Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Hospital for Recovering from Possible Infection

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg in the Hospital for Recovering from Possible Infection


Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is expected to be in the hospital for a few days after undergoing a medical procedure.

According to the Associated Press, the Supreme Court said in a statement that Ginsburg, 87, was being treated for a possible infection.

 “The Justice is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment,” the statement said.

Ginsburg went to a hospital in Washington on Monday for fever and chills. She was then taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore to undergo a medical procedure to clean out a bile duct stent. The stent had been placed nearly a year ago as part of her treatment for a cancerous tumor on her pancreas.

The Supreme Court said Ginsburg “is resting comfortably and will stay in the hospital for a few days to receive intravenous antibiotic treatment.”

Trump said Tuesday he hadn’t heard of Ginsburg’s hospitalization.

“I wish her the best. I hope she’s better,” he said.

In May, Ginsburg was taken to the hospital for an infection caused by a gallstone. She was able to participate in arguments the Supreme Court heard by phone.

Last August 2019, Ginsburg completed her fourth treatment for cancer, the AP reports. A routine blood test discovered the tumor. The three-week radiation therapy ended in August. She also had the bile duct stent placed.

In December 2018, Ginsburg underwent…

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Your taxes are due today: A reflection on obedience, gratitude, and grace

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This is a sentence I’ve never written before: It’s July 15, and your taxes are due.

For the first time, the federal government extended the deadline this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. But don’t expect another extension: the Internal Revenue Service announced last month that there would not be another blanket filing delay.

If you haven’t filed your return yet—or if you’ve filed but haven’t paid the taxes you owed for 2019—your deadline is today.

If you filed for a tax return already but did so on paper, expect a long wait for your return. As of May 16, the agency had an estimated backlog of 4.7 million paper returns.

The good news is, the IRS must pay interest on your return from April 15 until it is paid out, so long as you file your 2019 return by today. More good news: If you received an economic stimulus payment because of the pandemic, you won’t owe tax on it.

If you can’t pay your tax bill all at once, the IRS can work with you to develop a payment plan.

A reflection on obedience, gratitude, and grace

We live in a transactional world. For every cause, there is an effect. If we want to live in a country where the federal government provides Medicare and Medicaid, the national defense, and a safety net for those facing hardship, we must pay for these services.

The same is true spiritually: “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Galatians 6:7–8).

Our present faithfulness will reap reward in heaven but also benefits in this world: “Let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up” (v. 9).

This is where the juxtaposition between faith and works can be confusing. Our salvation is not the result of human efforts: “By grace you have…

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Churches burned across the country: Why was this not national news?

The interior of the San Gabriel Mission is damaged following a morning fire, Saturday, July 11, 2020, in San Gabriel, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

A number of churches from Florida to California were burned and vandalized over the weekend.

A man in Florida plowed his vehicle into the Queen of Peace Catholic Church as its congregation was preparing for Mass on Saturday. He poured gasoline in the foyer, then set the building on fire before driving off. He was arrested and charged with attempted murder, arson, burglary, and evading arrest. 

The man told investigators that what he did was “awesome” and that he was on a “mission.” He also told detectives that he has problems with the Catholic Church and has been diagnosed with schizophrenia but is not taking his medication. 

Though the church foyer was heavily damaged, Mass was celebrated on Saturday and Sunday. 

Around the time of the Florida incident, a 249-year-old Catholic Church in Los Angeles caught fire. The cause of the blaze is under examination, but an official said the recent destruction of monuments to Junipero Serra, the founder of the California mission system, will be a factor in the investigation.

Saturday night, a statue of the Virgin Mary was set on fire outside a Boston church. The flowers in her hands were lit, damaging her arms up to her face. The pastor told reporters that the statue had been erected decades ago in memory of World War II veterans. 

Last Friday, another statue of the Virgin Mary was vandalized in New York City. Early Sunday morning, a church in San Diego caught fire; an official said the blaze seems “suspicious.”  

Curious onlookers stand outside the San Gabriel Mission in the aftermath of a morning fire Saturday, July 11, 2020, in San Gabriel, Calif. The fire destroyed the rooftop and most of the interior of the 249-year-old church that was undergoing renovation. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

What the media…

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Why the Way You Leave a Church is More Important than How You Came

As a layperson or a church staff member, it’s likely you’ve left a church at some point – or will leave a church in the future. When that happens, I hope you’ll remember the points of this post.

  1. People will remember how you leave. They’ll forget even the most miraculous works of God to bring you to the church if you leave in a negative way. Even a few weeks of negative can erase years of positive.
  2. Those who remain may be wounded if you leave poorly. Especially if they’ve loved and respected you, they may not understand why you’ve suddenly changed. Long-term friendships can be broken.
  3. Your family can be scarred by a bad ending. You might try to shield them from the pain, but few of us do that well when we’re wounded.
  4. Poor closures usually color future ministry opportunities. Once you’ve been hurt and carry wounds, you’ll always wonder if more wounds lie in the future.
  5. Division left by bad departures can destroy a congregation’s unity. This sometimes happens when departing members challenge others to take sides on the issues.
  6. Good departures make ministry a celebration. Rejoicing over victories is always better than battling over remaining disagreements.
  7. Healthy closure paves the way for the next leaders. One of the best ways to help the church’s next leader is to leave in joyful response to God’s calling – not in anger.
  8. Leaving well fosters long-term friendships. Moving to a different church doesn’t have to harm relationships if the departure is handled…

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Once the Seat of Eastern Christianity, Hagia Sophia Is Set to Be Turned Into a Mosque

Once the Seat of Eastern Christianity, Hagia Sophia Is Set to Be Turned Into a Mosque


Hagia Sophia, a museum known for its religious roots in Christianity in Istanbul, Turkey, will become a mosque. Many political and religious leaders have expressed outrage over the controversial decision.

According to the Christian Post, the Hagia Sophia was erected as a Greek Orthodox Church in A.D. 537. The cathedral would go on to bear tremendous religious and historical significance as it was considered to be the seat of Eastern Christianity for 900 years until its subsequent transformation into an Ottoman mosque in the 15th century after Istanbul was captured by Sultan Mehmed II, the Conqueror.
Then in 1934, all worship at Hagia Sophia was banned as it was turned into a museum by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey.

BBC News reported that the decision to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque was made after a court ruling that took away it’s museum status.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan defended the decision at a press conference last week, stating the country utilized its sovereign right.

“Like all our mosques, the doors of Hagia Sophia will be wide open to locals and foreigners, Muslims and non-Muslims,” he added.

Erdogan also noted that starting July 24, Muslims will be allowed to begin praying inside the building.

Despite its transition to a Mosque, Turkish officials asserted that Christian symbols will not be removed.

Turkey’s President…

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Churches, Statues Burned and Vandalized across Multiple U.S. States

Churches, Statues Burned and Vandalized across Multiple U.S. States


Several churches and statues of religious figures were badly damaged in separate incidents across the nation over the weekend.

Law enforcement is currently investigating these incidents in light of the recent protests over statues and monuments.

In Florida, one man crashed his car into the foyer of Queen of Peace Catholic Church before pouring gasoline in the church and setting it on fire, Fox News reports.

The Catholic church was in the midst of conducting its Saturday morning mass at the time of the incident. After setting the building ablaze, the suspect sped away in his vehicle but was eventually caught and taken into custody by police.

24-year-old Steven Anthony Shields was arrested on multiple charges including attempted murder, arson, burglary, and evading arrest.

According to an affidavit report, the suspect in custody told law enforcement officers his actions were “awesome” and that he was on a “mission,” referring to himself as the “king.”

A detective was told by Shields that he took issue with the Catholic Church and did not take his medication for his schizophrenia diagnosis.

While the church’s foyer was immensely burned by the fire, the church was able to safely continue its Mass service.

Meanwhile, on Saturday around 4 a.m., a church in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles California was also set ablaze.

San Gabriel church in Los Angeles had been undergoing renovations in…

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Bethel Church’s Use of Lord of the Rings Staff to End Racism Sparks Debate

Bethel Church’s Use of Lord of the Rings Staff to End Racism Sparks Debate


A recent event at Bethel Church involving a Lord of the Rings-like staff and a line from the film has sparked a social media debate over its appropriateness.

The moment took place toward the end of the two-hour “Transformation NOW!” event on June 12 that featured multiple speakers, including Bethel Church pastor Bill Johnson, addressing ethnic reconciliation and social justice. It was livestreamed on Bethel.TV, YouTube and Facebook Live. The congregation is located in Redding, Calif.

A Twitter video of the moment has been viewed more than 300,000 times.

Marlyne Barrett, a pastor at Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, held the wooden staff on stage, surrounded by the speakers.

“I am an artist,” said Barrett, an actress known for her role in NBC’s Chicago Med and Chicago Fire. “… One of the movies that has really touched my heart is Lord of the Rings.”

Barrett referenced the night’s speakers and how they had impacted and inspired her to help bring the body of Christ together. She then mentioned a scene in the film trilogy in which Gandalf battles a demon known as Balrog on a bridge over a hellish-like abyss. In the scene, Gandalf holds his staff and shouts, “You shall not pass!” Half the bridge crumbles, and Balrog falls into the abyss.

Speaking of the “racist spirit in America,” Barrett said, “We are going to lift the staff — and we’ll command the spirit, not…

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At Least 400 Churches Closed or Destroyed in China

At Least 400 Churches Closed or Destroyed in China


Christians across China continue to be persecuted by Communist officials in the ongoing crackdown against houses of worship.

Bitter Winter reports that at least 400 Three-Self and house churches were either demolished, shut down or repurposed in Shangrao City of Jiangxi Province. Additionally, video footage shows a cross being removed from the rooftop of a Shangrao church.

 “The central and provincial governments planned to send a team to focus on rectifying Christianity in Yugan county,” a local preacher told Bitter Winter.

He was also told that his church’s cross had to be removed otherwise it would be destroyed.

“If we didn’t do it, the church could have been demolished when the team came,” the preacher added.

Bitter Winter also noted that many of Three-Self churches were transformed into activity centers or libraries.

One director of a Three-Self church reported that local authorities were ordered by the central government to rectify all state-run churches under no exceptions. He told Bitter Winter that churches built or approved after 2014 were told to shut down, despite some of the churches having necessary permits.

In May, a local church built off of the donations of its congregants was destroyed in the Guangxin District.

A Seventh-day Church venue was also forcibly demolished in Huanggu town in the Guangxin district.

One preacher of a Three-Self church who had its cross removed told Bitter…

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For an effective witness, “we need truth plus love more than ever”

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If you follow the culture wars, you’ve no doubt noticed how toxic debate has become, even when Christians are involved.

Matt Brown’s answer to this disturbing trend is a thoughtful and engaging book, Truth Plus Love: The Jesus Way to Influence.

Brown was doing an interview for a podcast a few years ago when the pastor interviewing him said that Christians needed to tell people the truth and the truth is sometimes harsh.

“My response was that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit,” Brown said. “We are walking in the flesh, not the Spirit, whenever we are not gentle and kind.”

As an evangelist, Brown knows that we need to model Christ’s love if we want to have an effective witness. “In a day when people feel like they can believe whatever they want, and no one is allowed to tell them otherwise, we need truth plus love more than ever,” Brown writes.

If you heed his message, you will find others eager to hear the good news of God’s grace.

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1,200-Year-Old Cross Found in Pakistan Implies Christianity Was There ‘Before Islam Came’

1,200-Year-Old Cross Found in Pakistan Implies Christianity Was There ‘Before Islam Came’


A giant cross estimated to be at least 1,200 years old has been discovered in the mountains of Pakistan and could include hints of Christianity’s early presence there.

The marble rock cross, weighing three to four tons and spanning seven feet from top to bottom, was found by a team from the University of Baltistan, Skardu in the Himalayan mountains near Baltistan, according to Union of Catholic Asian News.

Researchers discussed the findings at a press conference in mid-June.

Bordered by Afghanistan, Iran, India and China, Pakistan is a majority Muslim country, with more than 96 percent of its citizens practicing Islam.

Caritas Pakistan, a Catholic organization, celebrated the find.

“It is indeed great news for all of us that an ancient cross was found in Skardu,” said Mansha Noor, executive director of Caritas Pakistan. “It shows that Christianity existed in this area and there must be a church and houses of Christians. There are currently no Christian families in that area, but they were once present.

“I request the authorities invite international historians to find out more about the accurate history of the cross.”

Christians in Pakistan frequently face persecution for their faith. Byzantine history expert Béatrice Caseau told Barnabus Fund the cross could be evidence that Middle East merchants brought the gospel to the region.

“Even if we lack the sources…

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