Photographer Captures Jaw-Dropping Image of ‘Devil Horns’ Rising Out of the Persian Gulf

Photographer Captures Jaw-Dropping Image of ‘Devil Horns’ Rising Out of the Persian Gulf


A stunning image captured by a photographer in Qatar appears to show a massive pair of “devil horns” emerging from the horizon across the Persian Gulf.

The photographer, Elias Chasiotis, had planned on taking pictures of a solar eclipse when he snapped the eerie image on December 26. “I hoped that optical effects like inferior mirage would be visible and I was lucky enough to capture them,” he told Bored Panda. “I was worried that nothing would come out of the eclipse. However, when the sun finally began to rise, it looked like two separate pieces, some sort of red horns piercing the sea.”

The phenomenon is called a “Fata Morgana” and takes place when rays of light bend as they pass through air layers of varying temperatures.

Though the science behind the occurrence is proven, some Christians have suggested that there could be additional spiritual significance, particularly considering the unrest across the Gulf region in recent times.

Bizarrely, on Wednesday morning, Iran was struck by two massive earthquakes, the epicenter of which was located near a major nuclear plant.

In light of this, it is interesting to think upon the words in Mark 13:7-8:

“When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in…

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Justin Bieber Reveals Lyme Disease Diagnosis

Justin Bieber Reveals Lyme Disease Diagnosis


Popstar and outspoken Christian Justin Bieber shared on Instagram Wednesday afternoon that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease.

On Wednesday morning, celebrity news tabloid TMZ published an article claiming that sources confirmed that Bieber’s upcoming YouTube docuseries shows the 25-year-old opening up about his battle with Lyme disease.

Later that afternoon, Bieber confirmed the diagnosis on social media. Next to a screen capture of TMZ’s article, Bieber wrote, “While a lot of people kept saying Justin Bieber looks like s**t, on meth etc. they failed to realize I’ve been recently diagnosed with Lyme disease, not only that but had a serious case of chronic mono which affected my, skin, brain function, energy, and overall health.”

The “Sorry” singer continued noting that his upcoming docuseries on YouTube will indeed further explain his journey with battling the disease. He wrote, “You can learn all that I’ve been battling and OVERCOMING!! It’s been a rough couple [of] years, but [I’m] getting the right treatment that will help treat this so far incurable disease and I will be back and better than ever NO CAP.”

Bieber’s wife, model Hailey Bieber, also commented on the situation stressing the severity of the disease. “For those who are trying to downplay the severity of Lyme disease, please do your research and listen to the stories of people who have suffered with it for years. Making fun of…

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Worried passenger called her husband shortly before Ukrainian jet crashed: Trusting God’s power in perilous times

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Boeing 737-800 is seen at the Boryspil International Airport.

Twenty minutes before her flight took off from Tehran Wednesday morning, Sheyda Shadkhoo called her husband from aboard the airplane. She had been visiting her mother and sisters in Iran and was heading back to her husband in Canada.

She was concerned about tensions between Tehran and the US. According to her husband, she had a premonition that her plane was going down and was worried about the people she would leave behind.

“She wanted me to assure her that there wasn’t going to be a war. I told her not to worry. Nothing’s gonna happen,” her husband told reporters. “She said, ‘OK. They’re telling me to turn off my phone. Goodbye.’ That was it.”

Sheyda Shadkhoo was one of 176 people who died when Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) Flight 752 crashed shortly after takeoff.

What destroyed the airliner?

US, Canadian, and British officials said yesterday it was “highly likely” that an Iranian anti-aircraft missile downed the jetliner. They said the strike could well have been a mistake amid rocket launches and high tension in the region.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, “We have intelligence from multiple sources, including our allies and our own intelligence. The evidence indicates that the plane was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile.” 

UIA Flight 752 stopped transmitting data just minutes after takeoff and not long after Iran launched missiles at US forces in Iraq. Iran is denying responsibility this morning, accusing the US of “spreading lies” about the crash.

Of the 176 people on board, 130 were Iranian, sixty-three were Canadian, eleven were Ukrainian (including nine crew members), ten were Swedish, four were Afghani, three were Germans, and three were British.

A coyote attacks a five-year-old boy

I returned last Sunday from another study tour of the Holy Land….

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Four Occasions When Your Church May Need a Transitional Pastor

Podcast Episode #605

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Has a long-term pastor in your church retired? Is your church in crisis or conflict? Has the community surrounding you changed significantly? Sometimes churches are in need of a transitional pastor. Thom and Sam discuss what this specific role looks like, how it is different from a traditional interim pastor, and four occasions when your church may need a transitional pastor.

Highlights:

  1. When a long-term pastor retires
  2. When the church is in crisis or conflict
  3. When the community has changed significantly
  4. When the church has been inwardly focused for years

Other highlights:

  • If your church is in crisis or conflict you may need a transitional pastor.
  • A transitional pastor who can be more invested in the health and future of the church is essential following a crisis.
  • A transitional pastor may be able to help your church understand what it looks like to resemble the beauty and diversity of your community.
  • The movement from an inward focus to an outward focus is one of the greatest disruptions in the church.

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast:


Episode Sponsors

Vanderbloemen has been serving churches for nine years, but did you know that Vanderbloemen also serves Christian schools, nonprofits, and Christian businesses? So if you’re listening, and you know a Christian school, nonprofit, or values-based business that is hiring, contact our friends at Vanderbloemen for your…

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Planned Parenthood Performs 81 Abortions for every 1 Adoption Referral, Data Shows

Planned Parenthood Performs 81 Abortions for every 1 Adoption Referral, Data Shows


New data showing that Planned Parenthood performs 81 abortions for every one adoption referral underscores the need to strip its government funding, says a prominent female pro-life writer.

Planned Parenthood’s annual report for 2018-19 showed its clinics performed 345,672 abortions during that time period but were responsible for only 4,279 adoption referrals, resulting in a ratio of 81 to 1. Although that’s an improvement from the ratio in its previous report (117 to 1), it’s in line with the ratio from 2016-17 (83 to 1). 

Alexandra DeSanctis, a staff writer for National Review, said the data should impact the debate over Planned Parenthood’s government funding. She noted the organization also listed only 9,798 instances of prenatal services, which results in a ratio of 35 abortions for every single instance of prenatal care.

“Based on Planned Parenthood’s own reporting alone, its federal funding should be stripped and redirected to health-care organizations that actually serve women, rather than a group that profits from ending an increasing number of innocent human lives while the U.S. abortion rate continues to fall,” DeSanctis wrote.

In fact, the word “adoption” is listed only one time in the 32-page report. (“Abortion” is mentioned 48 times.)

The 345,672 abortions was a record-high for the organization. 

Abortion, DeSanctis asserted, is Planned…

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Justice Department Says Equal Rights Amendment Has Expired, Cannot Be Ratified

Justice Department Says Equal Rights Amendment Has Expired, Cannot Be Ratified


The Equal Rights Amendment, which some believe could be used to fight for abortion rights, is dead, according to the Justice Department.

The Amendment, which was first introduced in Congress in 1923, states that “Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex,” as reported by NPR. Congress finally passed the law nearly fifty years later in 1972 and sent it onto the states for ratification, requiring 38 states to ratify by 1979. Only 35 states ultimately ratified, so Congress extended the deadline to 1982. Still, not enough states signed off.

But in recent years, the ERA has gained traction in several states. Nevada ratified in 2017 and in 2018, Illinois joined them. Virginia has now stepped up to the plate as the 38th state who wants to ratify.

The Justice Department finds this movement irrelevant, however.

“We conclude that when Congress uses a proposing clause to impose a deadline on the States’ ratification of a proposed constitutional amendment, that deadline is binding, and Congress may not revive the proposal after the deadline’s expiration.”

Three other states—South Dakota, Alabama, and Louisiana—have also fought to keep the ERA from inclusion in the Constitution, filing a federal lawsuit against it.

What the ERA would do, should it be ratified by 38 states, is up for debate. Professor…

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Fuller Theological Seminary Sued again for Expelling LGBTQ Student

Fuller Theological Seminary Sued again for Expelling LGBTQ Student


A second Fuller Theological Seminary student has joined a discrimination lawsuit against the school claiming that he was expelled because of his same-sex marriage.

Christianity Today reported that Nathan Brittsan, an American Baptist Churches USA minister, filed a complaint with Joanna Maxon, another former Fuller student, on Tuesday for more than $1 million each in compensation for the alleged discrimination.

“It’s a very important case at this time in our nation’s history,” said Paul Southwick, the attorney representing Maxon and Brittsan. “This case could set an important legal precedent that if an educational institution receives federal funding, even if it’s religiously affiliated, even if it’s a seminary, that it’s required to comply with Title IX prohibitions on sex discrimination as applied to LGBT individuals.”

Title IX forbids discrimination against LGBT individuals, but several Christian schools have received exemptions even in the midst of gay rights groups pressuring the Obama administration to publicly list these schools.

The original lawsuit against Fuller was filed in November by Maxon, who was expelled in 2018 after administrators saw her wife listed on her tax returns. She was in her final semester after completing three years of work.

Brittsan was expelled in 2017 as he was finishing his first quarter with the school. His orientation was discovered after…

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Abby Johnson Launches New Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Helpline

Abby Johnson Launches New Pro-Life Pregnancy Resource Helpline


In her years advocating for pro-life causes, Abby Johnson recently saw an unmet need for women facing unplanned pregnancies: connecting them with charities, according to Faithwire. Johnson found that pregnant women struggled to find public assistance or were required to wait too long for support to pay their bills or put food on the table.

So, Johnson did something about it. She launched a new ministry called LoveLine, a dedicated central database of public assistance programs and 24/7 helpline for anyone in crisis.

Since its launch, generous donors have provided over $22,000 in household and material goods for 43 women and 66 children. Several women have also received over $4,000 in college tuition and over $18,000 in financial assistance for rent and utilities. One woman’s deductibles were paid for the remainder of her maternity care.

“We’ve tapped into a deep need for people to help others, to feel like they are doing something to make a positive difference in another’s life,” said Pamela Whitehead, director of ProLove Ministries and LoveLine. “The immediate response from people to help has been overwhelming.”

LoveLine also sets up registries for pregnant women in crisis, which allows donors to meet a direct, tangible need quickly.

“It has been both a humbling and exciting experience to witness the love from people all over the nation who have stepped up to give these women in…

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Senator Graham Implores Nancy Pelosi to Send Articles of Impeachment to the Senate

Senator Graham Implores Nancy Pelosi to Send Articles of Impeachment to the Senate


Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) is imploring the U.S. Senate to begin President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial next week.

According to Fox News, Graham says he has created a resolution asking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to deliver the articles of impeachment to the Senate.

He says in the resolution that Pelosi lacks “the power to effectively veto a resolution passed by a duly elected majority of the House of Representatives by refusing to transmit such a resolution to the Senate.”

He added that not turning over the articles of impeachment is a “flagrant violation of the separation of powers expressly outlined in the bicameral impeachment process under the Constitution of the United States.”

Experts say Pelosi is refusing to turn over the articles of impeachment until the Senate changes trial rules to allow more testimony from witnesses. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, however, said the rules will remain the same.

Graham, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he believes Pelosi’s “dam is about to crack,” adding that the Democratic Party is dividing over the issue of impeachment.

“You said it was urgent,” Graham said. “If you believe it to be urgent, send it to the Senate for disposition.”

Thursday, Armed Services Chairman Adam Smith announced he was pulling support for impeachment. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, (D-Calif.) says she believes…

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Brazilian Judge Rules Netflix Must Remove Comedy Depicting Jesus as Gay

Brazilian Judge Rules Netflix Must Remove Comedy Depicting Jesus as Gay


A Brazilian judge has ordered Netflix to remove from its streaming platform a comedy special that sparked international outrage by insinuating Jesus is gay.

The ruling, handed down Wednesday by Rio de Janeiro Judge Benedicto Abicair, only applies to the South American country and is valid unless another court intervenes, according to the Associated Press.

As Christian Headlines reported in mid-December, there was widespread opposition to The First Temptation of Christ, a Christmas comedy that shows Jesus returning home to Joseph and Mary to celebrate his 30th birthday. He brings with him his boyfriend Orlando. A character used to depict “God the Father” also pursues Mary for sex. At one point, “Jesus” appears to abdicate his calling by asking “God the Father” if he can leave the party to go backpacking with Orlando.

The 45-minute film, produced in Portuguese by the Rio-based comedy group Porta dos Fundos, prompted a Change.orgpetition that has garnered more than 2.36 million signatures. On Christmas Eve, the headquarters of Porta dos Fundos was attacked with Molotov cocktails. No one was injured in the attack.

Judge Abicair issued his decision in response to a complaint filed by a Brazilian Catholic organization, which argued the “honour of millions of Catholics” was hurt by the film’s airing. In his ruling, the judge determined the video’s withdrawal “is…

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