Anil Anwar CEO / Editor In Chief Charles Lingerfelt Managing editor & Senior Associate Publisher Editor Charles Lingerfelt Editorial Member David Clarke Raven Youngblood Front Cover photo credit: Gage Skidmore
CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE
Issue 46|dec 2020 Published in United States of America Copyright Š 2020 by Christian Times Magazine (CTM) All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, For permission requests, www.ctimesmag.com 214-256-4293 214-850-1541
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CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGZINE
CONTENTS CHRISTIAN TIMES MAGAZINE ISSUE 46
05 EDITOR'S NOTE At Christian Times Magazine, our mission is to distinguish ourselves from those who are providing the world with fake news.
06
EXCLUSIVE!
ONCE UPON A TIME A MAN WHO SAVED AMERICA By Katherine Daigle
12 STRAIGHT OUTA GENEVA: A REAL-LIFE WHODUNNIT By Paul McCabe
18 DEFUNDING THE POLICE: AN UNTENABLE ANSWER TO SYSTEMIC RACISM By Katherine Daigle
AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD By Charles Lingerfelt
P. O. BOX 360722Â DALLAS, 75336 TEXAS 214-850-1541 CTM@CTIMESMAG.COM
WWW.CTIMESMAG.COM
45 DEC - 2020 | ISSUE
23
EDITOR NOTE At Christian Times Magazine, our mission is to distinguish ourselves from those who are providing the world with fake news. We report on facts and we have a team of professional reporters and columnists who provide insightful analysis and accurate reporting on the breaking stories happening right now. We are a source of truth and tradition at a time when the world needs it most.
CTM has been established for some time and we are becoming a respected brand across the United States. To continue that success, we need support from our readers, who make everything we do possible.
CTM News TV channel now on ROKU TV, and very soon Cable Tv which shows how well Christian Times Magazine is doing across our nation. But again, we cannot make these accomplishments happen without your support.
Yours Sincerely,
Anil Anwar Chairman / CEO / President Christian Times Magazine & CTM News Network
ctm@ctimesmag.com
www.ctimesmag.com
214-850-1541
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Once Upon a Time a Man Who Saved America By Katherine Daigle
There may be claims that the blue wave is intact
in
America
undoubtedly
won
and
the
that
Biden
election.
But,
has
we’re
still far from any phase of finalization – it’s premature remain
to
clamor
victoriously
numerous
legal
if
there
and
popular
for
President
challenges facing the results.
What
does
the
future
hold
Donald J. Trump? The hope that President Trump can re-claim his victory in the 2020 election is now looking more likely that it will
come
in
the
form
of
the
Electoral
College on January 6th, 2021. The Trump administration pursuing
has
legal
vowed
to
challenges
continue
against
the
fraudulent election results.
Michael
Flynn,
advisor;
“Remember,
former
national
the
courts
security do
not
decide who the next President of the United States
will
be”.
team,
led
filed
multiple
Michigan,
by
President
attorney
Rudy
lawsuits
Georgia,
Trump’s
in
Arizona,
legal
Giuliani,
has
Pennsylvania, and
Nevada
aimed at undoing what the Democrats have done as promised by the scandalous claims of massive voter fraud. The degree and scale of voter fraud were unprecedented.
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Rudy Giuliani indicated the president’s legal team will
The Supreme Court is decidedly in President Trump’s
continue filing lawsuits to subvert the election results
favor with the confirmation of Justice Amy Coney
even after the Supreme Court shot down an effort to
Barrett a little over a month ago. But even with a
overturn the vote counts in four swing states. The
possible
promise comes after the SCOTUS dismissed a suit led
enough
by Texas, which was backed by 17 other states, to
Chances are that the answer now will be a difficult
overturn the election results in Georgia, Michigan,
one but not impossible.
legal to
victory
overturn
in the
Pennsylvania, results
of
will
the
it
be
election?
Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. I
photo credit: Gage Skidmore
believe
as
we
gather
testimony
from
people
overseeing the ballots, voters providing testimony that their ballots were missing, tampered with, or videos from
cameras
inside
Georgia
filming
ballots
under tables after closing and being counted.
from Even
carpetbaggers from states outside of Georgia that were paid to deliver ballots or encouraging people to move in order to file their votes. Voting in Georgia, Nevada, Arizona,
Michigan,
and
Pennsylvania
has
been
determined that voter massive fraud is alive and doing quite well.
In
the
Wisconsin
Supreme
Court
case,
in
a
4-3
decision Chief Justice Patience Roggensack wrote for the dissenters “Once again, four justices on this court cannot be bothered with addressing what the statutes require to assure that absentee ballots are lawfully cast," and
Justice Annette Kingsland Zieglar stated
“This is not the rule of law; it is the rule of judicial
Reminiscent of the year 2000, when Bush and Gore battled
in
Florida
over
a
hanging
chad?
After
an
intense recount process and the United States Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore, Bush won Florida's electoral votes by a margin of only 537 votes out of almost six million casts and, as a result, became the president-elect.
activism through inaction. In In what would be a ground-breaking early win for the Trump team SCOTUS said Texas lacked the legal right to litigate over how other states conduct their elections, but Giuliani indicated Trump could bring his complaints back to lower courts? “The case wasn’t rejected
on
the
merits;
the
case
was
rejected
on
standing. So the answer to that is to bring the case now to the district court by the president, by some of the electors, alleging some of the same facts where there would be standing,” he said in an interview on Newsmax.
“There’s
nothing
that
prevents
us
from
filing these cases immediately in the district court in which the president of course would have standing,
an
odd
Kavanaugh
coincidence, worked
on
Supreme
that
Court
recount
Justices
litigations
in
Florida in 2000, on the Republican side, as a young lawyer,
so
did
Justice
Barrett
and
Chief
Justice
Roberts. Republicans control the state legislatures in many if not all of the major battleground states, including
Michigan,
Wisconsin,
Florida,
Pennsylvania, Arizona, Georgia, Ohio, Iowa, Texas, and North Carolina.
In
a
stunning
outcome
on
November 20th, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) had repositioned and redistricted Justice Barrett, Justice Thomas, Justice Kavanaugh, and
Justice
Gorsuch
-
ALL
were
repositioned
to
battleground states.
some of the electors would have standing in that their constitutional rights have been violated,” he added. “We’re not finished,” he concluded. "Believe me.”
President Trump has not and will not concede because he has reason to believe a second consecutive term is very possible.
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counted
by
Congress.
It
is
what
can
0 8
There are pivotal seats where he’s trailing by a small
officially
margin of a mere thousand in terms of the number of
called the D-Day for America’s political scenario. Of
be
votes. If Biden’s campaign, in this ‘celebrated victory’
the votes to be cast, if 33 or more end up in divergence
of theirs, is stating that they’ve just demonstrated what
with the popular vote, the Democrats will be having a
a landslide win looks like, the numbers clearly go
tough time reckoning with what has transpired.
against their apparent political gospels. In 17 states, there is no particular legislation that binds Let's talk about "Trumpism", regardless of what lies
electors to the corresponding popular choices. This is
ahead of the legal challenges and future as a whole, is
precisely why it’s premature now to arrive at rounded
here
off
to
stay.
President
The
unparallel
the
the
conclusions
without
enough
thought
or
that must be followed and until it is all over and done,
were to step down because of unfavorable verdicts at
there needn’t be a reason to urge anybody towards
court, there is an expansive political career strewn
making any decisions. President Donald Trump did
ahead.
express the difficulty in getting the electoral cases up
back
and
with
enjoys
45th
commoners and his party alike, also suggests that if he
be
States
that
observations to accompany these. There is a process
will
United
support
among
He
of
perhaps
greater
fervor, determination, and commitment than ever seen
to
before
challenge, not impossible. That window too, therefore,
in
any
political
party
with
any
political
candidate. President Trump is a force to be reckoned
the
Supreme
Court
–
however,
this
is
only
a
remains open to the GOP.
with. To whether Trump has won or will win, as of now, there cannot be a clear answer except to the 74 Million followers. As any dutiful, politically aware citizen ought to do, we should closely observe all that will happen in the next several weeks. But, one thing can be said for sure – President Trump has won a popular nod with 74 million rallyings behind his cause to "Make America Great Again" what it should be.
photo credit: © AFP via Getty Images These Evidently, there is a question about whether Trump can still win or not – is it a closed road now or would there
be,
as
Mike
Pompeo
pointed
out,
a
smooth
transition from Trump 1.0 to Trump 2.0? There is an opinion that with information concerning the electoral tactics - employed by the Biden campaign in his kitty and ready to be unfolded, Trump’s continuation as President might be in the cards, thus depriving his opponent of what would have been perceived a clear ascend
to
Presidential
power.
Details
about
this
remain to be disclosed and only time – in particular, the next several weeks – will tell if this angle to the issue will materialize into a subject of attention among crowds. What’s more important to focus on now is the Electoral College that will meet on December 14th and
finally
again
on
the
very
important
Wednesday, January 6: The electoral votes are
date
are
#MAGA
voices
that
are
genuinely
concerned for the country and hope to see it bounce back with vigor. For one, President Donald Trump is not going to easily back out of the American politics that has so embraced him well in the past four years. The dynamism of this country’s events will go on for the long distant future. Donald J. Trump will remain a leading figure in the Republican Party going forward. He has already hinted at another Presidential run in 2024, where he would undoubtedly be the Republican frontrunner. Despite the remaining handful of Never Trumpers, President Trump has made significant allies in the Republican Party over the past four years. Mitch McConnell, Lindsay Graham, and Kevin McCarthy just to name a few.
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There’s no denying the fact that having Trump on the ticket was a boost to the down-ticket Republican candidates nationwide. It will be interesting to see how President Trump approaches the next stage of his political life. Will he take a public role within the Republican party and with World Leaders such as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Russia's Vladimir Putin, Chinese Xi Jinping, North Korea's Kim Jong-un for the next four, eight years? Will he stump for Republicans in tight races in the 2022 midterm elections? This is undoubtedly a convincing role for him to continue his dynasty into the history books with his family holding political heroes and heroines carrying on the Trump name.
His political influence, and his original profession; as a businessman, in theory, has made a clear path to position himself far better in the business world post-January 20th if he cannot secure a path through the malevolent powerful deep state that the far-left liberals have set for him and his 74 Million loyal and devoted followers. President Trump has built his brand on the fact that he is a master negotiator and by no means will ever fail. If he never concedes defeat, he can continue to declare that the election was taken from him and his 74 Million faithful supporters.
WE did not legitimately fail and WE were not defeated. #WeThePeople won, #WWG1WGA
There’s also a good chance that several of the Trump Team members will be going on to political careers of their own. Lara Trump, the wife of the President’s son Eric Trump, has already announced that she is considering running for a Senate seat in North Carolina. Many Trump supporters feel that Don Jr. would make an excellent candidate in the future, although he has stated publicly that he has no political ambitions. But I have a feeling that having Donald Trump as a father and seeing his success will change that.
CTM NEWS mission is to distinguish ourselves from those who are providing the world with fake news," We report on facts and we have a team of professional reporters and columnists and News Anchors who provide insightful analysis and accurate reporting on the breaking stories happening right now. We are a source of truth and tradition at a time when the world needs it most.
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Straight Outa Geneva: A Real-Life WHOdunnit By Paul McCabe
"Everybody knows that pestilences have a way of recurring in the world, yet somehow we find it hard to believe in ones that crash down on our heads from a blue sky. There have been as many plagues as wars in history, yet always plagues and wars take people equally by surprise." – Albert Camus, The Plague (1947)
Here is a story of leviathan lies and international
One of the chief villains was born in the obscure east
intrigue, death and life, science and panic, disease and
African nation of Eritrea in 1965. In May 2017, with
desperation, policy and pandemic. It has all the
heavy support from China, he became the Director-
elements of a real and terrible shocking drama. This
General (D-G) of the World Health Organization
drama, like all the great ones, has heroes and villains.
(WHO) based in Geneva Switzerland.
The worst news is that it is true.
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At the time of the election there were widespread
On January 14 2020 WHO stated, “Preliminary
allegations of corruption and vote-buying. These were
investigations conducted by the Chinese authorities
centered on the 50 African countries that voted for
have found no clear evidence of human-to-human
him. The Obama administration had backed him too.
transmission of the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
Unlike every past D-G, he is not a doctor of medicine
identified in Wuhan, China.” In Beijing two weeks
(MD). To be fair, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has a
later D-G Tedros met with China’s President Xi. After
degree in community health. He graduated from
that meeting Tedros commended China, saying “China
university in Ethiopia in 1986 in biology and went to
is setting new standards for outbreak control.” He
work in the regime of Marxist dictator Mengistu as a
praised the president for the “openness of the Chinese
health official there. The murderous Mengistu
government in sharing information” with WHO and
personally assassinated his predecessor, the
other countries. “China’s speed, China’s scale and
distinguished Emperor Haile Selassie, in 1975 when
China’s efficiency is the advantage”, Tedros pointed
the emperor was 83 years old.
out.
After the take-over the country was ruled by the
Despite growing evidence of China’s mishandling of
Marxist Derg military junta. According to the BBC,
the outbreak and rising domestic Chinese outrage over
Tedros then joined the hard-left Tigray People's
the government’s censorship, Tedros remains
Liberation Front (TPLF) - which started life as a
unmoved. On February 20 at the Munich Security
Communist party and played a major role in
Conference, he doubled down on his praise for China
overthrowing Mariam in 1991. Tedros’ family comes
stating that “China has bought the world time.”
from the Tigrayan tribe in northern Ethiopia. The
Moreover he called upon nations not to limit travel
TPLF was founded on principles of Marxism-
with China and warned against the “recrimination or
Leninism, revolutionary democracy, and Tigray
politicization” of the outbreak. These very big lies and
nationalism. It became part of the coalition of left-
others constitute a clear, unmistakable, serious
wing parties that ruled Ethiopia until last year.
dereliction of duty.
With a background like this, it is no wonder that the
Tedros’ inaction this year stands in stark contrast to
PRC government gave full backing to him and up to
WHO’s actions during the 2003 SARS outbreak in
$44 million in aid to his very poor country. At the
China. At that time, WHO D-G Dr. Gro Harlem
same time, China’s funding of WHO skyrocketed. UN
Brundtland made history by declaring the WHO’s first
records show that, during Tedros’ tenure in Geneva,
travel advisory in 55 years which recommended
contributions to the WHO by China rose from roughly
against travel to and from the disease epicenter in
$23 million in 2016 to $38 million in 2019. China has
southern China. Dr. Brundtland, a Norwegian MD,
also committed to a further $57 million in funding in
also criticized China for endangering global health by
2020, according to the UK’s Daily Mail.
attempting to cover up the outbreak through its usual playbook of arresting whistleblowers and censoring
The biennial WHO budget for 2020-2021 has been set
media.
at $4.84 billion, of which about 80% consists of voluntary contributions. These large amounts come
At the White House press conference April 14,
primarily from the US, Korea, Japan, Australia, UK,
President Trump announced that the US would stop
and the European Union. The largest single donor
funding WHO pending a review of its performance in
always has been the US, which contributed $419
the present COVID-19 pandemic. This involves
million in 2019, and played a key role in WHO’s
freezing $115.8 million for the 2020 budget and an
founding and financing in 1948. Its assessed funding
additional $80 million that remains outstanding
is the maximum amount under the rules at 22% of the
(unpaid) from previous years. The US review would
regular budget.
take place during a period of 60 to 90 days. The
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president said the WHO had promoted China's
Other nations are joining US efforts to find out what
"disinformation" about the coronavirus and had been
really happened in Wuhan and Geneva and in
too lenient with Beijing. The next day Tedros attacked
between. Australian Prime Minister S. Morrison called
the president, accusing the U.S. leader of politicizing
for an investigation into the emergence of the
the pandemic. “If you don’t want many more body
pandemic and the WHO’s response to the crisis.
bags, you refrain from politicizing it – please
Chinese officials tried to thwart any probe with
quarantine politicizing COVID,” Tedros told reporters
economic threats, but Australian officials refused to
at a news conference. This was another colossal
back down. Swedish Health Minister L. Hallengren on
distortion, one worthy of Goebbels.
April 29 called for a probe. Germany, British Foreign Secretary D. Raab, and the European Commission in
It is worth noting that the US quit UNESCO in
Brussels agreed.
October 2017 in the President’s first year in office. Israel quit too. Before that, the US had paid 22% of
A few days later Australia’s Daily Telegraph reported
UNESCO’s budget. President Reagan too in 1984
that “China deliberately suppressed or destroyed
ordered the US to leave UNESCO, citing
evidence of the coronavirus outbreak in an “assault on
mismanagement, corruption, and pro-Soviet bias. In
international transparency’’ that cost tens of thousands
2003 President Bush allowed the US to rejoin. In a
of lives, according to a 15-page report prepared by
separate example, President Trump in August 2018
Western governments.” The report goes on to say that
directed the US State Department to stop funding the
to the “endangerment of other countries” the Chinese
UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). Again, as
government covered-up news of the virus by silencing
in the cases of the WHO and UNESCO, the US was a
or “disappearing” doctors who spoke out, destroyed
founding member country and its major donor. US
evidence of it in laboratories, and refused to provide
contributions were about 30% of the whole UNWRA
live samples to international scientists who were
budget, providing $364 million in 2017.
working on a vaccine. The PRC lied and misled the world by a “deadly denial of human-to-human transmission.” For this nefarious purpose it used the WHO.
The new report summarized a sharply-focused investigation by the “Five Eyes” -- the intelligence agencies of the United States, Australia, NZ, Canada and the UK. “Despite evidence of human-human transmission from early December, Chinese On April 30, President Trump said he had seen evidence linking the coronavirus to a lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan. White House reporters asked him whether he’s seen proof that the virus originated in the lab. “Yes, I have,” he said. When pressed on what gave him that confidence, he said: “I can’t tell you that. I am not allowed to tell you that.” But a statement from the Director of National Intelligence confirmed that it was looking into “whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.”
authorities denied it until January 20,” it stated. “The World Health Organization did the same. Yet officials in Taiwan raised concerns as early as December 31, as did experts in Hong Kong on January 4.”
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In April 2020 the Council on Foreign Relations
McCaul (R-Texas). McCaul’s letter, signed by 17
published an article called Why Does the WHO
members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Exclude Taiwan? It conclusion was: “The WHO’s
supported the President’s withholding funding for the
exclusion of Taiwan from the global fight against the
WHO. The letter went on to say that the resumption
pandemic is reckless. WHO D-G Tedros, whose
of US contributions should be conditional on the
election was due in large part to China’s support, has
resignation of D-G Tedros. These members of the
been widely criticized for actions that appeared to help
Committee have lost faith in Tedros, and blamed the
China downplay the outbreak, delaying the
WHO and Chinese Communist Party for the extent of
international response as a result. Taiwan’s exclusion
the current global health crisis. Wikipedia notes that
is an example of how the world’s health body puts
“A whodunit or whodunnit (a colloquial elision of
politics before public health. Governments and
"Who [has] done it?") is a complex, plot-driven
concerned citizens must demand that the WHO fulfill
variety of the detective story in which the puzzle
its obligation—to represent the world’s health
regarding who committed the crime is the main
interests, not China’s—and hold the WHO
focus.” In this unusual and bizarre case in 2020, the
accountable when it fails.” From a human rights
international criminal guilty party is clear to all. Will
perspective, “authoritarianism is bad for your health,”
the WHO get rid of the corrupt and dishonest Tedros?
said Sophie Richardson, China director at Human
Will the major donors force him out? Maybe he could
Rights Watch. “We may never have a clear picture
just retire for reasons of health?
how the virus spread out and who died and why and who is denied access to treatments.” The world is now living with the consequences of the Chinese government’s censorship, Richardson said. “Not only do we have this problem now, we might have it again in the future.”
Close observers charge that Tedros is a puppet of the China government which installed him in office in 2017 and which still props him up with high levels of financing and effusive praise. Their view is that Tedros has led the WHO into betraying the people of the world by hiding critical information about the coronavirus and spreading false information during the early stages in order to protect China. WHO’s weak response to China’s mishandling of the COVID19 outbreak has laundered China’s image at the expense of the WHO’s credibility. The time is ripe for clear leadership from the WHO based on science not
“He knew what those jubilant crowds did not know but could have learned from books: that the plague bacillus never dies or disappears for good; that it can lie dormant for years and years in furniture and linen-chests; that it bides its time in bedrooms, cellars, trunks and bookshelves; and that perhaps the day would come when, for the bane and the enlightening of men, it would rouse up its rats again and send them forth to die in a happy city.” – Albert Camus, The Plague (1947)
politics. “There’s a global recognition that China is responsible for this crisis, wasn’t transparent, and that not getting to the bottom of this could lead to future pandemics,” wrote the Atlantic Council’s Matthew Kroenig in April. A petition calling on Tedros to resign had more than one million signatures by the end of April 2020. Members of Congress and the Senate joined the fray, including M. Rubio (R-Florida) and seven other Senators as well as M.
Comments will be welcome at mccabepaul@hotmail.com
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Defunding the Police: An Untenable Answer to Systemic Racism By Katherine Daigle
Nearly every #BlackLivesMatter “BLM” protest that emerged in the wake of George Floyd’s death had a common demand to “defund” the police and today months later these anarchists are rioting and destroying America city by city. As easy as it may sound when reduced to slogans and words, this action, if allowed to materialize, would have consequences that spell nothing short of the collapse of society for the entire nation, one community at a time. The most zealotic of these demands even call for the dissolution of the entire police force.
Public discontent is rising and while their attention turns, politics and politicians are moving on pushing a narrative and using public resources to change the social framework and police reform efforts weaken. As an industry, law enforcement is supposed to prevent and address abuses of power with transparency and integrity. Law enforcement knowledge and experience is just not enough in today’s capitalist society as a revolution is being waged by those in power willing to promote and change the social order with the new culture of marxism.
The entire American policing needs transformation, not just individual local city and state, if implemented and carried out in the right way, benefits each one of us – ‘right way’ being the key term here in a new shift in a culture war similar
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to the “silent majority” that helped President Trump to
politics, walks on the faint line that lies in proximity to
win
the propagandization of our youth. We need to pay
the
White
House.
However,
anarchists
and
politicians have hijacked the movement and not in a
close
attention
to
the
agenda
that
underlies
the
good way. When encountered with problematic bad
clamoring for a structural breakdown of the entire
behavior you don’t discard it all together when there is
system.
the hope of a change; when there is hope that a few reforms
can
damages
go
from
a
long
taking
way
in
shape.
preventing
It’d
be
further
erroneous
if,
What
needs
to
be
done?
Anything
but
defunding
serves the purpose of bettering the system of policing
despite a less painful alternative, we decide to go the
for
hard way and drag ourselves into a deep abyss of
method of hiring. An increase in pay will also attract
anarchy.
the
This
is
why
police
reforms,
and
not
good.
One
deserving
can
candidates
dissolution, is important. In advocating for a complete
academies
scale-down in terms of funding, the discourse is being
centers
taken away from the original point of concern. Let us
feasible solutions.
for
perhaps
can
be
devise
into
transformed
development
the
a
well-suited
service.
into
Police
well-rounded
#defendpolice.
These
are
not overlook the good in policing. Moving beyond the larger appeal that calls for ‘defunding’ the force may
Giving in to the narratives popularized by extreme
hold what we need to address the real elephant in this
left-leaning entities in favor of a total metamorphosis
room.
of the American system of law and order is pretty much like amputating the limb that could have been
If the funds are cut down from the police force, it
treated
would be no surprise if the personnel and equipment
undoubtedly have to change, but a fanatic turn to this
are
transition cannot be justified or legitimized at any
retained,
dormant.
and
The
the
cadet
community
programs
or
programs
‘Explorer’
turn
which
with
an
antiseptic
instead.
Things
cost.
seeks to enable collaboration between the youth and the police for facilitating community service would suffer from a reduced influx of funds. These programs which
aim
extending
at
elevating
support
to
the
the
standards
youth,
of
living,
contributing
to
personal development, will be most affected. They are crucial to constructive interactions between the force and
the
community.
If
anything,
a
defunding
also
means a larger bridge between the state and its people.
The service offered by the police is much needed to check on violence and crimes in our neighborhoods, and
our
nation’s
communities–
it
integrity.
simply
You
is
needed
to
cannot
secure
the
dismiss
the
necessity of policing. For those aiming to destabilize the nation and drive it down the road of anarchy and chaos, streets without a force to protect may be the ideal
world
claiming
to
or
their
be
Marxists
‘utopia’. by
The
all
BLM
right,
are
activists, feeding
further into the aesthetic rhetoric that an unpoliced world promises. The new age of protests, rooted in anti-establishment sentiments propagated by shrewd
Katherine Daigle
will
C T I M E S M A G . C O M
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An Encounter With God By Charles Lingerfelt
Genesis 28:10–32:2[3];
So Jacob set out for Harran, much blessed.
Hosea 12:13–14:9[10];
instead of his comfortable bed or a warm inn at the side
Even so,
John 4:1–26
of the road, he spent his first night sleeping on the cold, hard ground without any kind of physical shelter and
“And Jacob went out from
only stones for a pillow.
Beersheba.” (Genesis 28:10)
Jacob Receives His Spiritual Inheritance -
“And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the
A while back, we wrote in another writing of Isaac’s wife Rebecca, who had a difficult pregnancy as the twin boys
jostled
together
within
her
womb.
When
she
earth, and the top of it reached to heaven; and behold the angels
of
God
ascending
and
descending
on
it.”
(Genesis 28:12)
inquired of the Lord, He told her that two nations were in
her
womb
and
the
elder
(Esau)
would
serve
the
younger (Jacob).
)וַיֵּצֵ א
Today in this writing, our Parasha Vayetzei ( He
Left”
mother's
describes homeland,
Jacob’s to
find
travels a
wife
to and
“And
Harran, to
flee
his the
murderous plot of his brother Esau.
Any anxiety Jacob had that night must have fled his spirit when the Lord appeared to him in a dream.
Jacob Leaves His Comfort Zone
Jacob was not a rough and tough adventurer like his
In that dream, God was standing at the top of a ladder
brother, Esau. He had a quiet personality from birth,
that reached into the heavens, with angels going up and
preferring to be at home rather than out in the woods
down it.
hunting for a game.
There, He promised to give Jacob the same
inheritance He gave Abraham and Isaac — the land upon which he lay:
So, the call to leave his home for another land (like the call of his grandfather Abraham and his father Isaac) may have caused much anxiety — perhaps doubly so since he was running to save his life, at his mother’s insistence.
On
the
other
“And, behold, the LORD [YHVH] stood beside him and said: 'I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father, and the God of Isaac. The land upon which you lie, to you will I give it, and to your seed.” (Genesis 28:13)
hand,
Jacob
had
just
received
an
extraordinary blessing from his father Isaac of “heaven’s dew and earth’s richness, an abundance of grain and new wine” with a promise of nations serving and bowing down to him (Genesis 27:28–29).
It is clear through this Scripture that the Divine title deed to this land belongs to the seed of Jacob (whose name was later changed to Israel) and not the seed of his brother, Esau, who is the forefather of many of the Arabic people currently living in the Land.
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It’s also easy to see that some of these descendants of
When we honor the Lord’s real presence in our lives and
Esau still hate their “brother Jacob” and seek to kill his
reinvest
descendants — the Jewish People.
tithing, offerings, and serving, we acknowledge that He
our
resources
back
into
His
work
through
is Lord over our lives, that He provides us protection,
Jacob awoke from his dream-filled with awe, delighting
food, clothing, and shelter, and that He alone is worthy
in the presence of the One True God; and for that reason,
of adoration and praise all the time, everywhere.
he called the place Bethel or Beit–El (House of God).
In
truth, though, any place can become a “house of God”
Jacob Encounters Living Water -
when His holy Presence invades the space. “And
The ancient Jewish rabbis viewed this pivotal encounter with God as Jacob’s spiritual awakening.
it
came
to
pass,
when
Jacob
saw
Rachel
the
daughter of Laban his mother's brother, and the sheep of Laban his mother's brother, that Jacob went near, and rolled the stone from the well's mouth, and watered the
“Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and
flock of Laban his mother's brother.” (Genesis 29:10)
you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. blessed
through
you
All peoples on earth will be
and
your
offspring.”
(Genesis
28:14)
By the time Jacob arrives at his uncle Laban’s land, it seems
that
he
transformation.
had
undergone
a
remarkable
Earlier on, he had been described as a
tent-dweller, in contrast to his rugged brother Esau who
What perhaps began as a journey of obedience to His parents now became a journey with God Himself:
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land.
was an outdoorsman.
Traditionally in Judaism, Jacob is described as a scholar.
I will not
leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
Yet,
suddenly
it
seems
that
he
actually
possesses
remarkable strength. He is able to single-handedly move
(Genesis 28:15)
the heavy stone off of a community well in order to give
While Abraham and Isaac had their own very personal
water to his uncle’s sheep.
encounters with God, until this time, it seems that Jacob had no such encounter.
But as God reveals His power
and presence, Jacob responds with clarity and simple
Either
he
possessed
this
strength
all
along,
or
it
developed as he journeyed in faith and obedience.
faith, saying: If the first is true, then he is a remarkable example of
“If God will be with me and will watch over me on this
someone who led a balanced life, not neglecting the
journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and
need to develop his external strength as he developed his
clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s
internal strength.
household, then the Lord will be my God.”
(Genesis
28:20–21)
If the second is true, then he is an example to all of us as to how we can be transformed in our walk with Adonai.
In accepting the Lordship of Adonai over his life, Jacob is not waiting for riches before he serves Him, and he
If
we
keep
in
mind
that
moving
the
stone
single-
also makes this commitment to Him:
handedly was a feast fit for Samson, there is room for both to be true.
“This stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that You give me I will give You a
Much is made of this meeting at the well in Judaism’s
tenth.” (Genesis 28:22)
oral tradition, and there are several interpretations, each perhaps building on the other.
C T I M E S M A G . C O M
P A G E
Laban's name in Hebrew means “white.”
Each
of
the
children
received
names
that
2 6
reflected
family hopes or circumstances (but you will have to read Names in Biblical times often revealed the character and
the Torah portion [Genesis – Deuteronomy] to discover
destiny of the name bearer and, in Laban's case, there
why they were given these names).
may have been a connection to leprosy. 1. Reuben—See, a son Regardless, we must be wise and discern a person's character, not being deceived by someone that appears to be clean or pure, since even the devil himself can appear as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).
The Twelve Tribes Receive Their Names -
Today, many Jewish children are named after one of their ancestors; however, in Biblical times, the name of a child could reflect the mother’s state of mind when giving birth or the hope for the child's future.
Leah named nine of Jacob's children and Rachel named
2. Simeon—Hearing 3. Levi—Joined; attached 4. Judah—Yah be praised 5. Dan—Judge 6. Naphtali—My wrestling 7. Gad—Troop; invader; good fortune 8. Asher—Happy 9. Issachar—Man of hire 10. Zebulun—Dwelling 11. Dinah—Judged or Vindicated 12. Joseph—Increaser or God will increase 13. Benjamin—Son of my right hand
four — these 13 children comprised one daughter and 12 sons.
All
12
except
for
the
Levites
would
receive
portions of the Promised Land as the inheritance for each
of
their
tribes,
according
to
God’s
promise
to
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
And now, at the end of this writing, Jacob begins his journey
home.
Sometime
shortly
thereafter,
Jacob
prepares to encounter his rival brother Esau after 20 years of estrangement. On the way, Jacob will also encounter a Divine messenger who will change his name
The Levites received God as their inheritance and the responsibility to serve Him in His Temple while being supported offerings.
by
the
other
tribes
through
tithes
and
(Deuteronomy 10:9; Numbers 18:24; Joshua
18:7)
from Yaacov (Jacob — referring to the heel of the foot) to
Yisrael
Today,
the
(Israel
—
ancient
one
who
rivalry
struggles
between
the
with
God).
brothers
still
seems to remain, but that is not the only struggle the Jewish
People
face.
They
also
struggle
with
understanding the prophetic Scriptures and the issue of The
remaining
tribes
and
land
allotments
were
who the Messiah really is.
comprised of two of Joseph's sons — Manasseh and
) ְראו ּבֵ ן,
Ephraim. Leah called their first son Reuben (
from a Hebrew word Re’eh (see) because God had seen her state of being unloved and had, therefore, blessed her with a son. “And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben; for she said: 'Because the LORD
has
looked
upon
my
affliction;
for
now
my
Please pray for the eternal salvation of the Jewish People that all will come to personal faith in Yeshua Ha Mashiach (Jesus the Messiah). According to the holy Scriptures, “All Israel will be saved. As it is written: 'The deliverer will come from Zion; He will turn godlessness away from Jacob.'" (Romans 11:26)
husband will love me.’” (Genesis 29:32) And finally, Israel will have an “Encounter with God” In one case, Jacob overruled a naming decision. When Rachel knew she was about to die giving birth to her second son, she called him Ben-Oni (son of my sorrow). Jacob changed his name to Ben-Yamin — Benjamin (son at my right hand) to better reflect his destiny.
and all Israel will be saved.