Is the pen really mightier than the sword? Prejudice and Israel 101

Dear friends and readers,

I cannot tell you how many times in my life I have heard the expression  "the pen is mightier than the sword".  But that was yesterday.  It was when people actually read books, newspapers and editorials.  Yes I know, perhaps YOU still do that but most folks these days get their worldwide news from social media snippets.  I am appalled when I see so many people interviewed on T.V. and cannot recognize the picture of George Washington, even though they use one dollar bills every day of their lives.  When so many people want to rip down a statue of General Robert E. Lee and have no clue that the gentleman was preeminent in trying to rid the southern states of slavery.  I am appalled when people pay other people to show up at political rallies and many of the people paid have zero knowledge of what exactly they are paid to protest.

Republicans have become the frozen chosen (at least until the next election cycle), Democrats are screaming racial prejudice and yet the history books paint an entirely different picture in that nearly all slave holders coming into the Civil War were---ah let me think for a moment, oh yes now I remember, they were Democrats.  Black civil rights leaders are doing nothing for their people but stirring up racial hatred and raking in millions for speeches and book deals.  But guess what? "Whitey" gets the blame but no one seems to recall that it was African kings and large tribes raiding smaller kingdoms and tribes, taking slaves by the thousands who actually sold those very slaves to the Portuguese slave masters (and yes many slavers from other nations as well).  No one seems to recall that the British "whitey" passed the slave trade act in 1807 and spent millions trying to stamp it out.  No one seems to remember that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican who took an entire nation to war to stamp out slavery and hold southern Democratic slave holders accountable.

No one seems to care that athletes making MILLIONS UPON MILLIONS of dollars while enjoying the American dream, refuse to honor our flag or stand for a national anthem that is the standard of freedom for most of the known world.  I don't know about you but that smacks of political agenda and rings hollow in my ears.  I don't normally write anything about politics and in my mind this article is not political either.  What it is, is an outcry against power hungry political hacks who do everything possible to keep great nations on the verge of anarchy so they can line their pockets and vi for elected positions that they can then use to milk the system until retirement while in the meanwhile padding fat bank accounts.

Slavery is wrong in no uncertain terms but rewriting the history books does not make the problem go away.  And why are not more voices raised from every ethnicity in the world because slavery still exists  today and is thriving?  Including sex slaves among children, Christian women and young girls raped in the thousands and sold off as prostitutes?   Not to mention an untold number of other cultures who's women are suffering the same life ruining indignity.  How is it that we have active partnerships with nations who give zero rights to women and force their daughters to have genital mutilation? Estimates are that 21 MILLION people are enslaved today worldwide and produces 150  BILLION dollars in elicit profits annually. Where are the outraged voices? Why are todays civil rights leaders harping on events of 150 years ago instead of using their collective power, money and influence to stomp out slavery today?

On another front, I am absolutely irate because so many people hate Israel and have swallowed political speak based on zero substantial evidence. When the evidence that does exist in massive mountains of books, papers and journals, evidence that supports Israel's right to exist and it's Biblical right to posses the land given to them by God, is flatly ignored as though it does not exist at all. I am insulted beyond words when I see social misfits ripping, tearing and urinating on both the United Stated flag and that of Israel. Then stomping Police cars, breaking windows and stealing from middle class shop owners who can barely make ends meet on a good day. Sorry folks but those animals should be thrown behind bars and defacing any countries flag should be legally exempted from the right of free speech!

Worldwide things are terrible. We now have to look closely for snippets of good news. We should not be surprised I suppose because the premier authority in the world (the Holy Bible) says all these things will happen.  But then only committed Christians and Jews believe in the Bible anymore and speaking of our Jewish brethren; Where are the voices condemning antisemitism, a large portion of which is being practiced by some Christian denominations who adhere to the absolutely unbiblical doctrine of replacement theology?

Why are radical Muslims allowed to rape women in public in some European countries? Why are there "no go zones" in which even the police are afraid to tread? Why are there not more raised voices among decent peace loving Muslims who will not condemn those who are hell bent of portraying their religion as violent and hateful?

The world is racing toward Armageddon at an unprecedented,  accelerated rate and many humans on this planet are like ostriches with their heads stuck in the sand (although to be honest some people say ostriches do not participate in that practice) but for my purposes it demonstrates a truth that is difficult to ignore.

No, the pen is no longer mightier than the sword, in fact people like myself who would like to write edifying articles now have a difficult time keeping up with all the daily bad news in nearly every corner of the world. No pen is mightier than Kim Jung Un's nuclear arsenal. Do I sound frustrated?

With good reason. Of course for me (a committed supporter of Israel) the outrage I feel daily because of the lies told by and through various media outlets regarding Israel is simply beyond the pale. In fact I have realized that the various problems we are seeing in the world are not really THE problem but merely a symptom of mankind's depravity. And yes there are still good people in this world but because of P.C. (political correctness) they are in most part afraid to speak up.

Case in point. My wife and I have been blessed to travel to Israel 9 times. No big deal considering I met a woman one time who had been there over 300 times. I could only wish! But do you know what? I realized some truths during my various trips. Truth # 1. A Jew born in Israel is called a Sabra. A rough definition of that term is "a prickly pear". Initially I asked myself why so many Jews were so curt and unfriendly. Over time I realized that it is because seemingly everyone in the world hates them. Generation after generation of Jews have been persecuted, often to death (an example is the holocaust of WWII). In many cases trust for Christians is the number 1 most difficult thing for them to achieve. Why? After all many of us love Israel and want to stand with her no matter what. But did you know that Adolf Hitler claimed to be a Christian and was named as head of the church during his reign of terror? Of course he had purged nearly all true pastors by that time and had for the sake of P.R. appointed his own church officials. But that is what many Jewish people remember as Christianity. Over the centuries the Jewish people have had great reason not to trust people wearing crosses, some of them 2 feet tall, crimson red and stenciled onto the fronts of their shields and armor.

But, when those Sabra's got to know us, really know us and knew that we really did love Israel, those prickly pears became the sweetest people and truest friends we have ever known. #2 Now for a shocker! During our times in both Israel and Jordan, we were able to have long conversations with several Muslim and Arab people plus some Bedouins. My opinion only, but leaving out political leaders, journalists in general, and people who want to write books for the sake of fame, money and personal prejudice, very many Jews and Arabs have no problem getting along and with some exceptions did so for centuries. In fact, privately (VERY VERY PRIVATELY) I have been told on several occasions by some very nice Arab and Muslim folks that they much prefer to live under Israeli sovereignty than anywhere that either Fatah or Hamas rules. The reason stated was that they are respected in Israel, can educate their children without political intrigue and brain washing, enjoy an occupation or become a business owner, have good health care, walk the beaches as any other person and are proud to be an Israeli citizen. I'm sure there are exceptions to that but these people simply cannot speak out publicly because if they do, their relatives and friends in the East Bank or Gaza will be persecuted or killed.

The problem as I see it is not a difference in religious belief although as you know I am a committed Christian and hope eventually everyone else will be as well. No, the problem is politics, money, greed and power struggles on the part of social and national leadership at the expense of people on both sides of this issue who would simply like to put all that hatred aside and live out their lives in peace and security regardless of who their neighbors might be.  But then the same could be said for America as well.  Left to their own devices, apart from political agenda, people of differing colors and cultural background generally get along pretty well.  An example of that can be seen in the military. With few exceptions when men of different color are in the same uniform in the same foxhole, no one cares about political agendas. They care about staying alive and in order to do so they must care for each other.  Bonds and friendships develop in those kinds of situations that transcend whatever may have happened 152 years ago in the American Civil War. By the way did you know that by the end of that dreaded war, 10% of the entire Union army was black?  The 54th Regiment of Massachusetts was entirely black and an awesome fighting machine.  There were 179,000 black Union Army soldiers with 80 commissioned officers and 16 black soldiers earned the Medal of Honor.  So, here we are 152 years later and still fighting that war today? POLITICS! MONEY and GREED. Pure and simple.

But back to Israel, the apple of God's eye. How is it that so many in the church seemingly do not believe what the Bible says about Israel?  I have been a pastor for many years and simply cannot explain it.  But the good news is that the winds of change are beginning to blow.  More and more believers are "getting hot" about Israel and supporting her if in no other way than prayer. More and more are taking trips to the Holy Land.  More and more eyes are being opened to the false narrative puked out by so many anti Israel news agencies.

As the old saying goes "You can fool all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all the people all of the time"! The time for fooling anyone about the divine destiny of Israel is thankfully beginning to come to a close. That door will never ever close completely but my friends it is time for the church to rise up with one united voice and say to the world; NEVER AGAIN! Israel belongs to God and we are Christians and we belong to Him also.

We have heard all about the Obama train and now the Trump train. Leaving politics and presidential personalities out of the equation, it is high time for the church worldwide to get on the God train and that means saying NO to prejudice and to P.C. and standing solidly in support of Israel.

God bless,
Pastor Rance.

ISRAEL UPDATE coming into Rosh HaShanah (TRUMPETS).

Dear friends and readers,

Ah Israel, the Apple of God's eye!

So many of my fellow Christians are confused today.  They are seemingly in one of three categories;

1). Absolutely on fire 100% supporters of Israel (that would be me).

2). Absolutely deceived and think Israel is a man made evil invention who is purposely trying to make life miserable for the Palestinian people.

3). Could care less.  Probably can't find Israel on the map and if they can, don't understand why it is called Israel instead of Palestine.

Hmmmm.  Where shall I begin?  How about Zechariah 2:8 (God speaking through the prophet)  "For thus says the Lord of Hosts:  He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you;  For he who touches you touches the apple of His eye"!

Or perhaps you are more into the New Testament?   How about Romans chapter 11?  (The Apostle Paul speaking for God), verse 1  "I say then has God cast away His people (Israel---Jews)?  Certainly not"!  verse 11  "I say then, have they (Israel---Jews) stumbled?  Certainly not!  But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the gentiles.  Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the gentiles, how much more their fullness (fullness of Israel---Jews).  My emphasis added in italics.

Ok Israel has not always walked according to the Word of God and has been chastised many times because of their rebellion.  Elsewhere in the Word it describes Israel as a "stubborn and stiff necked people"  Exodus 32:9 sees God Himself telling Moses that they are indeed a stiff necked people.  Acts chapter 7:51-60 repeats that very theme.

So we have merely repeated what the Bible says about our Jewish brethren and Israel in general.  In fact they are a very long way from perfect and just like any modern nation run by bureaucrats, make tons and tons of mistakes.  That does not and can never nullify the fact that God chose the Jewish people as His very own and gave irrevocable covenants to Abraham, and again to his son Isaac and once again to his son Jacob, who's name was personally changed by God to "ISRAEL"!

In fact as a pastor of 33 years I think myself qualified to categorically state that the Jewish people are almost as stubborn as many of the Christians I have had in my own churches and ministries over those long years.  So let's not be stone throwers who live in glass houses.

One way or another, God does not change His mind and if you are a Christian who has been taught that somehow Israel is bad, you have been deceived.  Lied to might be a more direct path to the truth and it is extremely dangerous for you to be antisemitic which will bring you one day to answer very difficult questions at the judgement seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10).   "For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he (or she---my emphasis added) has done, whether good or bad".

Bottom line if you are a follower of Jesus Christ you are a follower of the Messiah of Israel and He can never be separated from either Israel or His natural brothers and sisters the Jews.  The church is made up of both Jew and gentile with one thing in common;  They have embraced Jesus as their Messiah.

Now very many Jewish people have not done that and perhaps never will just like many gentiles will never receive Christ.  That decision will cost them on judgement day but it is every persons right to make that decision.   Just one more point I would like to make;  When it is your turn to stand in front of the judgement seat, no one including your pastor or teacher or denominational leader can do that for you.  You must do so for yourself and an excuse like  "not my fault Lord, those guys over there told me---!  will not cut the mustard.  One simple question will be asked of you;  Why did you not read and believe the Bible for yourself?

Ok, enough of that.  This week several big things are happening in regards to Israel.  1).  This week begins the High Holy Days (Leviticus chapter 23) starting Wednesday September 20 with the holy day of TRUMPETS (Rosh HaShanah).

Next is an announcement that Prime Minister Netanyahu, asked President  Putin of Russia to guarantee that a safe zone be established in Syria including a buffer zone along the Golan Heights of 37 miles.  Putin rejected this request and only guaranteed a 3 mile buffer zone and made it clear that Iranian forces are in Syria for the long haul.  It might be added here that new information has been brought to light that Iran is spending 800 million every year to support the dictatorship of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria another sworn enemy of Israel.

This is extremely relevant because of the prophecies in Ezekiel chapters 38-39 clearly state that the eventual war of Gog from the land of Magog is made up of an invading army coming into the mountains of Israel and it is led, we believe by Russia and Iran.

Last week Israel took out a chemical weapons plant in Syria which was funded by Iran and assisted by the terror organization Hezbollah who have all by taken over Lebanon on Israel's norther boarder and who currently have an estimated 150,000 rockets and missiles pointed at Israeli cities.   It is reported that Israel at this very moment is preparing for a massive war with Hezbollah.

In yet other news, for the very first time ever, the President of the United States working with the Prime Minister has authorized a small US armed forces base inside Israel. Good news and should further signal the US commitment to Israel's security.

Worst of all is the announcement that Hamas, the terror organization controlling the Gaza strip has just buried the old hatchet so to speak with the leader of Fatah, president Mahmoud Abbas who currently controls the East Bank territories of the Palestine political organization. In the past most nations have not dealt with Hamas but now this move giving political control back to Fatah will  somewhat legitimatize Hamas which will now simply become the military wing of Fatah who unfortunately stalks the corridors of the United Nations. That basically leaves Israel with a very narrow corridor of land between the East Bank and Gaza.

Finally for today there is the immense elephant in the living room of the Middle East.  You may remember that North Korea a few weeks ago threatened Israel.  The bets are running high that North Korea has partnered at least in some degree with Iran on their future nuclear ambitions. We know now that North Korea already has nukes and probably a small but reliable ICBM arsenal.  Iran has threatened the very existence of Israel since the revolution in 1979 when the Ayatollahs took power.  The idea of both Iran and North Korea somehow working in concert to attack Israel one day is incredibly unsettling news.

If you are a Christian already in support of Israel, I do not need to tell you how much and important is prayer for that tiny nation.  If you are a Christian who is an antisemite or even range from cold to indifferent toward Israel, all I can say is how are you going to explain that to your King?

Please remember the old adage everyone;  "All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing"!

Find it in your heart today folks to take Israel's situation in the Middle East seriously and pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6)


God bless you all today,
Pastor Rance.

ISRAEL ATTACKS! Hot off the press, chemical weapons plant in Syria operated by Iran and Hezbollah is no more.

Dear friends and readers,

BIG TIME NEWS HOT OFF THE PRESS!

It would appear from Middle East news reports that Israel just launched a massive air strike inside Syria. 

TARGET CENTRAL?  A chemical weapons plant run by Iran and Hezbollah located in Hama close to the town of Masyaf.  Reports coming in from both Lebanese and Syrian media Thursday morning reporting Israeli fighter aircraft flying over both countries.  As the old saying goes, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it is a duck.  This plant being well within Syrian controlled territory is basically part of the Assad regimes continuing fantasy lie scape of denial about possessing chemical weapons.  Now we know they are actually producing them and for what end?  Can anyone guess?  Assad has already used chemical weapons on his very own countryman so possibly using them against Israel does not take much of a leap in imagination.

Please remember that Hezbollah which is a puppet terror organization supported by Iran currently has a reported 150,000 rockets and missiles pointed at Israel from just across the southern Lebanese boarder.  Not to mention a medium sized fully equipped light infantry army plus mechanized calvary units.  It would not take much effort to load both chemical and biological weapons on the Hezbollah stockpile if not already done.  The plant that was destroyed today manufactured both.  Although totally destroyed the question is, how many of these despicable weapons are stockpiled in different areas around Syria or perhaps already in Lebanon?

It makes one wonder when the United Nations is going to wake up and stop believing blather from verified lying terrorist regimes. 

The Israeli IDF refuses to confirm or deny these reports but that is long standing SOP for the Israeli's.  Syria claims that two of it's solders were killed in the attack.

Israel has been reporting Syrian and Iranian attempts to expand it's authority in the region for sometime.  But when Israel complains through diplomatic channels to the worldwide international community via the United Nations, all they see on the door is an "out to lunch sign"!  It amazes me that Israel has been this patient for so long in view of Iran, Hezbollah and Hamas stated goals of total annihilation of Israel.  It should be noted that the attacks on this plant came on the heels of much diplomatic efforts by Israel which have shown no positive fruit what so ever.

At this very moment Israel is conducting the final phases of the largest military exercise of it's kind in the past 19 years and it was done on the Northern boarder literally under the noses of Hezbollah.  This drill was huge and included the IDF,  IAF,  Navy, and IDF intelligence corps.  Probably a coincidence that these war games were in perfect sink with the weapons plant attack?  I doubt it and in view of the fact that Syria seems to be rattling the sword of immediate retaliation, what a better time to have so much Israeli war power within reach of Lebanon and Syria.  Pre-staged you might say.

Both the Israeli Prime Minister and Defense Minister have clearly warned previously that they will not stand for military buildup by Iran and her proxies Hezbollah on the north and Hamas on the west.  There have been some recent times in which Hamas seemed to be rebelling against the Iranian yoke but just last week the newly elected head of Hamas declared that Iran is their main sponsor.

I think it very possible that failing an all out diplomatic push by the United States, this issue could develop into a very dangerous fiasco for the entire Middle East region.  Some pundits are already saying that this single issue could lead to the Gog from the land of Magog war of Ezekiel chapter 38-39.  I do not share that opinion although I have stated in recent past articles that the stage is definitely being set for Gog and Magog since at this very moment in time, three of the probable major players in that war are now in league to patrol (for peaceful purposes?) the boarder area between Israel and Syria which is the Golan Heights.  Russia, Iran and Turkey now "providing security" is simply another way of saying "the  fox has been placed in charge of the henhouse".

While I do not believe that Gog and Magog are on the immediate horizon, let us not forget another prophecy yet to be fulfilled which is written in Isaiah chapter 17.  That is the total and complete destruction of the massive city of Damascus the capital of Syria.  This city was first listed in the book of Genesis and has never been destroyed.  The 2017 population is listed at 2.5 million people and is only about 50 miles slightly north east of Israel.  Who knows what circumstances will trigger that massive event?

Watch the news in the next few days folks. I will really be surprised if this does not get out of hand rapidly.  Couple that with the extremely serious potential problems with the North Korean nuclear weapons threats and throw in a continuing war of long longevity in Afghanistan. Then, two next door neighbors, Pakistan and India both nuclear powers who hate each other. What you end up with is a Middle East  and Asia which are both box's of dynamite ready to explode.

The question is, where is Russia in all this? Just yesterday the assistant Prime Minister of Poland appealed to the United States and other NATO countries to be extremely vigilant because Russia is launching massive war games in cooperation with Belarus (White Russia) on the boarder with Poland. Russia already tried to take over Georgia and has gone a long way toward that end in the Ukraine. Is Poland next on their radar? Impossible you say?  Well that is the exact scenario used by the old Soviet Union and many people believe President Vladimir Putin intends to reinvent that particular wheel.  And by the way, what will be Russia's response if any to the Israeli attack that destroyed this chemical weapons plant?

The world is in a real mess right now folks so the question is, which shoe will drop next? Stay tuned.

God bless,

Pastor Rance.

North Korea, will it never end?

Dear friends and readers,

The guy who mucks out the winter time milking barn often say's  "Winter is hanging around like a bad smell"!  I could say the same about this terrible seemingly unexplainable "issue" with North Korea.

Last week I wrote an update regarding the potential nuclear problem in the "hermit kingdom".  Why exactly we should be very concerned (worried would be another acceptable term), with the totally irrational actions of Kim Jong Un, the current tyrant of a generations long family dynasty who rapes and pillages it's own population while spending BILLIONS on strengthening an already huge army and threatening the world with nuclear holocaust.

What is this man trying to accomplish?   It is almost like he has a death wish or is so self absorbed that he actually thinks he can  thumb his nations nose at the entire world and get away with it.  I made a point in a previous article that the North Koreans have been brain washed into believing that Kim is god.

If the military leaders also believe this and Kim himself is so self deceived that he actually considers himself to be god, then it is very possible that this will spin out of control.  Just yesterday, the north conducted yet another underground nuclear test only this time it was the biggest and most powerful ever.  The South Korean Meteorological Administration said that the explosion registered a magnitude of 5.7--6.3  on the earthquake logarithmic scale.  This caused another following tremor of 4.1.  How many such tests can be held before the earth takes an irrevocable hit that could conceivably permanently damage the structure of the planet?

Bad but the real problem is two fold;  1).  This is now the sixth such test with each one more powerful than the last.  2).  This recent test is claimed by the north to be a "HYDROGEN BOMB" which means it has far greater destructive capabilities than an old fashioned Atomic bomb like was used during WWII against Japan.  This test was 10 times bigger in power and magnitude than was registered back in September 2016 which the USGS registered at 5.3.  In fact this test was estimated at 100 kilotons which means it was 5 times greater than the United States dropped on Nagasaki Japan to end the Pacific portion of WWII in 1945.

This is not a small matter!  Particularly when Kim Jung Un claimed that this was a warhead capable of being mounted on an ICBM (Intercontinental ballistic missile).  Think about that wording for a moment.  It means that the north is actively claiming that it can fire a huge nuclear tipped missile to strike another continent.  Since Kim has threatened both the mainland United States and Israel---both of whom are nuclear nations, WITH A NUCLER STRIKE REQUIRING LESS THAN ONE HOURS FLYING TIME???  The question is, how long with either power or other nuclear nations for that matter wait to respond?  Until the thing lands?  I doubt that seriously.

Kim may push this thing to the point that a preemptive strike may become the only option available to stop his inevitable march toward his own personal Armageddon.

As you probably know the United States and several countries within the United Nations have voted to increase economic sanctions of North Korea.  These include (surprisingly) both China and Russia who have been steadfast supporters of North Korea in the past and may even have supplied it with nuclear capabilities.   So why would these two nations begin to turn against North Korea now?  Perhaps because the pet lion they have had on a chain for the past 67 years, has suddenly grown so large that it has chewed the chain in two and is now snarling in the faces of it's masters.

And guess what? North Korea has never ever bowed to financial sanctions and I doubt they ever will.  In the end that may ONLY leave a military option.

Russia is trying desperately to grow past the devastation wrought upon it by the sudden and catastrophic demise of the Old Soviet Union.  While they are trying once again to establish dominance in the region and are trying to gobble up other nations like the Ukraine, they also cannot risk an all out war with Uncle Sam who currently fields the mightiest military on planet earth.  China has tremendous military assets but like North Korea that is at the cost of developing it's own humongous population of 1,389,254,092. That's right folks, nearly one and one have BILLION people all of whom need food.   China also cannot afford any kind of disruption in it's economy, particularly a war with the allied nations because they simply could not feed their population in that event.  Not that it would be a "cake walk" for the allied nations either.

One way or another this situation is stacking up to be a problem of immense proportions and it would appear that there are no easy solutions. This is getting worse by the week.

South Koreas National Security Advisor  Chung Eui-yong stated that they are at the point of authorizing a possible deployment of THE MOST POWERFUL STRATEGIC ASSETS THAT THE UNITED STATES POSSESSES.  Of course the final decision for that would be left to the Commander in Chief of the United States along with his national security council.   If you have any thoughts that Congress would try and stop the President from protecting the US from a very real ACTUAL threat, think again.  Even though the two great American political parties are seemingly incapable of agreeing on the time of day---in the final analysis, no Senator or Congressman wants to be the one who has to tell his constituents to "DUCK FOR COVER" and oh, by the way, you have less than one hour to do it.

We basically have three sides to this issue;  Russia along with some other Warsaw Pact nations,  China a kind of a stand alone self sufficient world power but with strong ties to both North Korea and Iran.   Offset that with the Allied powers of Nato, the US, Great Britain, Belgium, France and many more for a total of 29, all of whom have signed a mutual defense pact.  Of these the US, United Kingdom, France, China and Russia---probably Israel, (although not part of NATO), are all nuclear.  Fortunately  there is not one among them that actually wants a nuclear war.  No crazy men here.  But then you do have North Korea and Iran who are run by theological extremists and no one can predict what they will do.  That makes for a very unstable region not to mention both Pakistan and India who are also nuclear and who hate each other.

Bottom line is that the world has a very real extremely dangerous mess on it's hands with zero easy answers.

I for one can make no proclamation regarding how this issue with North Korea will be resolved.  But the problem is that it appears none of our foremost world leaders has any idea either.   I had mentioned in last weeks up date that this situation is fraught with danger and the ultimate form of brinkmanship.  After yesterdays underground nuclear test and Kim Jong Uns most recent threats, that brinkmanship just increased by a factor of 10.

Let us pray

God bless
Pastor Rance.