Archive for the 'War & Warfare' Category

Source.

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle resigned from her position on Tuesday after her evasive testimony before the House Oversight Committee on Monday, the Associated Press reports.

Well, bye. Maybe for good.

I predict: She knows too much. She is now in danger. Like the folks associated with Blackrock and Austin Private Wealth who shorted Trump’s stock the day before the assassination attempt.

One comment at the link above: “I cannot believe how very few people (almost nobody) are talking about how the AR15 is laying 15 feet from where the sniper shot the 20 year old kid. That kid did not even have a rifle in his hands when the sniper took out his brain pan. Did he even fire a shot?”

Yeah, I mentioned it. But I estimated 20′.

I’m not going to get too far into the theories yet about everything else associated with the ugly event that unfolded a few days ago, but I have always followed some basic rules for thought. Among the most basic is the need for consistency. I don’t believe narratives – I believe data. After all, I’m an engineer.

There is an idiot writing for Slate named Myke Cole who penned a commentary titled “Was Thomas Crooks a Good Shot? He Didn’t Need to be.” I’ll let you go read the article for yourself, but there are a number of false statements such as the lack of recoil of the AR-15 being good for not jolting the rifle out of position. Specifically, he states “My experience shooting my M4 was that it was incredibly stable, aptly counteracting the recoil that throws shots off.”

Recoil doesn’t throw a shot off. Recoil may make it more difficult to regain sight picture, but it doesn’t throw a shot off. The bullet has long left the barrel before the shooter’s shoulder moves backwards from recoil (or before, say, a bolt action gun rotates about the pivot point and the barrel moves up).

Furthermore, thank goodness the shooter was using a crappy AR-15 build rather than a Tikka bolt action hunting rifle in 6.5CM, .308, Winchester .270 or 300 Win Mag. A Tikka is a << MOA rifle, whereas that crappy AR he was shooting was probably a 2-3 MOA gun.

Anyway, the narrative is apparently that this shooter was so bad that he was thrown off the shooting team in school for being dangerous, but so good because of using an AR-15 that he could take a single cold bore shot and come within 1 MOA of killing the president (without him turning his head), but then so bad (and here is the real rub for me) that a man on the very back row of the bleachers to Trump’s very left (looking at the stage) was shot and killed. That poor man was a long, long ways from Trump.

If something is inconsistent, it cannot be true. Remember what I said about having rules for my life? I don’t believe things that are inconsistent. This had bothered me since the shooting. I never accepted that we know the full story, and we may never know the full story. But there is a reason that man on the back row of the bleachers perished that day, and it wasn’t because the shooter was good, or bad, or so good, or so bad, or was using an AR-15.

There is much more to this story, and you know it. We all know it, the FedGov knows that we know it, and they can’t make up lies fast enough to cover this up. Trump’s team never requested more SS protection. But oops, now that we’re being investigated, we regret to inform you that we lied and maybe they really did request more SS assets. So sorry.

The Secret Service, after initially denying turning down requests for additional security, is now acknowledging some may have been rejected.

Now acknowledging means we lied and we want to cover that up as some sort of confusion before the investigation castigates us. But now, on to the things I have concluded thus far that make some sense of the poor man in the last row of the bleachers being shot.

Eleven shots were fired that day. Not 6, not 7, not 8, not 9, not 10, but eleven shots. Eleven shots were fired that day. It would be interesting to have examined the weapon the shooter used, and to recover the bullets he shot if possible, and mostly to have recovered the spent brass from the roof. But as local LEOs pressure washed the roof that very day, we will never know. Someone knows, but not us. Not you and me. I doubt there were eleven spent brass casings on the roof.

Next, the shots were fired at four different and distinct distances that day. Not one, not two, not three, but four different distances. What? They didn’t really think we weren’t going to analyze the audio signatures from that day? I will have to say that while not conclusive, I’m not so sure that the figure on the water tower wasn’t a human. But as of yet we don’t know. After all, while the shooter used a drone, the SS had no assets in the air.

There was an open window in the building adjacent to the roof of the building the shooter was on, and more troubling, the single image I’ve seen of the roof of the building shows the shooter’s rifle being some distance away from the shooter (I estimate 20′).

You can fill in the blanks for what we don’t know, or do know, or suspect, but we already know the things I said above. The narrative they have posited is inconsistent and thus cannot be true. There were eleven shots fired that day. Those shots were fired from at least four different distances.

There was more than one shooter (the would-be assassin) or two shooters (the would-be assassin plus the sniper team who took him out).

Prove me wrong.

Fox News.

She said the Secret Service was aware of the security vulnerabilities presented by the building Crooks took a sniper’s position on to aim at Trump. However, a decision was made not to place any personnel on the roof.

“That building in particular has a sloped roof at its highest point. And so, you know, there’s a safety factor that would be considered there that we wouldn’t want to put somebody up on a sloped roof. And so, you know, the decision was made to secure the building, from inside,” she said.

I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life. First of all, men work on sloped roofs all day, every day, in America. Second, this is the secret service. It’s their jobs. Third, the most insulting thing is that she expects us to swallow this explanation, which is obviously fabricated. No decent SS agent would have objected to this assignment.

Finally, if you really want to be safe on a sloped roof, use a lanyard. I can teach them how to do it, but that isn’t necessary. They already know. So none of that is necessary. They know how to ensconce on sloped roofs. They know how to use lanyards. They aren’t concerned about SS agents falling off of roofs. They didn’t refuse to position agents on that roof because it’s sloped.

There is also this disturbing tidbit.

“I’m being told that the shooter was actually identified as a potential person of suspicion. Units started responding to seek that individual out,” Cheatle told ABC News. “Unfortunately, with the rapid succession of how things unfolded, by the time that individual was eventually located, they were on the rooftop and were able to fire off at the former president.”

“Rapid succession of events.” Again, how insulting that she expects us to swallow this ridiculous explanation.

“Slow down shooter, we can’t respond quickly enough. Give us time, for God’s sake.”

In the aftermath, TNR published a silly article advocating banning AR-15s. But of course. Don’t consider the fact that the shooter could have used a Tikka .300 Win Mag or .308 bolt action and probably done better.

And don’t consider the fact that the sniper team that took him out was using Remington 730 Win Mag bolt action rifles. This does answer my questions, though, about equipment that team used. I got the glass right (Night Force). I didn’t get the rifle right. I didn’t have a close enough image to tell.

I doubt they were using .50 though. They were probably using 300 Win Mag or 300 PRC.

UPDATE: WiscoDave sends these images. Good juxtaposition.

What a mess, but a lot of things learned in the process.

First of all, the SS is utterly incompetent – or intentionally and willfully negiligent.

this BBC interview with a guy outside the security perimeter who claims he saw the shooter before he fired is absolutely wild pic.twitter.com/vJpKZTxSAe

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) July 13, 2024

This BBC reporter is blind, and out-reported anyone in the U.S. media on the event. Here is a similar account.

Another eye witness says that he told law officers there was a man on the roof climbing between multiple rooftops and they did absolutely nothing to stop him until it was too late! WTF!
We need an investigation into the Trump assassination attempt immediately!

“I saw a guy on… pic.twitter.com/qAvDFJpwoy

— Green Lives Matter (@Ultrafrog17) July 14, 2024

So it’s obvious that there was adequate indication that something bad was going wrong. But it gets worse.

A local police officer saw the gunman on the rooftop during former President Donald Trump’s Pennsylvania rally on Saturday but was unable to engage him, Butler County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe told CNN’s Pamela Brown on Sunday.

Slupe said that Butler Township officers received calls about a suspicious person outside the perimeter of the rally and went looking to find that person. The initial calls did not indicate the suspicious person had a gun, he said.

During the search for the suspicious person, officers with township police discovered that the gunman was on the roof, and one local officer hoisted another to get up to the ledge. The shooter turned around, saw the officer peering over and pointed his gun at him. The officer let go of the ledge to “take cover” and save his own life.

The title of that report was “Local officer tried to stop gunman on the roof but was unable to engage him.” Of course, that’s a lie. He didn’t try to engage the shooter, he took cover like all cowards do. Why does a man like that even have the job of police officer?

Next up, the SS has said they knew there was a shooter on the roof but couldn’t engage him.

Here’s my reporting on why the Secret Service did not shoot until AFTER the shooter engaged and some context about the House Republicans’ investigation already underway (months before Trump’s assassination attempt) into whether the agency’s DEI policies are affecting its…

— Susan Crabtree (@susancrabtree) July 14, 2024

For the record, I don’t believe that, but they know that they must do something to answer the obvious question “If the counter sniper was able to engage the shooter so quickly, why wasn’t he able to see the shooter before he started shooting?” And the answer is yes he was able to, and he didn’t, and their excuse is ROE.

Again, I think that’s a lie. I don’t think the SS has to wait on anything at all to protect the president or presidential candidates. Prove me wrong.

UPDATE:

Just now saw a contrary report to the one linked above that said the cop who got to the top of the agricultural building climbed a ladder just like the shooter. If that’s true, there is no excuse for not engaging the shooter.

The SS agents can’t even reholster their weapons.

Absolute humiliation for this gaggle of female Secret Service Agents.

Look at the disorder:

– Can’t holster weapons
– Gear falling to the ground
– Erratic, fearful movements
– No show of force, composure

DEI Secret Service make Presidents LESS Safepic.twitter.com/o6HcHzxEUw

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) July 14, 2024

Finally, we’re being lampooned around the world.

Finally, I’ll point out that the guys at reddit/Firearms did the ballistics work. The local airport showed wind to be at 8 MPH. At 130 yards, the drift at that distance would have been 1.4 inches. If the shooter had brought a Kestrel and knew how to use it (as well as mounted a relatively cheap optic rather than used iron sights) and used a holdoff of about 1.5 MOA, Trump would be dead now.

This is a failure of epic proportions.

I still want to know what equipment the counter sniper was using. I suspect a nice AR-10 in 6.5CM, Seekins Precision, DD or Barrett, with Night Force, Leupold or US Optics glass, mounted on a tripod.

Not that this matters to any great degree. I’m just interested.

UPDATE #2:

It appears that the SS is claiming that they were responsible for the inner security perimeter and the state police was responsible for everything outside the security perimeter. There were four sniper teams at the rally, two SS and two state police.

Another source.

The Secret Service blamed local police for failing to secure the rooftop from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, insisting it was outside of the perimeter the federal agency was tasked with protecting.

Instead, securing and patrolling the factory grounds of AGR International Inc. — located about 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking Saturday — was the responsibility of local Pennsylvania police, Secret Service representative Anthony Gugliemi said, according the New York Times.

The Secret Service was only tasked with covering the grounds where Trump’s rally took place, with local police being recruited to assist with those efforts and secure the area outside of the rally.

But neighbors living near Butler Farm Show Grounds told The Post they were never visited by any law enforcement agencies — local or federal — in the days before or during the rally.

You should fully expect the SS to testify that way before Congress. They will point the finger of blame at the state police, and the state police will point the finger of blame at the SS for failing to communicate rules of engagement sufficient to stop the threat.

Via WiscoDave, this short video continues our study into the corruption in Idaho.

I Hope This Makes The Idaho Water Shutoff To Farmers Real For People

🚨 Idaho is fining Farmers $300 PER ACRE for using water

Farmers are already declaring bankruptcy

Here are 2 farmers from eastern Idaho who have just received their water shutoff orders

“We just got our… pic.twitter.com/ymjswNCOhd

— Wall Street Apes (@WallStreetApes) June 21, 2024

This video does a more complete job.

I have done some research into Governor Brad Little and he seems to be involved in some shady affairs. I don’t have enough to catalog at the moment, but I’ll say this. There is more to the story than simply that the Twin Falls Canal Company wanted a little more water, or wanted the supply to be more stable.

If that was the end of the story, then you work up some sort of water sharing program and stick to it. Instead, farmers in northern Idaho are being completely shut out by water curtailment regulations forcing them to close wells, and that … permanently.

I will continue my investigation into this, and I invite reader submissions to help me along. But mark my words. Mark … my … words.

This is about a land grab. There is some sort of secret deal between Brad Little and large corporations who want that land for pennies on the dollar. I imagine you can guess who the most likely culprits are: Bayer, Kellog, Monsanto, Archer-Daniels-Midland, or whomever.

But there is something afoul in Idaho, and it comes out of the office of Brad Little.

Mark my words.

Prior: Idaho Shuts Down Farming

I’ll have to say that I’m a bit surprised by this move in Idaho. Maybe the so-called “Greater Idaho” movement isn’t so great after all. What’s the deal with this greasy scumbag who did this?

I suspect that it has to do with rewilding, or trying to drive farmers out of business for the purpose of purchasing their land, only to give it to the large corporations (so that would mean a payoff). Or possibly Soros money is behind this.

In any case, there is something foul going on, and the folks in Idaho had better drive the Cretin who did this out of office, as well as the governor who is letting all of this happen.

Corruption is everywhere – even in Idaho. And suffice it to say, this is war conducted by control over water.

See Using Water as a Weapon of War.

First, housekeeping; Herschel has been busy this week, so there is a dearth of posts. He may have a report for us coming up.

Next, writing detailed Christian content takes considerable effort, the most significant portion of which is time. It’s always the highest of all honors to be called by God to serve in any capacity, and I also sincerely appreciate Herschel for providing the space for this ministry. As we advance, The amount of Christian writing from me will likely be much lower. I don’t like the prospect of allowing the depth of posts to suffer just to fill space on a web page. We’ll have to see how much writing I can do. To God be all the glory in any capacity or for whatever season a man is privileged to serve. My biggest regrets as a Christian are that I haven’t served more often and more fruitfully; don’t leave God’s work undone, brothers and sisters. Regardless, this doesn’t mean the end of all service; we must press toward the mark.

And finally, war. None of the parties involved are your friends, including your own government. All of them deny Christ; they are none of mine. Though there may be legitimate grievances by some or all parties, it’s not my war. I don’t think Traditional Americans should involve themselves in dying for people who hate them; we have problems at home that need tending.

Eventually, the situation will get out of hand; whether this is that time or not, I don’t know. Have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, check in on your kinfolk and mutual assist friends, and be the strong leader God has chosen. Herschel may have some things to say about the war; I don’t know; my concerns are those God has given me for our mutual care and support; the Middle East is not my people, and frankly, neither is much of North America. None of this is to say we shouldn’t be learning about the weapons and tactics from the battles; do your homework, as always. Tell your family you love them.

One year ago.

Those known of God should be serious, cataloging what they’ve learned about how the spirit of antichrist moves among the Godless, affecting their minds and every action. Although that lab-created virus was unpleasant and killed like a tough flu strain, even most of those who knew the whole thing was bunk succumbed to the spirit of fear, in one form or another, through adapting to the new normal as evil attempted to impose its will. Make note of it all.

We tend to focus on the people who brought the new normal, but we, born again by the Spirit of God, know they are merely agents. You got to witness firsthand something westerners have not seen since perhaps the Middle Ages; God allowing a grave evil to sweep through the land. You should pray to the Almighty and consider what you’ve seen; moreover, consider your ways in light of what you now know.

Secularists will use the term mass psychosis, but what we saw was that spirit of fear by the devil as the blessings of God are being withdrawn. You witnessed the power of evil through men to affect whole masses to do their bidding. You should now know what it is and how to recognize it.

Sin, and evil thereby, are very real, tangible. These are not philosophical conceptualizations to be pondered in a mountaintop monastery, nor are they ancient lore to be dismissed as the superstitions of our ancestors. You’ve now witnessed it, don’t deny it again.

You, too, should thank God, for that was quite a treat. The enemy gave away battle plans, means, motives, personnel positions and movements, tools, and sources and methods. Yes, it’s a war, and you should understand it as such. The enemy revealed many battlefield tactics. It would be wise to understand what you saw over the last two years in the context of war. God is merciful even in His judgments.

The “supply chain disruptions” should have made you serious about doing things yourself, the local way, among the trusted, moving closer to self-sufficiency. Again, thank God for the warnings, repent and act upon your new knowledge of the enemy.

And it isn’t over. If we read our Bible correctly, the last two years were just a remote storm cloud on the horizon of what’s likely coming. The explosion in depravity is not a sign of God’s judgment; it is God’s judgment. The horrendous and even audaciously flagrant wickedness of governments is not a sign of the judicial determination of God; it’s the result.

Christians Soldiers must know the Word of God. Your life depends upon it, or you will be led astray. If you got taken up in fear or have submitted to evil the last two years, that’s a good thing. Praise the Lord for this also; it’s why God sends warnings to His people in the mercy of His grace by longsuffering. Don’t lament but repent and make ready.

You should know by now where you are supposed to be, with what group of people in common you are to serve God while seeking to make yourself both versed and experienced in hard skills and hands-on doing. Pray for God to raise up a just leader, but you train the next generation, teaching them to be just men and women, righteous in Christ, forsaking all evil. Virtuous women and skilled men will matter most. It’s a separate post perhaps but we’ll mention that men will fight for a civilization populated by virtuous women.

Contact with the enemy has arrived. Please, I beseech you by the blood of Jesus Christ to hear and heed the warnings. Fear not for these two reasons: God is in control, and you were born for this very moment. God is sovereign, all is ordained, and you are here now for a reason. Be the light of Christ to those around you. Shed truth with all those you know. Spread the hope of coming victory for those that are righteous. And train for the other side of the coming conflagration(s). Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters, welcome to the war; it’s a pleasure to serve with you, repent toward God and prepare for the next battle. Pray that you not be deceived again.

It’s a spiritual conflict waged in the heavens played out among nations and men. Seek ye the Lord.

“Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things.” – Proverbs 28:5

If your church leadership tries to shutdown services again, they must be fired immediately. Period. And any other leaders in support should be run off with a cane against their back! Otherwise, you must find a suitable congregation, which you should have already done.

In Chapter 13 of John, our Lord begins discussing how He will depart without mentioning the specifics. This discourse spans John 14, 15, and into chapter 16, with several asides and one possible change of location. It’s instruction to His disciples before His soon passion, resurrection, and ascension.

The notable side points of instruction help illustrate to the disciples Christ’s purposes for this instruction: His departure and the coming of the Holy Spirit. These asides include the Vine and Branch parable (John 15:1-10), an explanation of the unity of the Father and the Son (John 14:10-11), and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). This instruction to His men continues into chapter 16 with the specific functions of the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11) as we witness for Christ with Him.

Reading this section attentively, one understands what it means to be “in Christ.” We see only partially what the day of restitution of all things will be. When this sinful flesh is entirely and finally put off, we shall fully join this holy communion without that static interference.

There’s more, but those are topics for another day.

Repeatedly, Christ mentions the coming of the Comforter in these chapters; why Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Comforter is critical instruction. At the outset, plainly, the Holy Spirit is not for your comfort and ease, health and wealth, or to provide emotionally driven fits of excitement and unintelligible babbling. God may bless you, but those blessings serve His purposes; He does not serve you. The Comforter equips men for God’s specific purposes in support of service to glorify Him alone.

Read John 14:16-18, 26, 15:26-27, and 16:13 about the Comforter who is the Spirit of truth. The disciples are troubled by Christ’s leaving. Understandable, for the absence of God is darkness only. These are, generally, the purposes of the Holy Spirit as given here by Christ: to abide with us and in us, to teach and remind us of all things, to testify of Christ as we witness for Christ together with Him, remind us of all things, and guide us into all truth (anything untrue is not of God, but from the father of lies, John 8:44) and for showing things to come.

Read John 13:31 through John 16:16, paying particular attention to the complete sentences that include the cited verses about the Holy Spirit. It’s an extensive study; several key points will draw out the text to guide our understanding. But, we should view it as Christ delivered it, a single focused discussion with several supporting points of instruction that we must act upon. God is the ultimate instructor; the repetition with some variation is masterful indeed.

As a side note, if you won’t study your Bible, there’s nothing for the Holy Spirit to teach and remind you about. What if, and call me a radical, Christians actually did what the Bible says? These four duties in five short posts are the preparatory essential elements of the Christian faith in service of Christ.

This post is going somewhere, but context matters; instruction is fundamental. Christ spent three years teaching His men. Doing what Christ taught is where we fail today.

John 15:16 is the ordination of the disciples to bear fruit (also John 15:8). In verse 17, He immediately says to love one another; this is the first prominent point of this post. In verses 18 through 20, Christ tells them they will be hated and persecuted. Next, we arrive at the second main point: the Holy Spirit testifies of Christ, but not alone, as we also bear witness (John 15:26-27).

If you read the Bible carefully, you’ll note that when Christ speaks of bearing fruit, it’s in the context of establishing His Church by the spread of the Gospel. Notably, to love one another (John 15:17) is often a subtext of bearing fruit. So, bearing fruit is to love the brethren and make more brethren; this conforms precisely with our interim commission (Matthew 28:18-20) to serve in anticipation of His return.

In John 15:26-27, Christ is driving at the purpose of ordaining the disciples and the coming of the Holy Spirit. We must care for one another and make ourselves better Christian soldiers (Hebrews 10:24) because we need each other, not for nothing, but because we are to evangelize the whole world, converting the nations; this will draw persecution. Jesus, in foresight sublime, tells us to stick together and provides the Comforter to witness for Christ through us, even as we also serve and testify about Christ’s Gospel and the mercy God has shown us to all the nations.

Continuing into chapter 16, in verse 1, Christ, citing the things spoken so far, advises them not to be offended by the world rejecting them. How many Christians receive the offense of the world and modify their behavior to fit into the world? This is a major problem in the American church. There’s no way to pretty this up by slapping lipstick on it; it’s disobedience to God and Christ to please men above serving in the love and knowledge of the God who saved you; it’s sin.

For what else is disobedience to Christ by refusing His commandments (John 14:15)? Christ is the Lord our Righteousness, and we are to be priests and kings, but only by submission to His word; otherwise, the kings of this world rule us and look what fruit that’s wrought.

Then, in John 16, verses 2 and 3, he conveys to the disciples specifics about the persecution they would suffer (verse 2) and why (Verse 3). There’s also an important point here. Many claim the Father but not the Son, even today. God goes so far as to call those who deny the Father and the Son an antichrist (John 15:23, 16:3, 1 John 2:22). Reaching these folks with the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be a priority, for they acknowledge there’s a God without which faith can never come.

Finally, arriving at the point here. The churches failed and accepted the shutdowns because they were not doing as Christ commands. In doing what Jesus says, pressing into the brethren in love and fellowship, and seeking the lost regardless of the hurt that may come, the Comforter is with you. We are to build His Church. Not doing as Christ commands allows a spirit of fear, which is not of God (2 Timothy 1:7), to enter among the brethren and even to cause antichristian behavior.

How often have you heard church teaching about the disciples fleeing (Mark 14:50) with only John and the women at the cross, yet the American church withdrew at the mere whiff of persecution? The whole point of Christianity is to convert the Nations, making them Christian. In America, the churches utterly failed the first test, and it’s not over; more trouble is brewing, even now.

It’s unnatural to forsake your own safety, but serving Christ is as normal as can be because you love Him and keep His commandments, regardless of the consequences. Genuine Christian fellowship and support, coupled with the indwelling Comforter in service of our great King, is how you will not falter again. Peace is not an outward state of men; with God, it’s inward. Peace is in Christ Jesus by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Together, read John 14:10-11, and 14:16-17, and John 15:1-10. Here, we have a clear picture of the operation of God in us and through us for the purpose of bearing much fruit. Without Christ, ye can do nothing (John 15:5).

It seems that Christ has so few true friends (John 15:14). The people in American churches don’t genuinely believe in God. At least not how Christ described and the apostles carried it into the world. The people of God are fractured into single units, but according to Christ, it ought not to be this way. Upon being ordered to cease gathering, your church should have rallied around each other, rejected the kings of this world, and served in the hope of a better home with Him.

In American churches, the folks see each other occasionally; they’re not bonded in the unity of service if they benefit Christ at all. The American church looks like any other organization of common interest instead of an army organized for battle to wield the word. Most of church life is centered on the worldly pursuits of men instead of training men to take Christ’s domains. For these reasons, the church is generally failing, and particularly under the recent persecution. The Church in Europe, if it exists at all, is useless.

Americans must stop intellectualizing the Bible and instead put the instruction into action. Imagine if the apostles, after the ascension (Acts 1:8-9), had said, Well, that was an interesting three years; guess I’ll merely personalize it, internalize it, intellectualize it, and go back to my life and do nothing for God. You know what? One of them did, but Christ came and got him (John 21). How often has Jesus tried to tell you to follow Him in service?

The Church of Jesus Christ should have grown during the shutdowns; that’s what persecution does to Christ’s body: makes it more robust and extensive (Acts, entire book). Until His return, there will be tribulation; even as the Kingdom of God has its historical setbacks, it will continue to grow, but the kings of this world will not go quietly.

Complete peace on earth is a distant dream. The Kingdom of God is designed for spiritual warfare. And by the Comforter coupled with mutual support in fellowship and love with the brethren is the peace of God to attack the darkness, even to assault the very gates of hell (Matthew 16:18) with the truth of the Gospel. In Christ, we overcome the world and the devil; without Him, we fall. Fear not; keep His commandments and be of good cheer; Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.” – Revelation 12:11