Friday Church News Notes
February 23, 2024 - Volume 25, Issue 08
The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, though this does not imply an endorsement.
The excavation of the Israel Antiquities Authority at Megiddo (photo credit: EMIL ALADJEM/ISRAEL ANTIQUITIES AUTHORITY)
ANCIENT ROMAN LEGION BASE DISCOVERED AT MEGIDDO (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “1800-Year-Old Roman Legion Base,” Jewish Press, Feb. 14, 2024: “Architectural remains of the 1,800-year-old base of the Roman Iron Legion were uncovered in a recent excavation carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority at the foot of Tel Megiddo, near the ancient village of Kfar Othnay (Capercotnai). The excavation [is] directed by Dr. Yotam Tepper and Barak Tzin and funded by the Netivei Israel National Infrastructure Company ... The remains of the Via Pretoria (the main road of the Roman base) were uncovered, as well as a semicircular podium and stone-paved areas which were part of a large, monumental public building, were discovered in the course of the excavation. The VIth Imperial Legion base is the only Roman military base of these dimensions that has been discovered and exposed in Israel. ‘The camp was the permanent military base for more than 5,000 Roman soldiers for more than 180 years, from 117–120 to about 300 CE,’ says Dr. Tepper. ‘Two main roads intersected at the center of the 550 m long and 350 m wide camp, and its headquarters were erected here. It was from this base that all the distances along the Roman Imperial roads to the main cities in the north of the country were measured and marked with milestones,’ explains Dr. Tepper.”
INDIANA CHILD REMOVED FROM HOME WHEN PARENTS REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO TRANSEXUAL AGENDA (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Indiana parents warn nation,” Fox News, Feb. 20, 2024: “In M.C. and J.C. v. Indiana Department of Child Services, Mary and Jeremy Cox are appealing to the Supreme Court after they were investigated by Indiana officials for refusing to refer to their son using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biological sex. Becket is pursuing the case on behalf of the Coxes, arguing state courts allowed Indiana to keep the child from living in his parents’ home due to their disagreement with the child’s gender identity because of their religious beliefs. Notably, upon completing the investigation, the state determined the allegations of abuse against Mary and Jeremy were unsubstantiated, but still argued that the disagreement over gender identity was distressing to their child. ... In 2019, Mary and Jeremy’s son told them that he identified as a girl, but in line with their Catholic religious beliefs that God created human beings with an immutable sex, male or female, they did not believe in referring to him using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biology. ... in 2021, Indiana officials began investigating the Coxes after a report found they were not referring to their child by his preferred gender identity, removing the teen from their custody and placing him in a ‘gender-affirming’ home. ... ‘This is what every parent is afraid of,’ Mary and Jeremy Cox said in a press release. ‘We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender. We are hopeful that the Justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did.’”
MS SOCIETY REMOVES 90-YEAR-OLD FROM VOLUNTEER POSITION FOR NOT AGREEING WITH HOMOSEXUAL PRONOUNS (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “MS Society,” ABC 15 News, Feb. 16, 2024: “A 90-year-old volunteer at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society was recently asked to ‘step away’ from her role for not aligning with the organization's inclusion standards, The National Desk confirmed Thursday. Fran Itkoff, whose late husband reportedly suffered from multiple sclerosis, had been volunteering for the MS Society for nearly six decades. The non-profit's request for Itkoff to step away was first revealed in an interview with the popular social media account Libs of TikTok. During the interview, Itkoff explained she didn't understand why people were listing their pronouns on letters and asked someone at the MS Society what it meant. Itkoff was allegedly told that pronouns were meant to help the MS Society be ‘inclusive.’ ‘At the end of the day, end of the week, I got an email from [an MS Society representative] saying that they were sorry but had to ask me to step down as a volunteer for the MS Society,’ Itkoff said. The decision sparked widespread backlash after the Libs of TikTok interview was released. Hundreds of people flooded the reply sections on the MS Society’s X, formerly Twitter, posts. Many pledged to stop donating to the organization.”
GLOBAL WARMING IS COMING (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The Bible describes the only “global warming” that mankind needs to be concerned about. “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains” (Deuteronomy 32:22).
“Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them” (Psalm 21:9).
“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many” (Isaiah 66:15-16).
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall” (Malachi 4:1-2).
“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:9-10).
“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory” (Revelation 16:8-9).
WARNING FROM READER ABOUT SPREAD OF NEW REFORMED CALVINISM (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “I appreciate your ministry. I almost always read your Friday Church News Notes. I often consult your statements on numerous topics that I want to know about, understand, or that I’m dealing with personally. Recently, I have been stunned at the rapid and influential growth of several trends within Christianity. Oftentimes, these are in far off places and do not affect the area that I am in too strongly. However, very unaware of what I was getting myself in to, I recently came into contact with several movements that are spreading like wildfire thru out the U.S. I had personal contact with individuals in their churches, and I was even in a counseling situation with one of their ministers, unaware of the theological position he was coming from. I tended to be trusting because it was Baptist. I finally figured out what these networks were and have distanced myself from them. But their popularity is stunning. I live in a relatively small metro area of about 120,000 people, but there are at least 6 churches that are part of these networks operating in my area, with huge influence. Please continue to warn people about these movements. The movements that I am talking about are the following: New Reformed Calvinism, Acts 29 Network, 9 Marks Network, The Gospel Coalition. The Biblical Counseling movement (Association of Biblical Counselors) on the surface seems to have a very Bible based focus. However, what I have discovered is that almost every counselor that is part of this group has a strong adherence to Calvinist theology, both old and new, or either/or. John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham, Steve Lawson, Justin Peters, and Mark Dever are often cited. I was fortunate to have discovered a lot of this stuff before I got in too deep and taken in by them.”
THOSE ASTONISHING BEE ENGINEERS (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, Feb. 9, 2024: “The amazing structure of the honeycomb has fascinated scientists for thousands of years. In the third century, the astronomer and geometer Pappus of Alexandria became the first to offer an explanation for why the honeycomb has a hexagonal shape. Pappus explained that only three shapes could serve as candidates for a honeycomb cell--the triangle, the square and the hexagon. Any other shape would leave wasteful open spaces between the cells. Pappus noted that the hexagon holds more honey in the same space than either a square or a triangle. It also takes less wax to build, and the shared sides of the hexagonal cells reduce wax usage even further. It was not until the development of modern calculus that scientists could fully appreciate the shape of the caps at the end of the honeycomb cells. Each cell is capped with a pyramid composed of three rhombuses. Complex mathematics shows that this shape, too, requires the least amount of wax for construction. It also allows honeycomb cells to be butted up against each other without wasting space. Modern scientists who accept evolution talk about the design of the honeycomb as a great accomplishment by the bees. However, the more sensible conclusion is obvious. The ten-sided prism of the honeycomb cap is magnificent testimony to the mathematical wisdom of the Creator Himself! Ref: ‘The mathematics of the honeycomb.’ Science Digest, June, 1985. p. 74.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
INDIANA CHILD REMOVED FROM HOME WHEN PARENTS REFUSE TO SUBMIT TO TRANSEXUAL AGENDA (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Indiana parents warn nation,” Fox News, Feb. 20, 2024: “In M.C. and J.C. v. Indiana Department of Child Services, Mary and Jeremy Cox are appealing to the Supreme Court after they were investigated by Indiana officials for refusing to refer to their son using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biological sex. Becket is pursuing the case on behalf of the Coxes, arguing state courts allowed Indiana to keep the child from living in his parents’ home due to their disagreement with the child’s gender identity because of their religious beliefs. Notably, upon completing the investigation, the state determined the allegations of abuse against Mary and Jeremy were unsubstantiated, but still argued that the disagreement over gender identity was distressing to their child. ... In 2019, Mary and Jeremy’s son told them that he identified as a girl, but in line with their Catholic religious beliefs that God created human beings with an immutable sex, male or female, they did not believe in referring to him using pronouns and a name inconsistent with his biology. ... in 2021, Indiana officials began investigating the Coxes after a report found they were not referring to their child by his preferred gender identity, removing the teen from their custody and placing him in a ‘gender-affirming’ home. ... ‘This is what every parent is afraid of,’ Mary and Jeremy Cox said in a press release. ‘We love our son and wanted to care for him, but the state of Indiana robbed us of that opportunity by taking him from our home and banning us from speaking to him about gender. We are hopeful that the Justices will take our case and protect other parents from having to endure the nightmare we did.’”
MS SOCIETY REMOVES 90-YEAR-OLD FROM VOLUNTEER POSITION FOR NOT AGREEING WITH HOMOSEXUAL PRONOUNS (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “MS Society,” ABC 15 News, Feb. 16, 2024: “A 90-year-old volunteer at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society was recently asked to ‘step away’ from her role for not aligning with the organization's inclusion standards, The National Desk confirmed Thursday. Fran Itkoff, whose late husband reportedly suffered from multiple sclerosis, had been volunteering for the MS Society for nearly six decades. The non-profit's request for Itkoff to step away was first revealed in an interview with the popular social media account Libs of TikTok. During the interview, Itkoff explained she didn't understand why people were listing their pronouns on letters and asked someone at the MS Society what it meant. Itkoff was allegedly told that pronouns were meant to help the MS Society be ‘inclusive.’ ‘At the end of the day, end of the week, I got an email from [an MS Society representative] saying that they were sorry but had to ask me to step down as a volunteer for the MS Society,’ Itkoff said. The decision sparked widespread backlash after the Libs of TikTok interview was released. Hundreds of people flooded the reply sections on the MS Society’s X, formerly Twitter, posts. Many pledged to stop donating to the organization.”
GLOBAL WARMING IS COMING (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The Bible describes the only “global warming” that mankind needs to be concerned about. “For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains” (Deuteronomy 32:22).
“Thou shalt make them as a fiery oven in the time of thine anger: the LORD shall swallow them up in his wrath, and the fire shall devour them” (Psalm 21:9).
“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many” (Isaiah 66:15-16).
“For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the LORD of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall” (Malachi 4:1-2).
“And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8).
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:9-10).
“And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory” (Revelation 16:8-9).
WARNING FROM READER ABOUT SPREAD OF NEW REFORMED CALVINISM (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “I appreciate your ministry. I almost always read your Friday Church News Notes. I often consult your statements on numerous topics that I want to know about, understand, or that I’m dealing with personally. Recently, I have been stunned at the rapid and influential growth of several trends within Christianity. Oftentimes, these are in far off places and do not affect the area that I am in too strongly. However, very unaware of what I was getting myself in to, I recently came into contact with several movements that are spreading like wildfire thru out the U.S. I had personal contact with individuals in their churches, and I was even in a counseling situation with one of their ministers, unaware of the theological position he was coming from. I tended to be trusting because it was Baptist. I finally figured out what these networks were and have distanced myself from them. But their popularity is stunning. I live in a relatively small metro area of about 120,000 people, but there are at least 6 churches that are part of these networks operating in my area, with huge influence. Please continue to warn people about these movements. The movements that I am talking about are the following: New Reformed Calvinism, Acts 29 Network, 9 Marks Network, The Gospel Coalition. The Biblical Counseling movement (Association of Biblical Counselors) on the surface seems to have a very Bible based focus. However, what I have discovered is that almost every counselor that is part of this group has a strong adherence to Calvinist theology, both old and new, or either/or. John MacArthur, Voddie Baucham, Steve Lawson, Justin Peters, and Mark Dever are often cited. I was fortunate to have discovered a lot of this stuff before I got in too deep and taken in by them.”
THOSE ASTONISHING BEE ENGINEERS (Friday Church News Notes, February 23, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is from CreationMoments.com, Feb. 9, 2024: “The amazing structure of the honeycomb has fascinated scientists for thousands of years. In the third century, the astronomer and geometer Pappus of Alexandria became the first to offer an explanation for why the honeycomb has a hexagonal shape. Pappus explained that only three shapes could serve as candidates for a honeycomb cell--the triangle, the square and the hexagon. Any other shape would leave wasteful open spaces between the cells. Pappus noted that the hexagon holds more honey in the same space than either a square or a triangle. It also takes less wax to build, and the shared sides of the hexagonal cells reduce wax usage even further. It was not until the development of modern calculus that scientists could fully appreciate the shape of the caps at the end of the honeycomb cells. Each cell is capped with a pyramid composed of three rhombuses. Complex mathematics shows that this shape, too, requires the least amount of wax for construction. It also allows honeycomb cells to be butted up against each other without wasting space. Modern scientists who accept evolution talk about the design of the honeycomb as a great accomplishment by the bees. However, the more sensible conclusion is obvious. The ten-sided prism of the honeycomb cap is magnificent testimony to the mathematical wisdom of the Creator Himself! Ref: ‘The mathematics of the honeycomb.’ Science Digest, June, 1985. p. 74.”
CONCLUSION: The Friday Church News Notes is designed for use in churches and is published by Way of Life Literature’s Fundamental Baptist Information Service. Unless otherwise stated, the Notes are written by David Cloud. Of necessity we quote from a wide variety of sources, but this obviously does not imply an endorsement. We trust that our readers will not be discouraged. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3) and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. The News Notes remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to be ready for the Lord’s coming. Are you sure that you are born again? Are you living for Christ? “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14).
_____
Distributed by Way of Life Literature., publisher of Bible Study Materials and reports for Fundamental Baptists and other fundamentalist, Bible-believing Christians. Established in 1974, Way of Life Literature is a fundamental Baptist preaching and publishing ministry based in Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. Brother Cloud lives in South Asia where he has been a church planting missionary since 1979. OUR GOAL IN THIS PARTICULAR ASPECT OF OUR MINISTRY (REPORTS AND FRIDAY NEWS) IS NOT DEVOTIONAL. IS TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO ASSIST PREACHERS IN THE PROTECTION OF THE CHURCHES IN THIS APOSTATE HOUR.
David Cloud, Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org
The Way of Life Literature preaching and publishing ministry is based at Bethel Baptist Church, London, Ontario, of which Wilbert Unger is the founding Pastor. A mail stop is maintained in Port Huron, Michigan.
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