Saturday Headlines: Christian Pastor Spends 1,000th Day In Prison

This story follows yesterday's story which revealed the upcoming jailing of a U.S. citizen for holding bible studies. It doesn't take much work to gain an understanding of the growing persecution of Christians on a worldwide basis.

Christian Pastor Spends 1,000th Day In Prison

Jailed Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani is approaching his 1,000th day in an Iranian jail – where he faces additional charges and possible execution – all because he refused to allow his children to be taught Islam.

Arrested in 2009, Iranian pastor Nadarkhani remains on death row and fighting a battle for his life. Middle East Concern is now reporting that he will face new charges in September.

The group revealed that Pastor Nadarkhani was informed on July 4 that he will stand trial for the vague and unspecific charge of “activities against the state” or “against state security, rather than religious charges.”

Even with international pressure, an Iranian court is letting the death sentence for blasphemy stand.

The announcement of the new charges will mean a longer prison stay for Nadarkhani, who will spend his 1,000^th day in an Iranian jail Sunday.

Putin's July 4th Message

Two Russian strategic nuclear bombers entered the U.S. air defense zone near the Pacific coast on Wednesday and were met by U.S. interceptor jets, defense officials told the Free Beacon.

It was the second time Moscow dispatched nuclear-capable bombers into the 200-mile zone surrounding U.S. territory in the past two weeks.

An earlier intrusion by two Tu-95 Bear H bombers took place near Alaska as part of arctic war games that a Russian military spokesman said included simulated attacks on “enemy” air defenses and strategic facilities.

The bomber flights near the Pacific and earlier flights near Alaska appear to be signs Moscow is practicing the targeting of its long-range air-launched cruise missiles on two strategic missile defense sites, one at Fort Greely, Alaska and a second site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

The U.S. defense official called the latest Bear H incident near the U.S. West Coast “Putin’s Fourth of July Bear greeting to Obama.”

“It’s becoming very obvious that Putin is testing Obama and his national security team,” McInerney told the Free Beacon. “These long-range aviation excursions are duplicating exercises I experienced during the height of the Cold War when I command the Alaska NORAD region.

“Actions by Russia in Syria and Iran demonstrate that Cold War strategy may be resurrected,” he said.

“These are not good indications of future U.S. Russian relations.”

Are You Ready For Global Taxes?

You’re living in the global economy now, so why not have some global taxes? Think I’m kidding? How about a global tax on all financial transactions?

Now a group of United Nations “independent experts” is pushing the European Union to back a global financial transaction tax ahead of the G-8 Summit “to offset the costs of the enduring economic, financial, fuel, climate and food crises, and to protect basic human rights.”

And then there’s my new favorite. Since Americans are so willing to let all levels of government pass sin taxes on things like cigarettes without much more than a peep, why not let the international community get in on the cash bandwagon?

Another subsidiary of the United Nations, the World Health Organization (WHO), is also looking to self-fund through global taxes. The WHO in 2010 publicly considered asking for global consumer taxes on internet activity, online bill paying, or the always popular financial transaction tax. Currently the WHO is pushing for increased excise taxes on cigarettes, but with an important condition that they get a slice of the added revenue. The so-called Solidarity Tobacco Contribution would provide billions of dollars to the WHO, but with no ability for taxpayers or national governments to monitor how the money is spent.

It’s truly a brave new world, comrades. If you’d care to light up a Marlboro or pour yourself a glass of beer, trivial things like having Washington pick your pocket are old hat. You should pay for your sins on a more global stage. Before you know it, they’ll be selling cigarettes from vending machines one at a time for five bucks a shot and bartenders will carry loan applications for when you’d like a cold one.

Surprise, Surprise - Russia Moves On Egypt

While the US Government insanely supports the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Russia is poised to increase its influence within the most strategically located country in the Middle East.

Russia is well-positioned for establishing good relations with the new Morsi regime. The Kremlin has successful experience working with Hamas, a movement that is basically the Palestinian version of the Muslim Brotherhood.

To help promote Russia’s interests in the Middle East, the Moscow-Istanbul-Rome Initiative, or MIR Initiative, held a conference in Rome in late May called “Bridging the New Middle East.” The Muslim Brotherhood leadership and its political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, participated.They stressed that Russia could best strengthen its position in the Middle East by focusing on relations with the new Egypt.

Russia first strengthened its position in the Arab world by means of its strong relationship with former Egyptian President Gamal Nasser. Today, with the emergence of Morsi, Russia has an opportunity to return to the big game in the Middle East.

There Will Never Be Enough jobs In America Again

Well, the sad truth is that it is very hard to make a profit on an employee in the United States today.

Every year, the control freaks that run things just keep dumping more taxes, more laws, more regulations and more demands on employers. Hiring even a low level employee today is very complicated and very expensive.

These days a lot of small business owners have decided that it is simply not worth the hassle to hire more employees. If you can't make a profit on them, what is the point?

If there was going to be a major rebound in hiring, we would have seen it by now

We are going to continue to bleed jobs because both major political parties are fully convinced that merging our labor pool with the labor pool of the rest of the world is a grand idea.

As a result, many of our greatest cities that were once the envy of the entire world have become cesspools of filth, decay and wretchedness.

U.S. workers can't compare with low wage workers on the other side of the world. It is simply no contest.

Meanwhile, our control freak politicians continue to shove more jobs out the door by piling on even more taxes, rules and regulations.

Now the next major downturn is rapidly approaching.

When it hits, the unemployment rate is going to go well up into the double digits.

At the moment, our failing economy is being propped up byunprecedented amounts of debt.

When our debt-fueled false prosperity ends, the true horror of the decay of our economic system will be revealed.

If you think it is hard to find a job now, you just wait.

Human government - guaranteed for failure. Every single time. Go through the archives of history and find one human government that succeeded long term. Just one.

Ever wondered why God's view of human government, as revealed in Daniel 7 - is depicted as wild beasts?

What about when Israel asked God for a human king? Remember that?

Let's see what God had to say as He summarized human government:

"This is what the king who will reign over you will do:

He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots...and other to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.

He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.

He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

When that day comes you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen and the Lord will not answer you in that day.

But the people refused to listen...'No!' They said. 'We want a King over us. Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us...When Samuel heard all that the people said he repeated it before the Lord. The Lord answered, 'Listen to them and give them a king'"

(1 Samuel 8:10-22)

Only Jesus can rule and His rule will be glorious.

Man simply cannot rule (effectively and appropriately) over man. Over time, corruption, greed, narcissism, abuse of power, and ultimately enslavement becomes the order of the day. Every single time - no exceptions.

Perhaps it is the imminent rule by Jesus - which explains one of the most epic celebrations ever described in the Bible - a celebration which takes place in Heaven just before the Second Coming.

Revelation 19 tells this story and it is worth reading over and over, because a little reflection reveals that the apostle John was seeing us in heaven. Yes - John was looking at a raptured church, at home with the bridegroom in Heaven, anxiously awaiting Jesus' return to earth for His earthly reign and the complete and final destruction of human government - never to be seen again.

Amen and hallelujah!

Daniel 2 also reveals what happens to the last vestige of human government when Christ returns:

"Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken into pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer and swept them away without leaving a trace..."

Meanwhile we must "endure patiently" while awaiting the bridegroom, Jesus to come for His bride. But that time is most definitely growing short. After all, we have a wedding to attend followed by a massive reunion with our family members and loved ones who have gone before us.

And a celebration also awaits:

"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

'Hallelujah!

For our Lord God Almighty reigns.

Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come

And His bride has made herself ready.

Fine linen, bright and clean was given her to wear.

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)