Wednesday, December 21st, in the year of our Lord 2016
By Adam McManus
ISIS Claims Responsibility for Truck Running People Over in Berlin
ISIS has claimed responsibility for the Berlin, Germany terrorist attack where a tractor trailer truck plowed into the crowded Christmas market, killing 12 people and injuring nearly 50.
In their statement, they revealed that “the person who carried out the truck run over attack in Berlin is a soldier of the Islamic State and carried out the attack in response to calls for targeting citizens of the Crusader coalition.”
God says the “very inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood.” (Genesis 8:21)
Muslims Interrupt Christmas Service in Indonesia
Islamic radicals disrupted the Christmas celebration of the Evangelical Reformed Church at Sabuga Hall in West Java, Indonesia, reports Asia News. The Muslims interrupted the choir and shouted, “You cannot celebrate in a place that is not a church.”
The World View spoke with Daniel Harris with International Christian Concern who explained why they interrupted the Christmas service.
“The reason they prevented the service is because they claimed that there wasn’t proper license. The issue of licenses in Indonesia is an issue that’s held over the church a lot, in that, in order to get the correct licenses to hold services, is a very lengthy and complicated process. It’s so lengthy that approximately 80% of all religious institutions do not get those licenses, they don’t even try.”
Harris noted that there is a reason why Muslims are feeling emboldened to persecute the Christian Indonesians.
“Jakarta has their first Christian Chinese governor. He became governor when the current president was elected in 2014. There is an ongoing trial over an alleged statement of blasphemy against the Quran against him. And radical Muslims are becoming very vocal against this Christian governor. Because of this trial, we are seeing a lot of persecution and tension.”
Harris invited The World View listeners to pray for their brothers and sisters in Christ in Indonesia.
“As we approach the week of Christmas, I think that one of the biggest things right now is praying for the safety of Christians. The tension has grown to a point that the president has committed a force of 155,000 police and military personnel to protect churches on Christmas Eve. I don’t want to exaggerate this, but they are never more targetable and more identifiable than on a day like Christmas Eve and Christmas. Some people are afraid. The violence is increasing. An act of going to a Christmas service could be putting your life in danger.”
Underground pastors are giving their lives to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you’d like to be a Christmas blessing to them through International Christian Concern, you can make a donation through the link in our transcript at www.TheWorldView.com (http://www.persecution.org/assistance/underground-pastors/)
President Obama Advises Trump to Pursue Change Through Congress, Not Executive Order
President Obama has some advice for President-elect Donald Trump: “Do as I say, not as I do.” In an interview with National Public Radio, the outgoing president had the gall to urge President-elect Trump to pursue policy changes through Congress and not via executive order.
After Obama lost Democrat majorities in Congress, he increasingly relied on executive orders to pursue his leftist agenda. Trump vowed during his campaign to “cancel every unconstitutional executive action, memorandum and order issued by President Obama.”
R.C. Sproul Jr. Resigns from Ligonier Ministries After Being Arrested for DWI
R.C. Sproul Jr. resigned from Ligonier Ministries one week after having been arrested in Indiana on November 29th for driving while intoxicated with a .15 alcohol concentration and endangering his minor child, reports the Christian Post. Those two felonies could result in a six month to three year jail sentence and up to $10,000 in fines.
Sproul’s resignation and arrest come just over a year after he was suspended by the board of Ligonier Ministries for visiting the adultery website Ashley Madison in 2014.
At the time, Sproul Jr. wrote, “In August 2014, in a moment of weakness, pain, and from an unhealthy curiosity, I visited Ashley Madison. My goal was not to gather research for critical commentary, but to fan the flames of my imagination.” Sproul said his activity on the website did not result in any physical relationships, but explained that he “felt the grace of fear” and “the grace of shame.”
Sproul’s wife died in 2011 after a long battle with cancer. He is the father of eight and grandfather of one.
Abortion Mills Commit Numerous Health and Safety Violations
Abortion mills in the United States often are far from safe and sanitary, according to a recent report by the pro-life group Americans United for Life. The 140-page report cites 1,400 health and safety violations given to 227 abortion mills in 32 states between 2008 and 2016. It also tells 11 stories of maternal injury or death due to abortion.
Examples of health and safety violations gleaned from public records include rusty, blood-encrusted surgical instruments; allowing administrative assistants to help with abortion procedures; and failure to keep medical equipment like defibrillators and sterilizers calibrated.
31 Abortion Mills Closed This Year
Operation Rescue has completed its annual survey of abortion mills in America. They found that 31 abortion mills closed this year. And even more interestingly, 76% of all abortion mills open in 1991 have since shut down.
Charity Raises Funds to Pay Off Mortgages of Families of Dallas Police Officers Killed in Action
Just in time for Christmas, family members of slain Dallas police officers discovered Monday that a charity has raised the funds to pay off their mortgages.
According to KDFW-TV, the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, which was formed in honor of a fallen 9/11 firefighter, raised $610,000 to help the family members of five Dallas police officers who were killed in July.
Woman Gives Treats to UPS, FedEx, and USPS Drivers Delivering to Her Door
A Louisiana woman is inspiring thousands on social media with the way she decided to thank the men and women delivering Christmas gifts to her door this year, reports sunnyskyz.com.
Lisa Gwin, who buys a lot of gifts on-line, decided to put a box filled with bottled water, Doritos, Cheetos, Skittles and ziplock bags of homemade cookies on her doorstep with a note that said: “UPS, FEDEX, USPS: Please take some goodies to enjoy while on your route. We hope you have a blessed Christmas!” 200,000 people have liked her photo.
Istanbul High School Bans Christmas Celebrations
“No more Christmas celebration and/or lessons on Christmas including carol singing is permitted, effective immediately”. That was an email sent on December 13th to about 35 German-funded teachers at Istanbul High School in Istanbul, Turkey.
Singles Outnumber Married People in US
For the first time in U.S. history, singles outnumber those who are married. Millennials are setting two new trends: fewer are getting married and fewer are attending church, reports CBN News.
Millennials are hesitant to commit to marriage due to the pain many have experienced seeing their parents or other adults go through a divorce.
Plus, only 28 percent of millennials reportedly attend church. By contrast, 51 percent of older generation Americans attend church.
Hebrews 13:4 says, “Hold marriage in high esteem, all of you, and keep the marriage bed pure because God will judge those who commit sexual sins.”
North Korean Diplomat Defects to South Korea and Plans to Expose Reign of Terror
A top North Korean diplomat who defected earlier this year to South Korea has said that he will expose the “tyrannical reign of terror” that people are suffering under Kim Jong Un, including torture and slavery, reports Sky News.
UPI reported on Monday that another defector also testified that North Koreans have been arrested and had their fingers broken and nails pulled for the offense of watching foreign films.
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.