Monday, July 31st, in the year of our Lord 2017
By Adam McManus
Charlie Gard Passes Away After Being Removed from Ventilator
Charlie Gard, the 11-month-old infant with a rare disease who captured the world’s attention, died last Friday around 1:00pm Eastern Standard Time after he was removed from his ventilator, reports LifeSiteNews.
Listen to my Special Report immediately following today’s newscast.
President Trump Appoints Lt. Gen. John Kelly as New Chief of Staff
Reince Priebus is out as President Trump’s Chief of Staff.
Lt. Gen. John Kelly, Trump’s Secretary of Homeland Security, will take the reigns in the White House.
Charles Krauthammer offered this analysis on “Tucker Carlson Tonight” on the Fox News Channel.
“Priebus is a good man, but he was over his head. He was not a confidant of the president. He didn’t have the authority that you needed. People went around him. We’re getting what we needed which is somebody who will be the gatekeeper. Somebody who will restore some kind of order. Somebody who will be the authority. If anybody can do it, it’ll be Kelly. Everybody’s going to have to go through the Chief of Staff we hope. Then we are going to have something that resembles a reasonable chain of command.”
President Trump Threatens to Cancel Health Care Benefits if Legislators Don’t Pass Republican Health Care Bill
President Donald Trump has now threatened to cancel some of the lawmakers’ precious health-care benefits unless they come back to the table and pass a GOP health-care bill, reports The Wall Street Journal.
In addition, Trump has threatened to stop reimbursements to insurance companies.
The next set of payments, which total millions of dollars for insurers, is due in three weeks.
State Department Removes the Word “Genocide” from Descriptions of ISIS Activity
Perplexingly, the U.S. State Department legal team has removed the word “genocide” from speeches and official documents that describe the Islamic State’s actions against Christians, Yazidis and other religious minorities.
The Washington Free Beacon published a report that Nina Shea, the former commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said that Richard Visek, the State Department’s acting legal adviser, made the decision to make the change.
She said, “I don’t think for a minute it’s a bureaucratic decision — it’s ideological.”
Ironically, former Secretary of State John Kerry, no friend to the Christian cause, declared that Christians were indeed the victims of genocide at the hands of ISIS in March 2016.
President Trump Stops Funding of Sex Ed Programs That Promote Fornication
To his credit, President Donald Trump is discontinuing the Obama administration’s funding of dozens of sex education programs which actually sanction teen fornication, reports The Christian Post.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, $213 million will be stripped from 81 organizations two years early.
According to the Office of Adolescent Health website, there is either little change in the sexual activity of teens after attending these programs or an actual increase in sexually risky behavior among teens.
1 Corinthians 6:18 warns, “Flee from sexual immorality.”
Woman Uses New Abortion Pill Reversal to Save Her Twin Babies
Almost two years ago, Samantha nearly destroyed the lives of her unborn twins in an abortion.
A college student at the time, she took the abortion drug RU-486 and quickly regretted it. The Pennsylvania woman shared her story recently with ABC 27 News.
Thanks to doctors who treated her with an innovative new abortion pill reversal procedure, Samantha has two healthy 1-year-old twins today.
Anyone who has taken the first abortion pill and wishes to stop the abortion is urged to immediately visit www.abortionpillreversal.com or call the Abortion Pill Reversal hotline at 877-558-0333.
VidAngel’s New Netflix and Amazon Filtering Service Is Hugely Popular
Neal Harmon, CEO of the content-filtering company VidAngel, is on a mission to help families enjoy the best Hollywood has to offer while tuning out the worst like sex, profanity, and violence. The company unveiled a new filtering service for Netflix and Amazon videos nearly seven weeks ago to overwhelming demand, reports Christian Headlines.
In the first 30 days, the $7.99-per-month service “had over five times the number [of subscribers] we had hoped to have.”
While VidAngel helps Christian users and parents filter out specific objectionable content for themselves and their children, it does not take into account overall worldview.
Philippians 4:8 warns, “Brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.”
Oakland Raiders Quarterback Pledges to Tithe 10 Percent
After signing a five-year, $125 million contract in late June to become the highest-paid quarterback in NFL history, Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr pledged to tithe 10 percent or $12.5 million.
Carr says he has tithed regularly since his college days at Fresno State, where he received a $700 stipend each semester as part of his scholarship package.
Special Report on Charlie Gard After the Newscast
Stay tuned for my Charlie Gard Special Report immediately following today’s newscast.
Special Report on Charlie Gard’s Tragic Story
As promised now, my Special Report.
By Adam McManus
Charlie Gard’s mother Connie said, “Our beautiful little boy has gone.”
Charlie Gard’s father Chris spoke from his heart as well.
“To Charlie, we say, ‘Mommy and Daddy, we love you so much. We always have and we always will. And we are so sorry that we couldn’t save you. Sweet dreams baby. Sleep tight our beautiful, little boy. We love you!’”
Charlie had a rare mitochondrial disease. His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, raised more than $1.5 million to transfer him to the U.S. for experimental treatment. But Great Ormond Street Hospital, backed by English and European courts, insisted that Charlie’s life support should be pulled against his parents’ wishes, reports LifeSiteNews.
Pope Francis and President Trump both publicly expressed their support of the Gards. Trump said he’d be “delighted” to help Charlie. Chris and Connie delivered more than 350,000 pro-Charlie signatures on a petition to the hospital. And members of European Parliament had demanded Charlie be allowed to receive care.
They ended their legal battle on July 24 and lamented “a whole lot of wasted time” that could have been used to help Charlie before his muscles further deteriorated.
Then, Great Ormond Street Hospital refused to accommodate Chris and Connie’s final wish that they be allowed to bring Charlie home to die.
Listen to Charlie Gard’s father.
“We can’t even take our own son home to die. We’ve been denied that. As if we haven’t been through enough.”
Notably, Charlie’s government-appointed lawyer, who was supposed to argue on his behalf in court, was a euthanasia activist. She argued Charlie’s parents should be excluded from key meetings with doctors.
In addition, the hospital actually tried to block clergy from visiting Charlie to pray with him and criticized “a world where only parents speak and decide for [their] children.”
Charlie was baptized. His parents have said they hope to start a foundation to ensure this never happens again.
There’s nothing “great” about the Great Ormond Street Hospital!
May King David’s prayer found in Psalm 55:9-11 come to pass in London and in every locale where the doctors refuse to champion the medically vulnerable.
“Lord, confuse the wicked, confound their words, for I see violence and strife in the city. Day and night they prowl about on its walls; malice and abuse are within it. Destructive forces are at work in the city; threats and lies never leave its streets.”
Vice President Mike Pence said, “Saddened to hear of the passing of Charlie Gard. Karen and I offer our prayers and condolences to his loving parents during this difficult time.”
Charlie Gard’s life and death has triggered a worldwide debate about parental rights, medical ethics, and the sanctity of human life created in God’s image.
It’s our prayer that Charlie’s legacy would not be squandered by those in both the medical profession and the general population whose hearts have grown cold and consciences have become seared to the quiet, but unmistakable voice of God.
This has been a Special Report. I’m Adam McManus.
Christians in India Grow Stronger Despite Persecution
A church planter in India says Christians in the Hindu-majority country are growing stronger in their faith despite severe persecution.
According to Open Doors USA, Christians in India are in more danger now as violence in the first six months of this year has already doubled from 2016. In addition, Christians were stunned a couple of weeks ago when a pastor was killed in a drive-by shooting.
Rev. Sandeep Kumar told OneNewsNow that extremists are trying to intimidate believers. “They want to create a kind of fear into the life of Christians that they should not follow the Christ.”
North Korea Test Launches Missile That May Have Been Able to Reach the US
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally supervised the midnight launch of the missile on Friday night and said it was a “stern warning” for the United States that it would not be safe from destruction if it tries to attack, the North’s official KCNA news agency said.
The US-based Union of Concerned Scientists said the launch demonstrated many parts of the United States were within range if the missile had been launched at a flattened trajectory. Its calculations showed the missile could have been capable of going as far into the United States as Denver and Chicago.
Lutherans in Finland Establish Classes for Muslims Wanting to Become Christians
Evangelical Lutheran parishes in Finland have begun establishing confirmation classes for Muslim immigrants from Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq who want to become Christians, according to the Finnish news source Yle Uutiset.
One convert named Aliraza Hussaini, said, “I haven’t been baptized yet, but I’m looking forward to it and I’m sure I will be a good Christian.”
After their Christian conversion, former Muslims are viewed as “infidels in exile” by their families, and marked for virtual death if they ever return.
Tesla Prepares to Release Long-Range Electric Car
Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last Friday the Model 3 had over half a million advance reservations as he handed over the first 30 to employee buyers, setting the stage for the biggest test yet of the company’s strategy to become a profitable, mass market electric car maker, reports Reuters.
Outside Tesla’s Fremont, California factory, Musk showed off the $35,000 vehicle with a range of 220 miles on a charge that marks a departure from the company’s earlier luxury electric cars.
US Government Imposes Sanctions on Russia
President Donald Trump said he would sign a series of bills that will impose stiff financial sanctions on Russia, reports Fox News.
The announcement comes after Congress this week overwhelmingly approved packages to punish Moscow for allegedly meddling in U.S. elections.
After Congress approved the sanctions, Moscow said it was reducing the number of U.S. diplomats in Russia in retaliation.
Jackie Hill-Perry Shares Her Story of Deliverance from Homosexuality Through Christ
Former lesbian Jackie Hill-Perry recently shared her incredible story of finding God and breaking free of her life of homosexuality in a video shared by Charisma News.
Having grown up in a broken family and having often felt abandoned by her father who wasn’t around a lot and her mother who worked hard to provide for the family, she found affirmation and significance in the arms of other women.
But God revealed Himself to her through a Christian cousin and she ultimately surrendered her life to Christ.
Twitter Censors Ads for Christian Book on Marriage
Despite the fact that Pastor Craig Stellpflug paid for Twitter ads to promote his new book entitled One Man One Woman: God’s Original Design for Marriage, Twitter censored the request.
Stellpflug, who is a pastor at Sunrise Baptist Church in Custer, Washington, said that Twitter sent him an email denying his request to advertise his book on the platform, reports The Christian Post.
Twitter told Stellpflug that they do not allow tweets that contain “hate content.”
In addition to the sin of homosexual behavior, the pastor addressed the sins of adultery, divorce, and pornography and God’s offer of forgiveness through repentance.
Texas House Passes Bill Requiring Abortion Mills to Report Complications
In a 97-46 vote in the Texas House last Thursday, lawmakers supported a bill which would make sure abortion mills are not allowed to hide botched abortions from the public, reports the Houston Chronicle.
It is one of several pro-life bills that Texas lawmakers passed this month during a special session called by pro-life Gov. Greg Abbott.
House Bill 13 requires facilities to report complications such as maternal death, uterine perforation, infection or a baby born alive after the abortion.
Texas Right to Life notes that while women are allowed legally to abort their unborn babies, they at least should make a fully informed choice. But time after time, abortion activists fight against informed consent laws – laws that help ensure women receive the information that they deserve before making an irreversible decision about their baby’s life.
Baseball Teams Host Celebrations of Christianity and of Homosexuality
Lance Berkman, a six-time All-Star who led the St. Louis Cardinals to a World Series title in 2011, was scheduled to speak at the Cardinals’ “Christian Day” on July 30.
After Berkman, a father of four daughters, said he does not want “troubled men to enter women’s bathrooms, showers, and locker rooms,” the PrideCenter of St. Louis branded Berkman a “bigot” and the Cardinals have now scheduled their first-ever “Pride Night” for August 25, reports World Magazine.
Elsewhere, the Los Angeles Dodgers came under fire for a homosexual celebration in the presence of children. At the Dodgers’ June 9th home game, the team’s “Kiss Cam”—a popular feature in which supposedly random couples, upon seeing themselves on the stadium’s giant television screen, smooch to fans’ delight—showcased several homosexual couples.
By contrast, the Dodgers will host a Christian Faith Day on Sept. 10. Pitcher Clayton Kershaw and first baseman Adrian Gonzalez are scheduled speakers.
Bridal Shop Closes After Declining to Provide Dress for Lesbian Wedding
A Christian bridal shop in Pennsylvania has closed after feeling threatened by the homosexual community because they declined to provide a wedding dress for a lesbian wedding, reports The Christian Post.
The owners of W.W. Bridal Boutique in Bloomsburg were asked to provide a wedding dress for Julie Ann Samanas who was marrying her fiance, Shannon Kennedy.
After the lesbian couple complained on Facebook in a post which tagged the bridal shop, the owners wrote that they “reserve the rights afforded to them by the First Amendment of the Constitution to live out our lives according to our faith.”
And that’s the World View in Five Minutes.
What kind of worldview do your children get? The vast majority of teens from Christian families are abandoning a biblical worldview, according to the Barna Group. Sadly, many parents do not realize that the curriculum they have chosen for their children actually conveys the wrong worldview of history, science, life’s purpose, and truth. Pass on the faith to your children with a distinctively Christian education.
Check out our Christian discipleship curriculum at https://store.generations.org/collections/curriculum