Remembrance
Memorial Day Weekend
Sitting here on a peaceful Saturday morning thinking of the upcoming weekend. Let us not forget those who sacrificed all they had to serve our country. Not only those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, but also those who because of injury are still suffering through a living hell. My great appreciation for those who have a special dedication and calling to defend and protect the United States of America. They deserve our highest honor and respect. Praying for the family members who lost loved ones. How difficult that must be.
As a young boy getting out of high school I was torn about the military. The VietNam war was not only winding down, but a peace deal was in place. Having heard the horrors of that undeclared war and the suffering it caused probably shaped me more than I knew at the time. My best friend and I almost joined the Air Force. We definitely thought long and hard about it. In the long run we decided it was not our life choice. Looking back I wonder how different I would have been if that decision had been made to sign up. We just never know….
The old adage is correct that they are only two people who would die for others, Jesus Christ and the American soldier. The Bible says “that scarcely for a righteous man will one die, yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die.” Jesus did that for us, He died even for those who hated Him and despised Him. One brought us everlasting life and the other paid a price they did not owe. Thank you! We are safer today and have a country that even with it’s problems is still the greatest country in the world. Our freedoms and liberties are safe guarded by those who today serve and defend those who really don’t deserve such dedication.
For all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, we salute you and honor your memory. May the Lord bring comfort and peace to all families who lost a loved one. Your sacrifice is not forgotten. Rh
Woe to Those Who Call Evil Good
Opening the Gates: Trump’s Middle East Deals the Rise of Radical Islamic Influences in America – William Koenig
May 16, 2025
Sharing this article from a Christian journalist who is also a part of the White House press corps. His opinions I agree with 100%. We are living in dangerous times. Prosperity only comes through Jesus Christ, not aligning ourselves with anti-christians nations. Please read the following with an open mind. Rh
President Donald Trump’s recent visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates has been framed by supporters as a major economic win. With reports suggesting these Gulf states plan to invest trillions of dollars into the U.S. economy through real estate, energy, and tech partnerships, the deals are being hailed as a major boost to American financial interests.
But while the business optics may appear favorable, the geopolitical and ideological implications raise serious concerns.
There is already a notable expansion of Islamic infrastructure within the United States. Thousands of mosques and Islamic centers—many funded directly or indirectly by foreign capital from the Middle East—are being built across American cities. These developments coincide with Trump’s deepening ties to the very nations that have historically funded extremist ideologies and political Islam worldwide.
Qatar remains one of the primary financial backers of the Muslim Brotherhood, a global Islamist movement with ties to political radicalism. They own Al Jazeera the largest news network in the Middle East and North Africa. They have been accused of being a mouthpiece for Hamas and Israel shut them down from broadcasting in the country.
Saudi Arabia’s decades-long export of Wahhabi doctrine has helped shape hardline Sunni ideologies across the globe. The United Arab Emirates, while more moderate in tone, maintains an authoritarian stance on religious and political freedoms and has sought to export its model of state-controlled Islam.
At the same time, Trump and his family stand to benefit personally. Ongoing or planned real estate projects in Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul, and potentially even Syria suggests significant commercial interest. Additionally, there are reports of cryptocurrency ventures tied to state-backed Gulf funds—adding a financial layer that intertwines U.S. presidential influence with foreign investment from nations with strict Islamic governance.
While these nations continue to enforce rigid religious laws and limit Christian and Jewish expression within their own borders, they are being granted increasing economic and cultural presence within the U.S.
While these Middle Eastern governments tighten their grip on Islamic purity within their own borders—imprisoning Christians, banning Bibles, and persecuting evangelicals—they are now being granted unfiltered access to American soil. Mosques are rising by the thousands. Islamic centers, often backed by foreign capital, are expanding across American cities. And the silence from the church and the government is deafening.
The irony is striking. Israel, America’s most steadfast ally in the region, appears increasingly isolated—threatened daily by Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis. And yet, the very nations that fund terror against the Jewish state are now being invited into the economic and cultural heart of America under the banner of deal-making.
Critics argue this alignment risks enabling ideologies that are fundamentally at odds with American democratic and pluralistic values. They point out that these countries not only restrict freedom of worship domestically but also promote a global religious and political agenda. And now, through high-profile deals and expanding U.S.-based assets, they are gaining unprecedented access and influence on American soil.
The prophetic implications are chilling. America is aligning itself politically and financially with nations whose core ideologies are hostile to Christianity and Judeo values. And, as Scripture warns, there are consequences for those who bless or curse Israel:
“I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. And in you, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” — Genesis 12:3
“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” — Galatians 6:7
This appears to be more than trade. It increasingly resembles an ideological advance—a soft invasion under the cover of business opportunity. What presents itself as economic progress may, in reality, be the Trojan horse of a much darker agenda: the erosion of biblical foundations and the quiet rise of a foreign ideological presence cloaked in commercial partnerships.
Trump’s legacy may indeed be built on deals. But the cost to the soul of the nation could be far greater than the billions gained—if anything is gained at all. Copied from watch.org. Willian Koenig
Macron’s Israeli advisor leading the drive for Palestinian state
https://www.jns.org/macrons-israeli-adviser-leading-drive-for-palestinian-state/
The silence of pro Israeli countries is breathtakingly silent. Even the U.S., who is Israel’s staunchest ally has been silent on these talks. True that Trump and his administration voice support for Israel, but these past few days have raised an alarm in my mind about how deep that support runs especially if an agreement to end hostilities in Gaza were announced. Remember Trump is the “of the deal.” He wants to be a peace maker. We must never, ever trade one acre of Israeli land for a peace deal that will never work. At least not until the Prince of Peace is here. Rh
Trump & His Core Values
What started out with a flourish of executive moves that brought sanity and the hopes of prosperity to America, has quickly moved in a dramatically different direction. Donald trump has been the most pro Israel President we have ever had. Hands down, however since the appointment of Mr. Witkoff with his nefarious ties to Qatar, it sees to have taken a quick turn to ignore Israel. This is not to bash Trump, but he is horrible with the people he surrounds himself with. Ultimately he will be judged by his policies, ie who has his ear. Wake up Mr. Presidents, Advisors can destroy a Presidency.
My greatest concern is his stance with and what to do with Israel. Never divide the land, I repeat never divide the land! Or turn your back on God’s land. Below is a great article that sums up my personal opinion and illustrates a point I just made.
More on the division of the land in the next article. Rh
A Sobering Sign in Washington: White House’s Advisory Board of Religious Liberty Commission – Tania Curado-Koenig
On May 16, 2025, the White House officially announced the appointment of two controversial figures to President Donald Trump Names Advisory Board Members to the Religious Liberty Commission: Ismail Royer and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, co-founder of Zaytuna College.
Ismail Royer, currently serving as the Director of the Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team at the Religious Freedom Institute, has a complex history. In 2003, he pleaded guilty to weapons charges related to assisting the Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba and served over a decade in prison. Since his release, Royer has worked with various nonprofit organizations to promote interfaith dialogue and religious freedom.
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is a prominent American Islamic scholar and co-founder of Zaytuna College, the first accredited Muslim liberal arts college in the United States. He has been recognized for his efforts in promoting classical Islamic learning and interfaith understanding. Yusuf has also served as an advisor to the Center for Islamic Studies at Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union and was a member of the State Department’s Commission on Unalienable Rights during the first Trump administration.
These appointments have stirred concern across multiple sectors. According to an official release by the White House on May 16, 2025, Ismail Royer and Shaykh Hamza Yusuf were formally named as members of the new Advisory Board of Lay Leaders (Source: whitehouse.gov). Meanwhile, coverage by the Times of India highlighted Royer’s past involvement with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) training camps in Pakistan, citing his 2003 conviction and later advocacy work as part of the context surrounding his selection (Source: Times of India).
It is important to reflect that what is being called the ‘Religious Liberty Commission’ could, in practice, become a vehicle for spiritual compromise — a platform that ushers in not liberty, but bondage. If not guarded carefully, it risks enabling the very destruction of the Judeo-Christian values upon which America was founded. In the name of inclusion, we may be witnessing the erosion of truth.
How The Rejection Of Bible Prophecy Paved The Way For Paula White’s Disturbing Rise To Power – Harbinger’s Daily
The prevailing false view in the Christian community is that the church will someday prevail over the ills and evils of our world and inaugurate millennial conditions throughout the world before Jesus returns to the earth. Lest anyone think that such teaching, known as Dominion Theology, is of little or no consequence…
— Read on harbingersdaily.com/how-the-rejection-of-bible-prophecy-paved-the-way-for-paula-whites-disturbing-rise-to-power/
May 15 and the Missing Ally By Tania Curado-Koenig -watch.org
As global leaders convene in Istanbul for a new round of peace talks on the war in Ukraine, one ally is once again absent from the table: Israel.
While Russian President Vladimir Putin attempts to recast himself as a global mediator—just days after deepening ties with China, Brazil, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—Israel watches from the margins, still under fire from Iranian proxies across Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Yemen.
Turkey, the chosen host, is no neutral party. It arms Hamas, opposes Israel publicly, supports jihadist factions in Syria, and has aggressively targeted the Kurds. Its selection as mediator is not incidental—it’s strategic. And it reflects a growing global posture: peace is being discussed, but Israel is not part of the equation.
Meanwhile, President Trump continues his regional tour with a full diplomatic and economic team. Deals are being shaped, alignments redrawn. But Israel remains excluded from the main negotiations on Gaza’s future, Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions, and regional reconstruction.
Today, May 15, the exclusion became official. According to Turkish state media, President Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa participated in a joint summit, alongside Turkish President Erdogan via online conference. The meeting confirmed what many feared: that peace is being negotiated not only without Israel — but with voices openly aligned against her.
In a historic development, President Trump also met today in Riyadh with Syria’s new president, al-Julani — the first such meeting between a U.S. president and a Syrian leader in 25 years. Trump announced his intention to lift all sanctions on Syria “to give the new regime a chance.” At the same time, he offered a “hand of peace” to Iran while warning, “They cannot have nuclear weapons. It’s a proposition that won’t last forever. It’s time for them to make the choice.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed new sanctions on Chinese companies buying oil from Iran, citing that such revenue funds terrorism and weapons development. The contrast between financial pressure and diplomatic outreach reveals the complexity — and volatility — of what is unfolding.
The symbolism is undeniable. May 15—a day historically used by Palestinians to mark the “Nakba,” or catastrophe of Israel’s founding—is now the date of a summit where Israel is diplomatically absent, but geopolitically encircled.
The Church must take note. These moves are not just political. They are spiritual.
A world is being reshaped. And the only covenant nation in the region is not at the table.
We must watch. We must speak. And we must pray—because maps are being redrawn, but heaven has not changed its position.
An Open Heaven
At times the Lord seems to give me an open heaven. Not that I see anything or dream any dreams, but His Word just comes alive and is so real to me. Revelation knowledge is flowing like a summer thunderstorm drenching me with insight and an ability to see and apply God’s Word. Things hidden and just not seen become as plain as the noonday sun. I may write or make outlines on various sermon and Bible studies. It just comes so easy. It just flows. The Holy Spirit is so real and I don’t even have to try to get into the flow, it’s like I’m in the midst of a Holy Spirit river, moving at not my will or pace, but at His pace. I love and cherish those times. They are the “times of refreshing.” I feel like a warrior, ten feet tall with bulging spiritual muscles.
Unfortunately they often come after an intense time of spiritual battle. Times of failure or having disappointments that allowed that depressive spirit to attack me. Most of those times it was my failure that caused the attack. I opened the door. At times like that I feel lower than a snake’s belly in a wagon rut, but God is so gracious to break that spirit and because of His love, allows a fresh anointing to come and spark revelation and a sense of closeness that’s brings forth an inner depth of vitality in the Holy Spirit.
An open heavenly is seemingly a download from the throne room of God. Oh how I love that time of study and insight that is given by the Spirit. I believe it is the Spirit’s way of saying, you made it through and victory is yours. Fresh wine quenches the spiritual thirst, and fresh manna fills the spiritual belly.
Oh that I could live in that place of an open heaven. Maybe that is what heaven will be like. Rh