"You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3 (ESV)

In 1954, Americans lived under constant threat of nuclear attack from the USSR.

When America’s children practiced “duck and cover” in classrooms across the country, President Eisenhower realized that our pledge had no distinction from any other republic.

After hearing a sermon on February 7th of that year, President Eisenhower signed a law adding the words “under God” to our pledge.

The president recognized the true source of unity – of indivisibility – is unwavering submission to the God of the Bible.

As we go about our day, let us all remember the only true source of national unity and indivisibility is submission to Almighty God.

"You shall not murder.”  Exodus 20:13 (ESV).

Two ISIS knife-men stormed into a Catholic church in Normandy and forced the over 80-year-old priest to his knees. They recited some sort of sermon in Arabic and shouted “Allahu Akbar” as they beheaded the priest at the altar.

One of the assailants was already being monitored electronically by the French authorities because he twice tried to go to Syria to join ISIS.

His bail terms allowed him to be unsupervised between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. The priest was killed between 9 and 11 a.m.

It was later revealed that the Catholic church was on a terrorist “hit list” found in the apartment of another ISIS terrorist in April 2015.

There is objective evil in the world.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 (ESV)

“In God We Trust” originated in “The Star Spangled Banner.” The 4th verse says, “And this be our motto: ‘in God is our trust.’ ” On July 30, 1956, it was declared our national motto.

The challenge for us now as Americans is to live as though our trust is in God.

One way to trust in God is to make prayer a lifestyle.  A life without prayer is a tacit declaration of independence from God lived out daily.

As we celebrate the anniversary of our national motto, let us accompany our “In God We Trust” declaration with a lived out demonstration.

Resources

American Family Association has produced this beautiful 11 X 14-inch full color poster featuring our nation's official motto, In God We Trust. The poster can be framed and displayed in a public building in your town. Order yours here. 

"These things the LORD hates: haughty eyes, a lying tongue and hands that shed innocent blood.”  Proverbs 6:16-17 [excerpts] (ESV)

Day 2 of the DNC Convention the Democrats gave the stage to Cecile Richards, Lena Dunham, Bill Clinton, and the mother of Michael Brown.

For anyone keeping track, that’s one mass murderer—the Adolf Hitler of the amniotic sac, one woman who admitted to fondling her sister, one alleged serial abuser and rapist, and the mother of an attempted cop killer.

That was only day 2. 

There is such a thing called moral bankruptcy. The DNC is so proud of it that they chose to advertise it on their convention stage.

“For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Matthew 12:34b (ESV)

The DNC Convention has started and WikiLeaks is releasing nearly 20,000 emails it has from DNC communications.

In one email, a DNC staffer derisively refers to Latino voters as “taco bowls.” This email rips the cover off of a party which has benefited from the media narrative that the Democrat Party is the one for minorities.

Kind of makes you wonder how they describe other groups of people behind closed doors?

Scripture teaches us that our words are an overflow of what is in our hearts.

Can you imagine the response if this were the Republican Party calling Hispanics “taco bowls?”

“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” Ephesians 5:11 (NKJV)

Of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, only a small percentage are understood to be active terrorists. But 10% of 1.6 billion leaves 160 million active jihadists.

According to Pew Research, the overwhelming majority of Muslims prefer Sharia law – 99% in Afghanistan, 91% in Iraq, 89% in Malaysia, 84% in Pakistan.

Other polls show as many as 51% of Muslims here in America prefer Sharia courts to the American constitutional law. But our president insists that Islam is the religion of peace.

You’ve heard the stats; you’ve seen the news. What say you?

Dig Deeper

American Family Association President Tim Wildmon shared an eye-opening history lesson about Islam in the May 2015 edition of AFA Journal. 

“When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b (NIV)

The political pundit class has gone bonkers because Dr. Ben Carson used prime time television to expose the cozy relationship between Hillary Clinton and Saul Alinsky.

Alinksy wrote a book called Rules for Radicals in which he laid out an extensive plan to use controlled anarchy, in order to change our Constitutional Republic into a socialist-communist society.

Alinsky dedicated the book to Lucifer, who successfully employed his “rules” to inherit his own worldly kingdom.

Darkness really does not like being exposed by the light.

Dig Deeper

In 2014, OneNewsNow.com exposed the Hillary-Alinsky connection in a story titled "Unpublished letters reveal close Hillary-Alinsky link." 

“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely." Proverbs 28:5 (ESV)

In one fell swoop, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has revealed what many have long believed, that the high court is politically motivated and is far from neutral and detached.

In interviews with The New York Times and CNN, Ginsburg voiced her objections to Donald Trump becoming the next president in no uncertain terms. 

Her comments resulted in fire coming from both sides of the political spectrum.

The Judicial Ethics Code prohibits judges from weighing in on political issues publicly. After all, they’re supposed to be above political fracas.

Ethics are optional for progressives.

Dig Deeper

Here's an update on the Justice Ginsburg story from OneNewsNow.com. 

"Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn." Romans 12:15 (NIV)

Over 80 people killed, at least 10 of them children, at the Bastille Day massacre in Nice, France.

The murderer used an explosives and weapons ladened transport truck to mow down the gathered crowd during a 30 minute rampage.

Reports show the French Tunisian ISIS fanatic zigged and zagged over the roadway as he plowed through as many people as he could, before being shot by French policemen.

ISIS celebrated the massacre.

We must get serious about destroying Islamic terrorism because the jihadis have shown that they are serious about killing the kaffirs.

Abe's Articles

The Stand, the official blog for the American Family Association, features several articles from Abe, including a devotional about Jesus and Jairus. 

The LORD shows no partiality but the NFL sure does.

In 2014 Don Jones, defense back for the Miami Dolphins, posted a picture of Michael Sam kissing his boyfriend on TV with the caption “horrible.” As a result, Jones was fined, suspended and forced into sensitivity training.

After 5 police officers were assassinated in Dallas, Cleveland Browns running back Isaiah Crowell posted an image of an ISIS-like character decapitating a police officer.

To date, the Browns have said they’ve talked to Crowell about his inappropriate social media activity.

Post something negative about homosexuality, face the wrath of the NFL. Incite murder of police officers, get a stern talking to.

Resources

AFAJournal.org featured Abe's advice to church leadership titled Pastors and politics. 

… “for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” James 1:20

In this verse, James highlights a fundamental fact, that fleshly indignation will never produce righteous results. 

In light of the recent deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile, and 5 police officers in Dallas, Texas, we find ourselves once again grappling with the notion of racism in our nation. But we all must honestly ask ourselves if our cry is one for justice? Or is it for revenge?

Proverbs 28:5 says, “Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.”

In this difficult time, the Church must lead our nation toward healing and reconciliation. We must lead our nation toward justice.

Abe's Articles

He talked more about justice versus revenge at OneNewsNow.com.

More insight on the culture war in America from Abe is highlighted in The Stand, the official blog for the American Family Association.

“But Jesus perceived their wickedness and said, ‘why test me, you hypocrites?”

North Carolina law requires people to use public restrooms consistent with their biology. As a result, PayPal has cancelled its plans to build a global operation facility in North Carolina because it feels the bathroom law discriminates against the transgender community.

Ironically, PayPal opened a similar center in Malaysia in 2011, though Malaysia publically flogs and incarcerates homosexuals. Its international headquarters are in Singapore, which also criminalizes homosexuality.

PayPal’s stance is not one of principle. It is high class hypocrisy. It shows the homosexual thought gestapo will sacrifice women and children to advance their agenda.

Dig Deeper

Find out more details about PayPal's threatening actions in this April news release from American Family Association.

And, if you're looking for an alternative to PayPal, AFA has this suggestion. 

Aristotle said the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.

One sector in our nation is booming financially: college education. But you don’t hear too much about it. In the last 20 years, private school costs have jumped 179%.Out-of-state public school costs have jumped 226%. In-state costs have jumped a staggering 206%

To go along with tuition increases, our government is giving out student loans like candy. It is like the government and the colleges are working together.

You can trace the cultural shifts in our nation to college campuses. The government is using our tax dollars to rip the core of our nation away.

College has become ground-zero for biblical worldview attacks. They have moved from education to indoctrination.

In the last several years, the Supreme Court has demonstrated that America has entered in to a lawless era.

The court has ruled American citizens can be forced to buy a product by the federal government. Same sex marriage is a foundational right, and states have the legal authority to require the minimum medical safety standards for tonsil removal operations, but not for abortions.

These decisions, and many others, show that America has moved into an era of lawlessness where those tasked with protecting and defending the Constitution take every opportunity to shred it.

I think Jesus knew this time would come, which is why He said, “Take heart, for I have overcome the world.”

The parting message reveals truth.

In his farewell address, George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

“In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness; these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.”

No doubt President Washington had Christianity in view here. He associated it with patriotism. I believe he understood that national liberty would only thrive when there was true spiritual liberty.

As we celebrate our national independence, let us also celebrate the liberty in which Christ has made us free.

“And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the clear-sighted and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.”

So, Bill Clinton was at a private airport in Phoenix, Arizona, when he learned Attorney General Loretta Lynch was at that very same airport. Slick Willie decided to delay his plans long enough to have a 30 minute impromptu meeting in Lynch’s private plane on the tarmac.

This is the same Loretta Lynch that is currently deciding whether or not to indict Hilary Clinton for her mishandling of top-secret information. But don’t worry; Lynch said their meeting was primarily social in nature. They talked a great deal about their grandchildren.

Are we supposed to be okay with this?

“Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot go with these, for I have not tested them. So David put them off.”

As David prepared to face Goliath, Saul tried to outfit David with Saul’s personal armor. But David didn’t have Saul’s armor when he faced the lion or the bear, and David recognized he did not need the armor to slay Goliath.

Today, many Christians yield to the temptation to be hipper, cooler, and even a little fuzzy on the clear teachings of Scripture in order to face the Goliaths of our day.

But Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I will draw all men.”

We don’t need a cool light show to be an ambassador for Christ. All we need is to offer what we have freely received. We know the transforming power of Christ because He has transformed us.