. He has a noble and good heart. He heard the word, retained it and by persevering has produced a crop hundreds of times more than was sown (Luke 8:8,15). He encountered Jesus as his Saviour, Sower and Shepherd.

Ncky Gumbel
YouVersion, Bible App.

Traps, Tests and Temptations

Ajay Gohill was brought up as a Hindu and worked for the family business in a newsagent in North London. At the age of twenty-one he contracted erythrodermic psoriasis, a chronic skin disease. His weight dropped from 11.5 stone (73kg) to 7.5 stone (47.6kg). The disease was all over his body from head to toe. He lost all his friends. His wife and son left him. He wanted to die.


As Ajay lay dying in hospital he cried out to God. He looked in his locker and found a Bible there. He opened it at Psalm 38 – the psalm for today. Each and every verse seemed relevant to him. He prayed for God to heal him. He fell into a deep sleep. By the next morning he was totally healed. His skin was new like a baby’s and his life was turned around. He was reunited with his son. I interviewed him in one of the services at HTB. He said, ‘Every day I live for Jesus.’


Life is not all plain sailing. You will face many challenges. Whatever you are facing today, God is able to rescue you.

Nicky Gumbel,
YouVersion Bible App