Thursday, December 7th, in the year of our Lord 2017
By Jonathan Clark
Christians in Eritrea Arrested for Praying at Home
The government of Eritrea has arrested nearly 200 Christians including children since May for praying in their own homes, reports Mission Network News. This is part of a crackdown on unsanctioned Christian activity within the country.
The World View spoke to William Stark of International Christian Concern about why the Eritrean government is always trying to increase restrictions on these Christians.
“Eritrea has this interesting nickname called the North Korea of Africa, and that’s because it is a socialist dictatorship run under the Afwerki president, and the government doesn’t allow any other authority that the state government doesn’t control. That’s why they’re very concerned about people who believe in anything that is a higher power than the state itself.”
Stark said that the Eritrean church has continued to remain faithful despite much pushback.
“Even though this has been going on for years, there’s still an underground church that’s being hunted down and hasn’t gone extinct despite the level of persecution they’ve gone through.”
Keep your Eritrean brothers and sisters in Christ in prayer, and remember that the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church of Jesus.
About 100,000 Christians in Iraq Driven from Their Homes by ISIS
Chaldean church leader Bashar Matti Warda of Erbil told the Assyrian International News Agency that there are nearly 20,000 Iraqi Christian families, or about 100,000 people, who have been driven from their homes and in need after ISIS has ravished the country.
Vice President Mike Pence met with Warda on Monday to discuss the needs of these believers. Pence communicated President Trump’s “commitment to directly assist persecuted Christians and religious minorities in Iraq.”
President Trump Moves U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he would recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital by moving the U.S. embassy there from Tel Aviv in keeping with the Jerusalem Embassy Act passed by Congress in 1995.
“In 1995, Congress adopted the Jerusalem Embassy Act, urging the federal government to relocate the American embassy to Jerusalem and to recognize that that city is Israel’s capital. This act passed Congress by an overwhelming bipartisan majority and was reaffirmed by a unanimous vote of the Senate only six months ago.
“Yet, for over 20 years, every previous American president has exercised the law’s waiver, refusing to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem or to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital city. …
“Today, Jerusalem is the seat of the modern Israeli government. It is the home of the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, as well as the Israeli Supreme Court. It is the location of the official residence of the Prime Minister and the President. It is the headquarters of many government ministries. …
“Today, we finally acknowledge the obvious: that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. This is nothing more, or less, than a recognition of reality. It’s something that has to be done.
“That is why, consistent with the Jerusalem Embassy Act, I am also directing the State Department to begin preparation to move the American embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed the move, but the United Nations, the European Union, and multiple countries expressed criticism over concerns with Jerusalem remaining divided between Israel and the Palestinians. No other embassy currently operates in the city.
Jack Phillips’ Supreme Court Hearing Going Well So Far
The Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments Tuesday in the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. In this landmark case, Colorado baker Jack Phillips, represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, is defending his religious liberty to not bake a cake for a homosexual couple’s wedding.
An attorney with Alliance Defending Freedom told The Christians Post the hearing went well. Justice Anthony Kennedy, a potential deciding vote, said the Colorado commission which found Phillips guilty of discrimination was “neither tolerant nor respectful of Mr. Phillips’ religious beliefs.”
Phillips spoke at a news conference following the hearing, saying, “For me, it’s never about the person making the request. It’s about the message the person wants the cake to communicate.”
The Supreme Court justices should take heed to Proverbs 17:15. “He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the just, both of them alike are an abomination to the Lord.”
32 Democratic Senators Call on Senator Al Franken to Resign
Thirty-two Democratic senators — 13 female and 19 male – including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have called on Senator Al Franken of Minnesota to resign as allegations of sexual harassment against him continue to mount, reports CNN.
Senator Franken is expected to make an announcement this morning.
States Call Supreme Court to Vacate Ruling on Abortion for Undocumented Minor
An undocumented teen identified as Jane Doe won a federal appeals case recently to force the government to facilitate her abortion in Texas. Later the Trump administration asked the Supreme Court to consider the case.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a brief on Monday with 10 other states in support of the administration, calling on the Supreme Court to vacate the federal court’s ruling for death. Disciplinary actions are also under consideration for the woman’s ACLU lawyers for deceiving the government about when Doe’s abortion would take place.
California Wildfires Have Consumed 80,000 Acres So Far
In God’s providence, wildfires are again consuming parts of California this week, forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate and burning over 80,000 acres.
A new blaze yesterday threatened the Bel Air area of Los Angeles, causing the closure of a major freeway.
150,000 people are under evacuation in Los Angeles, the nation’s center for Hollywood and ranked third on Wallethub’s “America’s Most Sinful Cities.”
Capitol Ministries Holds Discipleship Training for Leaders Around the World
And finally, Capitol Ministries held their annual training conference in Washington, DC recently to help create discipleship ministries for political leaders around the world. The organization has launched 10,000 ministries across 33,000 cities to this end.
Ralph Drollinger, President and Founder of Capitol Ministries, said, “You are ambassadors of Jesus Christ. Create a lighthouse unto your nations’ capitols and let God draw all men toward Himself.”
Matthew 28:16-20 says, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”
Please Consider Prayerfully Supporting The World View
As you know, The World View and Generations ministries are committed to bringing a Biblical worldview back to the news, to family life, and to the education of our children. We are grateful for your trust in the work we do.
As the Lord has blessed you this year, please consider blessing this ministry with a much-needed, year-end donation right now as we continue to declare Jesus as Lord over all. Go to www.TheWorldView.com/give. That’s www.TheWorldView.com/give.
Closing Line
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Thursday, December 7th in the year of our Lord 2017. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
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Peru Removes Gender Ideology from Curriculum After Parents Object
The Peruvian government withdrew its 2017 National Curriculum for Basic Education last month after parents in the country protested the gender ideology of the curriculum, reports Life Site News.
The Peruvian bishops’ conference issued a statement: “Gender ideology denies the difference and the natural reciprocity of man and woman.”
Back in August, Peru’s Superior Court of Justice ruled in favor of the group “Parents in Action” by nullifying the gender ideology section of the curriculum.