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WEEKLY NEWS SUMMARY - SEPTEMBER 4, 2024
In this week's Intersect, read about:
Bodies of 6 Hostages, Murdered by Hamas Just Days Ago, Found In Rafah – IDF
“The bodies of six hostages abducted alive by Hamas on October 7 were recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah overnight, shortly after they were murdered by terrorists, the Israel Defense Forces announced Sunday. The hostages were Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, Eden Yerushalmi, 24, Ori Danino, 25, Alex Lobanov, 32, Carmel Gat, 40, and Almog Sarusi, 27.” read more at The Times of Israel
THINK.
- In light of this news, President Trump expressed his sympathies to the families on X and said that the deaths of these hostages are a direct result of “a complete lack of American Strength and Leadership.” On the other side of the ticket, Governor Tim Walz evaded reporters asking for a response but Vice President Harris did release an official statement in which she offered her prayers to the family of the American who was killed.
- When Israelis heard about the murder of these six hostages, thousands took to the streets in Tel Aviv to protest and call on Prime Minister Netanyahu to do more to bring their loved ones home. Understandably, as we are just a month away from the one-year anniversary of October 7th when thousands of innocent people were brutally murdered at a music festival and hundreds were taken hostage by Hamas terrorists, Israelis are tired of waiting for their loved ones to return.
- In times of war, it is important to remember that God is sovereign over all nations and people and He is able to use a terrible event like this for His purposes (Psalm 135:6). Furthermore, the Bible tells us that God will have the final say and the ultimate victory (Revelation 21 and 22). When chaos surrounds, there is peace to be found in the truth of His Word.
PRAY.
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” As the war in Israel continues and hundreds of hostages remain behind enemy lines, let us be in constant prayer for their protection. And pray that God might use these horrific things to draw people to Himself and His saving grace.
ACT.
What is Israel’s history with the Palestinian people? Who is in control of the Gaza Strip? Why are the tensions between the Israelis and the Palestinians so great? Watch this video by TBN Israel for an excellent breakdown of the history between the two people groups, and share it with any friends or family who might be confused about the conflict.
Zuckerberg Says Biden-Harris Admin Pressured Facebook to Censor Content
“The Biden-Harris administration pressured Facebook to censor content on its platform relating to COVID-19 and other major stories, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed in a Monday letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. ‘In 2021, senior officials from the Biden Administration, including the White House, repeatedly pressured our teams for months to censor certain COVID-19 content, including humor and satire, and expressed a lot of frustration with our teams when we didn’t agree,’ Zuckerberg wrote.” read more at the Daily Signal
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- Zuckerberg’s letter last week also acknowledged that the Biden administration influenced Facebook to censor a story about Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2020—information that might have influenced people’s votes in the presidential election.
- To see an example of where this sort of government pressure can lead, look to Brazil’s Supreme Court. Earlier this week, the court upheld a ban on Elon Musk’s platform, X, formerly known as Twitter. Any Brazilian who uses the platform will be fined $8.9 thousand per day. The ban came after Musk refused a justice’s order to block at least 150 people, including journalists and Brazilian elected officials. The judge claims X is obstructing justice, while X contends that the justice’s actions are illegal.
- From a biblical perspective, government censorship of dissenting opinions is an act of rebellion against God, to whom we are accountable for our beliefs. Censorship occurs when the government wants to be the authority over what we think about issues like health, politics, and even religion. Albert Mohler observed that the freedom of political speech is “directly relatable to other fundamental rights including the freedom to worship…” We should be thankful for the First Amendment, and hold our government accountable when they violate it.
PRAY.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom…And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:16,17). Lord, help us to maintain the freedom to speak and act in accordance with Your word, in Your name, for Your glory.
ACT.
Speaking of free speech, did you know we have an entire section of our website called MFV TV, where you can glean wisdom from Christian leaders on major political and cultural issues? Check out MFV TV and share a video you find insightful!
Trump Clarifies He Will Vote ‘No’ on Florida’s Radical Pro-Abortion Amendment
“Former President and 2024 Republican White House nominee Donald Trump confirmed Friday afternoon that he will be voting against an amendment to enshrine abortion-on-demand in the Florida Constitution, a day after hinting that he would support it.” read more at LifeSiteNews
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- Florida’s Amendment 4, on the ballot this November, states, “…no law shall prohibit, penalize, delay, or restrict abortion before viability or when necessary to protect the patient’s health, as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider.” If 60% of Floridians vote “yes,” any preborn baby who is too young to survive outside the womb will be able to be killed for any reason. And some babies will be killed even after they are able to survive outside of the womb. It is a barbaric amendment, and Christians must rally to vote against it.
- The former president generated more controversy among pro-lifers when he proposed a new policy last week. Trump said that under his administration, “government will pay for, or your insurance company will be mandated to pay for, all costs associated with IVF treatment…” Taxpayers would be forced to fund not just the creation of human life, but the destruction of unwanted lives—the discarding of millions of embryos.
- Pro-life Christians are rightly disturbed by the Republican presidential candidate’s inconsistent stances on the right to life. But the greater cause for concern is that Trump’s position, in large part, reflects the mood of our culture, including that of many Christians. In terms of protection for unborn babies, there’s still a great difference between candidates who inconsistently support life versus those who consistently oppose it at all stages. That is our choice this election, and it shows how much we’ll need endurance, patience, and the Lord’s help in the fight for life.
PRAY.
Heavenly Father, we regret that when it comes to protecting the unborn lives You have created, our country’s thoughts are not Your thoughts, and our ways are not Your ways. Help us to return to You and forsake our sinful ways and unrighteous thoughts (Isaiah 55:6-8). Thank You for Your abundant pardon through the blood of Jesus, Your Son, and for the grace to do what is right.
ACT.
My Faith Votes has identified Christians who are pro-life…but who are unlikely to vote. We need your help to contact them before Election Day on November 5! Sign up to write letters to these voters, encouraging them to vote. We’ll give you all the tools you need.
Christian Infantry Officer Stripped of Position, Accused of Expressing 'Hatred' for LGBT People
“An infantry officer who expressed Christian views on human sexuality and other LGBT-related issues faced pressure to resign from the Idaho National Guard and was stripped of his commanding position following a complaint from a subordinate who identifies as homosexual. Liberty Counsel, a public interest law firm, announced last Wednesday that it had notified Gov. Brad Little earlier this month about the alleged First Amendment violation.” read more at The Christian Post
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- In their letter to the Governor of Idaho, Liberty Counsel said: “Soldiers who identify as LGBTQ are required to tolerate Christians in the military workplace and may not file false EO Complaints or other charges against superior officers (or subordinates) because they disagree with protected religious or political speech.”
- Contrary to what some might believe, religious liberty does not prohibit Christians from expressing their opinions or advocating for their beliefs, as this infantry officer did on his private social media account. This is true regardless of whether a Christian holds a position of influence. The beauty of America is that you have the freedom to promote what you believe in. If we truly hold that freedom in high regard, we should not want to silence anyone for simply taking advantage of that freedom.
- As attacks on our religious liberty become more frequent, we must fight even more fervently to protect it because without religious liberty, all our other rights are vulnerable. After all, if the government believes it has authority over its citizens’ consciences (i.e., beliefs, morals, etc.), what will stop it from infringing on all other God-given rights?
PRAY.
Thank God for the blessing of religious liberty, and pray that the Governor of Idaho might intervene and take a stand for the religious freedom of this infantry officer as well as all citizens in his state.
ACT.
This November, do you commit to voting for candidates and policies that will uphold your religious liberty? If so, sign our Christian Voters Pledge here, and encourage your like-minded friends to do the same.
My Faith Votes— is a ministry that motivates, equips, and activates Christians in America to vote in every election, transforming our communities and influencing our nation with biblical truth. An estimated 25 million Christians who are registered to vote, fail to vote in presidential elections. My Faith Votes is on a mission to change this statistic by helping Christians act on their faith and vote in every election. When we pray unceasingly for our nation, think biblically about the issues, and vote consistently in every election the impact of Christians taking action from the local to the state and federal level will be unprecedented.
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