“According to a new Marist poll out today, more than three-quarters of Americans support significant restrictions on abortion, including a majority of Americans who describe themselves as pro-choice.” - N.Review

“The effects of alcohol on your heart can be immediate, triggering an irregular rhythm called atrial fibrillation or AFib, according to new state-of-the-art research.” - CNN

2018 related: No amount of alcohol is good for your overall health, global study says

Read Part 1.

The World Economic Forum—backed by influential leaders from all sectors of the globe—is planning for a Great Reset. That Reset will be presented in virtual meetings this coming week, as we established in the previous article.

We saw that WEF founder and executive chairman Prof. Klaus Schwab has encapsulated his lofty goals for the Reset as follows:

“46% of fathers reported spending “the right amount” of time with their kids. This marks a 10-percentage-point increase from 2017…. 48% of fathers surveyed last October said they spend ‘too little’ time with their kids. That figure is down significantly from 63% in 2017.” - CPost

“A new study from Nashville-based Lifeway Research finds 49 percent of U.S. Protestant pastors say they frequently hear members of their congregation repeating conspiracy theories they have heard about why something is happening in the country.” - BPNews

“We need the humility to stop pretending we have infallible knowledge of other people’s motives, especially when we engage brothers and sisters on the social-justice controversies of our day. It’s better to ask people about what makes them tick (or ticked) rather than assume it. That’s part of what it means to obey Scripture’s command to ‘be quick to hear’ (James 1:19).” - TGC

“The fractures in old friendships are forcing us to ask some difficult questions. For starters, does our Christian faith truly transcend our political opinions? Should it?” - Chris Davis

“Granted, the alt-right is concerned about much of what I am concerned about. The alt-right opposes much of what I oppose. But sometimes the enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.” - P&D

“A federal judge in North Dakota on Tuesday ruled in favor of Catholic healthcare providers who challenged Obama-era requirements that they offer gender transition procedures and cover them under their insurance plans.” - WORLD

Roger Olson: My Deep Disappointment with Franklin Graham

Steven Viars: “we do not have to give bitter circumstances the final say. Wise Solomon warned us that “the heart knows its own bitterness” (Proverbs 14:10). In the power of Christ, we can learn to process these episodes of suffering in our hearts in ways that moves us toward the Lord in greater dependence and faith.” - Challies

“On the day Christ commissioned Saul as apostle to the Gentiles, he told him he would suffer. He told Ananias, the believer who healed Saul of his heaven-sent blindness….And Saul, now Paul the apostle, tells the believers in the little church at Philippi that this is the common fate—no, the ‘privilege’—of all believers” - Olinger

“…it didn’t seem to me to solve the dilemma it kept tossing from hand to hand for hour after hour: If meritocracy isn’t so great, and aristocracy not so great either, then what?! …Sandel also argued that one way to valorize work rightly would be to legally curtail the money markets, the complex financial instruments that can net millions for the right bettors without actually doing much of anything to invest in business or produce any goods and services of value.” - Mark Ward

By Brad Brandt

Thirty-three years ago, the Lord privileged me to become the pastor of Wheelersburg Baptist Church, in Appalachian southern Ohio, where I presently serve. At the time, the church was 109 years old. I was 26 and had just finished four years of Bible college and another four years of seminary. I believed the Bible was the inerrant, infallible, trustworthy Word of God. I was committed to preaching it, making disciples by it, and equipping this precious congregation to live by it.

“Americans are more likely to trust medical professionals, while few believe pastors are completely honest. Gallup’s annual ratings of the honesty and ethical standards of professions finds nurses continue to be the most trusted, followed by medical doctors, grade-school teachers and pharmacists.” - F&T

“Obadiah is a godly man, and God has put him in the palace, next to Ahab. Imagine the darkness of this palace with its evil king and its wicked queen. King Ahab didn’t fear the Lord or walk in His ways. But God placed someone next to him who did.” - C.Leaders

“Augustine’s statement, though, is a very powerful instrument for understanding a nation or a culture: What do the people love? I would say that the object of love for Americans, historically, has been freedom….There is nothing wrong with loving these things, but, St. Augustine would say, unless the people also love God, their lesser loves can lead them astray.” - Veith

“We can learn from Abraham by seeing every moment of waiting as an opportunity to embrace what God has given to us in the inbetween. If my husband and I decided to remain idle until he received a new job, we would have neglected the ministry God had called us to do in the meantime. Likewise, in whatever place you have found yourself, the Lord has led you there for a reason.” - Alexa Hess

“As QAnon and other conspiracy theories begin to lose traction, pastors and church leaders face a decision. We can pretend that conspiracy theories were never really a threat to our congregation and simply move on unchanged…. Or, we can engage our people refocusing their attention back to the gospel and learn how we need to disciple better.” - Stetzer & McDonald

Central Seminary: Conference video from Baptist historian David Saxon; “Lessons from the polemical writings of Andrew Fuller.”

“An assisted suicide bill being considered in Connecticut faces opposition from disability rights activists over what they contend is a lack of safeguards against the abuse of vulnerable populations, such as the elderly or the disabled.” - C.Post

If you’re a Christian who wants to think the right way about marriage, you’ll have to decide whether God has anything to say about roles of men and women … and whether you care.

Are male and female distinctions just learned behavior? Are there no bedrock differences? Good differences? Wholesome differences? Complementary differences? Is all this just socialization?

“…the North Carolina megachurch helmed by Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President J.D. Greear, has hired an independent firm to investigate concerns regarding Pastor Bryan Loritts, a recent hire from Tennessee. At Loritts’ previous church, his brother-in-law engaged in sexual abuse, was prosecuted, and served jail time” - C.Leaders

Related…

Why ‘a Long Obedience in the Same Direction’ Is Necessary in Ministry

1776 Project: “although the argument for less ideologically driven historical education could not come at a more critical moment, the report is a missed opportunity to make it.” - Commentary

“Many Christian leaders and thinkers decried the attack on the Capitol, but few went as far as Moore; he laid the blame squarely at the feet of a man many evangelicals believe to be their hero” - Time

“Wednesday’s critical statement of Biden from the US Conference of Catholic Bishops put a spotlight on the fractured episcopacy in the country.” - RNS

“135 civil rights organizations signed an open letter to Congress on Tuesday urging them not to expand terrorism-related authority.” - Fox

Related…

What should we do when the wicked prosper?

Like most of you, I’m deeply concerned with a lot that’s taking place in our country. Godless ideologies are rapidly becoming mainstream as wicked people in powerful positions of influence relentlessly advance their agendas. Those who try to resist are marginalized or “cancelled.” The alarming success of the wicked cannot be ignored. It’s reshaping our culture, worldview, relationships, and freedoms. One can only imagine what might be on the horizon if the wicked continue to prosper in their endeavors.

“It seems in nearly every circle of people I am a part of, there is a palpable anxiousness right now….This is the problem with us as well. Our fears arise when we have forgotten who He is. That He’s so much bigger than whatever is worrying us. We must remind ourselves.” - Diane Heeney