Monday, January 28th, in the year of our Lord 2019
By Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldView.com)
Trump Ended Government Shutdown on Friday
After 36 days of a government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, President Donald Trump ended it on Friday afternoon from the Rose Garden.
TRUMP: “My fellow Americans, I am very proud to announce today that we have reached a deal to end the shutdown and re-open the federal government. (Applause.) As everyone knows, I have a very powerful alternative, but I didn’t want to use it at this time. Hopefully it will be unnecessary.
“In a short while, I will sign a bill to open our government for three weeks until February 15th.”
He insisted that within 21 days, he wants to see the wall and border security properly funded.
Trump’s Confidant Roger Stone Indicted Friday Morning
President Trump’s confidant Roger Stone was charged with a seven-count indictment by special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. He allegedly lied about his pursuit of Russian-hacked emails damaging to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 election bid, with prosecutors alleging that senior Trump campaign officials sought to leverage the stolen material into a White House win, reports the Associated Press.
The self-proclaimed dirty trickster, arrested by the FBI in a raid before dawn Friday at his Florida home, Stone proclaimed his innocence and predicted his vindication.
STONE: “I will plead not guilty to these charges. I will defeat them in court. I believe this is a politically motivated investigation.”
Catholics Want NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Excommunicated Over Abortion Law
In response to New York’s newly passed extreme abortion law, that even legally justifies infanticide by taking the life of a child who survives a botched abortion, Roman Catholic lay leaders last Thursday demanded that Cardinal Timothy Dolan excommunicate New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Catholic, reports WorldNetDaily.com.
Vermont’s Proposed Extreme Abortion Law Just as Bad
In related news, Vermont is not far behind with nearly identical legislation in their House Bill H57 and Senate Bill S25. Out of 150 legislators, there are only 43 Republicans in the House and five of them signed on to the legislation. There are 91 co-sponsors of this House legislation. Sadly, Vermont’s Republican Governor Phil Scott is prepared to sign it.
The World View spoke with Mary Hahn Beerworth, Executive Director and Lobbyist for Vermont Right to Life.
BEERWORTH: “They want to make sure that the unborn child has absolutely no individual rights and all abortion providers would be exempt from any civil, criminal, or corporate liability. That’s breathtaking in its scope. That means they are the only ‘medical procedure’ that would not need any medical malpractice insurance and couldn’t be charged with any crimes even if the woman dies and the baby’s born alive.”
Beerworth summarized the disturbing testimony of one Vermont abortionist.
BEERWORTH: “Yesterday, a doctor who provides abortions at the largest teaching hospital in Vermont, was very calm and cool and collected explaining how, in her care, she makes sure that all the babies are delivered dead by doing one of two procedures — either a shot to the heart to stop that unborn baby’s heart using an ultrasound to guide the needle or snipping the umbilical cord while the child is still in the womb ensuring that, upon delivery, the baby is dead in an induction abortion.”
The Vermont Right to Life Executive Director revealed the abortion back story in the Green Mountain state.
BEERWORTH: “Vermont legalized abortion a full year before Roe v. Wade by Supreme Court order. So, should Roe v. Wade be overturned, it would go back to a state constitutional order from the Vermont Supreme Court that abortion is legal. Nothing has ever been passed to require any restriction or limitation on the practice of abortion in Vermont — not that a doctor has to perform the procedure, not any limitation on the gestational age of the baby, parents do not need to be notified. So abortion is legal on demand throughout all nine months of pregnancy in Vermont. Planned Parenthood dominates our state house. We call them the fourth branch of government. We have 12 Planned Parenthood-sponsored clinics here and that’s more per capita than most states in the United States. “
When asked what World View listeners could do, Beerworth said this.
BEERWORTH: “I think prayer is the best thing. It’s definitely going to be divine intervention. We have well-meaning people who are going to try to really stake out some strong testimony and try to raise up that little unborn child, and see if we can switch some votes.”
Proverbs 24:11 says, “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.”
Sneak Peek: How Special U.S. Commission Advocates for Religious Liberty
Christians who are a minority in their countries often do not have a voice. But there is an independent United States Commission which advocates for religious freedom. They have pressured other governments for these Christians and helped in the release of pastors like Andrew Brunson.
Stay tuned for a World View Special Report on why the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom has helped the persecuted church.
God Spared the Life of Missing 3-Year-Old North Carolina Boy
And finally, 3-year-old Casey Hathaway, went missing in rural Craven County, North Carolina on Tuesday amid freezing temperatures, after wandering off while at his grandmother’s home, reports FaithWire.com.
The grandmother reportedly spent around 40 minutes searching for Casey before frantically dialing 911. After 100 search team members scoured the area, they located the child.
According to the FBI, little Casey was discovered stuck in a thick thorn bush, soaking wet and crying out for his mom. Despite suffering from a few cuts and scrapes, authorities described the resilient youngster as “very well” and in “good health.”
Casey’s mother told the search team. “We’re very thankful that you took the time out to come search for Casey and prayed for him.”
Thank God the 100-member search team abided by the biblical principle found in Galatians 6:9. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Close
And that’s The World View in 5 Minutes on this Monday, January 28th in the year of our Lord 2019. Subscribe by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldView.com. I’m Adam McManus. Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
Special Report: The Work of U.S. Commission on Int’l Religious Freedom
Time now for a World View Special Report by Emily Swanson. I’m Adam McManus.
By Emily Swanson
The United States Commission for International Religious Freedom is one of the tools that God has used to speak out for the voiceless in countries where Christians are persecuted for their Christian faith.
The commission was part of advocating for American Pastor Andrew Brunson last year and putting pressure on the Turkish government, until Brunson was released in October of 2018.
The World View spoke to Matias (ma-TEE-is) Perttula, Advocacy Director for International Christian Concern, about why the commission is important for persecuted Christians.
PERTTULA: “They are an independent, bi-partisan U.S. federal government commission. What makes the commission so unique is that their sole focus is essentially to monitor the religious freedom conditions globally. So, in countries where there’s lots of persecution of Christians or other religious minority groups, every year they publish recommendations to the State Department and to the administration on countries that should be designated as ‘countries of particular concern.’”
Perttula said that the commission’s independent status gives them a lot more leverage in these religious freedom cases.
PERTTULA: “So, when they make a recommendation the State Department, together with the [Trump] administration, take their reports and make their own designation. They will use whatever recording USCIRF has provided in addition to their own research gathered as well.”
He iterated that the information provided is often public, so it pressures the countries that are persecuting religious minorities like Christians.
PERTTULA: “What it does is use public pressure, because all of this information will be public. It uses that as an international religious pressures tool, if you will, on these governments, where persecution of Christians and other religious minorities is happening. You can even go on their website and see the most recent report from 2018 highlighting where religious freedom is under threat or in decline, and that they make recommendations to the Department on what the foreign policy posture should be regarding each specific country.”
Perttula went on to say that Pastor Andrew Brunson was part of the United States Commission’s work on religious freedom last year.
PERTTULA: “They’re very engaged with prisoners of conscience as well. Andrew Brunson was one of these prisoners. Each commissioner has a few prisoners of conscience that they specifically advocate for, so there’s a lot of awareness raising that comes out of this, as well as well as the international political pressure tool that it is.”
Perttula said USCIRF is up for reauthorization this year after it had been independently re-authorized in 2016.
To learn more about USCIRF’s involvement in protecting religious minorities you can go to their website at www.uscirf.gov.
The commission’s foundation is found in these verses from Proverbs 31:8-9. “Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.’
This has been a World View Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.