Friday Church News Notes
December 13, 2024 - Volume 25, Issue 50
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.
AUSTRALIA SIDES WITH UN AGAINST GOD’S WORD (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - On December 3, Australia voted in favor of a United Nations resolution “demanding Israel halt all settlement activity in Judea and Samaria, and to withdraw completely from the area, as well as Jerusalem” (World Israel News, Dec. 4, 2024). “Prior to Tuesday’s vote, Australia had hitherto refused to back such measures at the United Nations, alternating between abstaining and openly opposing resolutions.” A vote for this resolution is a vote against God’s holy Word, which gave that land to Abraham and his seed forever. “For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed for ever” (Genesis 13:15). Jesus Christ said, “The Scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). What is happening in Israel today is a clear fulfillment of prophecy. It is not a fulfillment of Israel’s conversion; it is a fulfillment of Israel’s return to the land in a spiritually dead condition in preparation for a peace covenant with the Antichrist, the third temple, the day of Jacob’s trouble, and Israel’s repentance (Eze. 37:8; Dan. 9:27; Zec. 12:10 - 13:1; Re. 11:1-14, etc.). This explains why Israel has won so many wars against all odds, though she gives more credit to herself than God. The fact that she wins the wars is because God has put her there for this time and is helping her; the fact that she praises herself is because she abides in spiritual deadness. Though Israel is currently in a spiritually blind condition, God’s promise to Abraham is in force, “And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee” (Genesis 12:3). The land of Israel, all of it, belongs to no one other than Israel, and woe be to those who try to take it away. Australia is messing with a divine curse.
GOLF ASSOCIATIONS BAN MALES FROM COMPETING AS FEMALES (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “LPGA and USGA change transgender policies,” Standing For Freedom, Dec. 5, 2024: “The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) have updated their policies on transgender athletes competing against women following criticism from female golfers who said allowing males to compete in women’s golf was unfair. This fall 275 women golfers sent a letter to the LPGA, the USGA, and the International Golf Federation calling for a policy that prohibited males from competing in women’s golf. ... The LPGA and USGA released new policies on December 4 that prohibit any male who has gone through ‘Tanner Stage 2’ of puberty or reached age 12 before transitioning from competing in women’s competitions. ... The policies are very similar to those adopted by the World Athletics Council, the international governing body for track and field, and World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, which is the governing body for swimming. ... Amy Olson, recently retired LPGA golfer and a USGA champion has been outspoken on the importance of prohibiting males from competing in women’s golf. She praised the organizations’ decisions, saying, ‘Today marks a massive victory for female athletes.’ ... This policy didn’t come about because the LPGA and USGA suddenly saw the light. It came about because of the bold stand of women who refused to be silenced on this issue.”
1 MILLION+ SOUTH KOREAN CHRISTIANS RALLY AGAINST LGBT AGENDA (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “1 million+,” The Bridgehead, Nov. 12, 2024: “On Sunday afternoon, October 27, as many as 1.1 million South Korean Christians participated in a massive rally in Seoul to express their opposition to homosexual ‘marriage,’ new pro-LGBT legislation, and a supreme court decision conferring some spousal legal rights on homosexuals. Aerial photos show a staggering crowd ... which the Korea Herald described as ‘one of the largest religious gatherings in the country’s history.’ ... According to the Korea Herald: ‘The rally, held in the form of a church service, was against the legalization of [so-called] same-sex marriage and the passage of what participants have claimed is an ‘unjust law’--a legally binding ordinance that would ban [purported] discrimination against an individual based on one’s gender, religion, age, race, academic background or sexual orientation. ... A number of prominent South Korean Christians spoke in support of biblical marriage, and many noted what is unfolding in the West--that we are seeing the replacement of Christian values with the values of the Sexual Revolution. ‘The Christian faith is oppressed in the West, which has comprehensive anti-discrimination laws and where [so-called] same-sex marriage is legal!’ stated one spokesperson. ‘South Korea should remain the last sacred country to never see the passing of anti-discrimination laws’ or homosexual ‘marriage’ legalization.”
CHRISTIANIZED AMERICANISM (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “[There] is a phenomenon that has become a hallmark of the American Evangelical movement: they are Americans first and Christians second. American Evangelicals have created a church subculture, and even a gospel, that suits their entertainment-driven and prosperity-laden lifestyles, and in so doing have introduced their own sanctified brand of the American dream. How many Christians that you know live just as much for the weekend as the rest of their unsaved coworkers? How many are just as obsessed over their sports teams, just as covetous of worldly fashion and in just as much debt while endeavoring to fill their houses full of all the same adult toys?” (Steve Gallagher, At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry).
WOMAN EXPERIENCES VISIONS WHILE READING “JESUS CALLING” (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Being Caught Off Guard,” Lighthouse Trails Research, Oct. 9, 2024. Lighthouse Trails publishes Warren Smith’s 10 Scriptural Reasons Why Jesus Calling Is a Dangerous Book. “My husband passed away in 2016 after some very difficult years. I was distracted and not as spiritually aware as I should have been. A friend recommended Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I had never heard of this book, and for the first time, I did not investigate a book before reading it. I started reading with skepticism, but soon NEEDED to read it daily. It seemed to speak right to my heart every single day. I often wondered how she could know what I needed each day. I continued reading daily for about two months. During this time, I began to see a vision in my mind when I would worship the Lord. In my mind, I saw the image of a beautiful ‘being’ who I felt was the Holy Spirit. This ‘being’ took my hands and danced with me in the heavens, and it was a beautiful and peaceful vision. This happened to me whenever I worshiped the Lord. At one time, a vision of my husband also joined us in this dance. I did not realize that I was being totally deceived. One day, as I was reading Jesus Calling, the Holy Spirit opened my spiritual eyes. I realized that Sarah Young was speaking as though she were Jesus and that a lot of what she was saying was not even biblically correct. At the same time, I became aware that the beautiful being in my visions was actually a spirit guide. Immediately, I threw the book in the garbage. I went before the Lord and asked for forgiveness and thanked Him and praised Him for delivering me from this deception. I never again saw the spirit guide or had any similar experience.”
FRENCH TV CHANNEL FINED FOR CALLING ABORTION WORLD’S LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “French TV Channel,” The European Conservative, Nov. 21, 2024: “The French media regulator has fined the conservative channel CNews €100,000 for, during a Catholic programme, saying that abortion is the world’s leading cause of death. The episode reveals the extent to which the debate on abortion is deadlocked in France. [It also shows how rapidly freedom of speech is being lost there.] In February 2024, presenter Aymeric Pourbaix, during the Catholic programme ‘En quête d’esprit,’ broadcast every Sunday on the conservative channel CNews, showed an infographic on the causes of death, ranking abortion as the leading cause, with 73 million deaths each year worldwide. That translates to 52% of annual deaths, far ahead of cancer (10 million) and smoking (6.2 million). The journalist’s comments sparked a wave of indignation in the mainstream press, on the grounds that abortion cannot be considered a ‘cause of death’ because the foetus should not be considered a living being. Violent criticism was levelled at the CNews channel, owned by Catholic businessman Vincent Bolloré, prompting an investigation into the channel in the following weeks. The channel was accused of being dangerous and of broadcasting biased information--in other words, contrary to the canons of progressive thought.”
FLYING THROUGH WATER (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) The following is from CreationMoments.com, October 8, 2024: “It’s not at all true that penguins are flightless birds. They are perfectly designed to fly. However, when a penguin goes flying in search of its food, it doesn’t search in the air, but in the water. The king penguin is one of the world’s greatest flyers in water. Scientists have attached scientific recording devices to the backs of king penguins. To their surprise, they learned that the bird dives deeper than 600 feet in search of its prey. Scientists also studied the penguins’ metabolism. They were impressed by the fact that dives to 100 feet take very little effort from the penguins. Some birds averaged over 300 dives to various depths each day! This is especially impressive when you realize that the bird is holding its breath while making these dives. The king penguin must reach such great depths because its primary diet, squid, are found at these depths. Scientists estimated that between 50 to 90 squid must be caught by the penguins on each trip to the sea. There must be enough squid to provide energy not only for the diving parent, but also for the chick back in the nest. We should not think of the penguin as a bird that lost the ability to fly. The king penguin’s wings are not designed for flight in the air. However, they are perfectly designed for flight in water. That’s proven by the fact that they can reach such great depths and are so effective in catching squid. Even penguins glorify their Creator! Notes: J. A. Miller, ‘Deep Dives at Sea with King Penguins,’ Science News, Vol 122, #8, p. 119.”
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; Mt. 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” (Ro. 13:11-14).
GOLF ASSOCIATIONS BAN MALES FROM COMPETING AS FEMALES (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “LPGA and USGA change transgender policies,” Standing For Freedom, Dec. 5, 2024: “The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) and the United States Golf Association (USGA) have updated their policies on transgender athletes competing against women following criticism from female golfers who said allowing males to compete in women’s golf was unfair. This fall 275 women golfers sent a letter to the LPGA, the USGA, and the International Golf Federation calling for a policy that prohibited males from competing in women’s golf. ... The LPGA and USGA released new policies on December 4 that prohibit any male who has gone through ‘Tanner Stage 2’ of puberty or reached age 12 before transitioning from competing in women’s competitions. ... The policies are very similar to those adopted by the World Athletics Council, the international governing body for track and field, and World Aquatics, formerly known as FINA, which is the governing body for swimming. ... Amy Olson, recently retired LPGA golfer and a USGA champion has been outspoken on the importance of prohibiting males from competing in women’s golf. She praised the organizations’ decisions, saying, ‘Today marks a massive victory for female athletes.’ ... This policy didn’t come about because the LPGA and USGA suddenly saw the light. It came about because of the bold stand of women who refused to be silenced on this issue.”
1 MILLION+ SOUTH KOREAN CHRISTIANS RALLY AGAINST LGBT AGENDA (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “1 million+,” The Bridgehead, Nov. 12, 2024: “On Sunday afternoon, October 27, as many as 1.1 million South Korean Christians participated in a massive rally in Seoul to express their opposition to homosexual ‘marriage,’ new pro-LGBT legislation, and a supreme court decision conferring some spousal legal rights on homosexuals. Aerial photos show a staggering crowd ... which the Korea Herald described as ‘one of the largest religious gatherings in the country’s history.’ ... According to the Korea Herald: ‘The rally, held in the form of a church service, was against the legalization of [so-called] same-sex marriage and the passage of what participants have claimed is an ‘unjust law’--a legally binding ordinance that would ban [purported] discrimination against an individual based on one’s gender, religion, age, race, academic background or sexual orientation. ... A number of prominent South Korean Christians spoke in support of biblical marriage, and many noted what is unfolding in the West--that we are seeing the replacement of Christian values with the values of the Sexual Revolution. ‘The Christian faith is oppressed in the West, which has comprehensive anti-discrimination laws and where [so-called] same-sex marriage is legal!’ stated one spokesperson. ‘South Korea should remain the last sacred country to never see the passing of anti-discrimination laws’ or homosexual ‘marriage’ legalization.”
CHRISTIANIZED AMERICANISM (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - “[There] is a phenomenon that has become a hallmark of the American Evangelical movement: they are Americans first and Christians second. American Evangelicals have created a church subculture, and even a gospel, that suits their entertainment-driven and prosperity-laden lifestyles, and in so doing have introduced their own sanctified brand of the American dream. How many Christians that you know live just as much for the weekend as the rest of their unsaved coworkers? How many are just as obsessed over their sports teams, just as covetous of worldly fashion and in just as much debt while endeavoring to fill their houses full of all the same adult toys?” (Steve Gallagher, At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry).
WOMAN EXPERIENCES VISIONS WHILE READING “JESUS CALLING” (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “Being Caught Off Guard,” Lighthouse Trails Research, Oct. 9, 2024. Lighthouse Trails publishes Warren Smith’s 10 Scriptural Reasons Why Jesus Calling Is a Dangerous Book. “My husband passed away in 2016 after some very difficult years. I was distracted and not as spiritually aware as I should have been. A friend recommended Jesus Calling by Sarah Young. I had never heard of this book, and for the first time, I did not investigate a book before reading it. I started reading with skepticism, but soon NEEDED to read it daily. It seemed to speak right to my heart every single day. I often wondered how she could know what I needed each day. I continued reading daily for about two months. During this time, I began to see a vision in my mind when I would worship the Lord. In my mind, I saw the image of a beautiful ‘being’ who I felt was the Holy Spirit. This ‘being’ took my hands and danced with me in the heavens, and it was a beautiful and peaceful vision. This happened to me whenever I worshiped the Lord. At one time, a vision of my husband also joined us in this dance. I did not realize that I was being totally deceived. One day, as I was reading Jesus Calling, the Holy Spirit opened my spiritual eyes. I realized that Sarah Young was speaking as though she were Jesus and that a lot of what she was saying was not even biblically correct. At the same time, I became aware that the beautiful being in my visions was actually a spirit guide. Immediately, I threw the book in the garbage. I went before the Lord and asked for forgiveness and thanked Him and praised Him for delivering me from this deception. I never again saw the spirit guide or had any similar experience.”
FRENCH TV CHANNEL FINED FOR CALLING ABORTION WORLD’S LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - The following is excerpted from “French TV Channel,” The European Conservative, Nov. 21, 2024: “The French media regulator has fined the conservative channel CNews €100,000 for, during a Catholic programme, saying that abortion is the world’s leading cause of death. The episode reveals the extent to which the debate on abortion is deadlocked in France. [It also shows how rapidly freedom of speech is being lost there.] In February 2024, presenter Aymeric Pourbaix, during the Catholic programme ‘En quête d’esprit,’ broadcast every Sunday on the conservative channel CNews, showed an infographic on the causes of death, ranking abortion as the leading cause, with 73 million deaths each year worldwide. That translates to 52% of annual deaths, far ahead of cancer (10 million) and smoking (6.2 million). The journalist’s comments sparked a wave of indignation in the mainstream press, on the grounds that abortion cannot be considered a ‘cause of death’ because the foetus should not be considered a living being. Violent criticism was levelled at the CNews channel, owned by Catholic businessman Vincent Bolloré, prompting an investigation into the channel in the following weeks. The channel was accused of being dangerous and of broadcasting biased information--in other words, contrary to the canons of progressive thought.”
FLYING THROUGH WATER (Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2024, www.wayoflife.org fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) The following is from CreationMoments.com, October 8, 2024: “It’s not at all true that penguins are flightless birds. They are perfectly designed to fly. However, when a penguin goes flying in search of its food, it doesn’t search in the air, but in the water. The king penguin is one of the world’s greatest flyers in water. Scientists have attached scientific recording devices to the backs of king penguins. To their surprise, they learned that the bird dives deeper than 600 feet in search of its prey. Scientists also studied the penguins’ metabolism. They were impressed by the fact that dives to 100 feet take very little effort from the penguins. Some birds averaged over 300 dives to various depths each day! This is especially impressive when you realize that the bird is holding its breath while making these dives. The king penguin must reach such great depths because its primary diet, squid, are found at these depths. Scientists estimated that between 50 to 90 squid must be caught by the penguins on each trip to the sea. There must be enough squid to provide energy not only for the diving parent, but also for the chick back in the nest. We should not think of the penguin as a bird that lost the ability to fly. The king penguin’s wings are not designed for flight in the air. However, they are perfectly designed for flight in water. That’s proven by the fact that they can reach such great depths and are so effective in catching squid. Even penguins glorify their Creator! Notes: J. A. Miller, ‘Deep Dives at Sea with King Penguins,’ Science News, Vol 122, #8, p. 119.”
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; Mt. 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” (Ro. 13:11-14).
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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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