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As abortions decline, Pro-Lifers recognize President Trump as “Man of the Year”

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MANSFIELD — 2020 was a special year for the Pro-Life movement. Forty-five abortion clinics closed, and forty-five new Pro-Life legislators were elected to the 117th Congress. It is no surprise the person recognized as the most influential advocate for the unborn would be the forty-fifth President of the United States.

President Donald J. Trump was recently recognized as the 2020 “Person of the Year” by Operation Rescue, a leading national Pro-Life activist ministry. The award is given to recognize individuals who sacrificially work to advance the cause of protecting the pre-born.

This map shows 39 of the 45 abortion clinics that closed this past year. (Photo courtesy of Operation Rescue)

“President Trump has done more to build a Culture of Life in the United States than all previous Presidents combined,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “It is my honor to acknowledge these accomplishments and relay my deep gratitude to him for keeping and exceeding all his promises when it comes to abortion.  He is a worthy recipient of the 2020 Person of the Year Malachi Award.”

During his term, President Trump appointed three Supreme Court Justices and three hundred judicial appointments, giving Pro-Life supporters new hope life-affirming legislation will withstand legal challenges. These appointments have created a climate where the possibility of overturning Roe v. Wade now exists.

The President also set out to defund those that promote abortion worldwide.  He established policies at the Department of Health and Human Services that completely changed the philosophy of government from one that favored abortion businesses like Planned Parenthood, to one that promised to protect life “from conception until natural death.”

Earlier this year, President Trump pulled out of the pro-abortion United Nations’ World Health Organization.  The WHO is one of the world’s top promoters and funders of abortion internationally.

Most recently, the Trump Administration withheld $200 million from the State of California for requiring all health insurance policies to include abortion coverage, which forces those who object to fund abortions.

In addition, President Trump strengthened conscience clauses so no one can be forced to participate in an abortion who has moral objections to it.  Just recently, the Department of Justice, acting under these strong conscious protections, sued a Vermont hospital for forcing a nurse to participate in an abortion against her conscience.

“President Trump has done more to build a Culture of Life in the United States than all the previous Presidents combined. It is my honor to acknowledge these accomplishments and relay my deep gratitude to him for keeping and exceeding all his promises when it comes to abortion.  He is a worthy recipient of the 2020 Person of the Year Malachi Award.”

Operation Rescue President Troy Newman

This past fall over one hundred local clergymen thanked President Trump for the Pro-Life policies of his Administration. Many of these policies were also recognized by Operation Rescue.

Based in Wichita, Kansas, Operation Rescue has become one of the most visible voice of the pro-life activist movement in America.

In its top story of 2020, Operation Rescue exposed Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton’s abortion connections. Acton’s estranged mother contacted Operation Rescue and set the record straight about her “troubled” daughter.  One week later, Acton resigned her post as the Executive Director of the ODH.

See related article:

101 Ohio evangelical leaders thank President Trump for policies

Ohio’s Jim Jordan says Congress turning blind eye to rampant election fraud (VIDEO)

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WASHINGTON D.C. –Four years of investigating President Trump and yet Congress is refusing to investigate the integrity of the 2020 Presidential election. Rep. Jim Jordan was one of only five Ohio lawmakers officially opposing certification of the election results. While the President set a record for most votes in an Ohio election, little was done by the state’s leaders to represent Ohio voters on Capital Hill, with one exception.

Rep. Jim Jordan (Photo courtesy Facebook/Jim Jordan)

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) passionately spoke on the House Floor Tuesday raising concerns about the lack of election investigations despite dozens of signed affidavits and witness testimonies. However, it appears Congress will not allow the evidence to be presented.

“Not one investigation, not one hearing in the House of Representatives. We welcomed an Inspector General investigation for goodness sake. Over two hundred affidavits and declarations of wrongdoing, but no investigation in the Congress. No subpoenas, no depositions, no chance for question, or cross-examination of witnesses. Why no investigation? I think it’s because deep down, they know the Constitution was violated.”

Lawmakers joining Rep. Jordan in the objection of the certification of the election results the following day included Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Cincinnati), Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Troy), Rep. Bob Gibbs (R-Lakeville), and Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Marietta). Neither Senators Rob Portman, Sherrod Brown, nor Rep. Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville) objected to the results.

While there are irregularities in Pennsylvania’s election results, Jim Jordan pointed out flagrant procedural violations by Pennsylvania officials alone is enough to invalidate the state’s results or at least merit an investigation.

Rep. Jim Jordan testifying before Congress on Tuesday.
(Photo courtesy Facebook/Jim Jordan)

According to Article One, Section Four of the U.S. Constitution, “Time, place, and manner for holding elections shall be determined in each state by the legislature thereof’. Article two, Section One states “Each state shall appoint in such manner as the [State] Legislature may direct.”

The Ohio Congressman pointed out, “Pennsylvania law says mail-in ballots have to be in by eight o’clock on Election Day. The Democrat State Supreme Court said ‘No, we are going to extend the election day to five o’clock Friday.’ Pennsylvania State Law says mail-in ballots require signature verification. The Democrat Secretary of State said ‘No, for two-point six million ballots, we are not going to follow the law.’ Pennsylvania law says mail-in ballots cannot be processed until Election Day, but some county commissioners from Democrat counties said ‘No,’ and allowed ballots to be cured, fixed, and changed before Election Day.”

Nearly eighty-million Americans consisting of both Republicans and Democrats have doubts on the election, and sixty-million Americans think the election was stolen. In Rep. Jordan’s fiery discourse, he was bewildered why Congress would not want to listen to additional facts.

“And the media and the Democrats say ‘nothing to see here.’ Of course, Washington D.C. has been out to get President Trump since July 31st, 2016, before he was elected the first time. Four years and forty-million dollars on the Russia hoax investigation, but we cannot look into an election?”

Rep. Jim JOrdan (R-Urbana)

“And the media and the Democrats say ‘nothing to see here.’ Of course, Washington D.C. has been out to get President Trump since July 31st, 2016, before he was elected the first time. Four years and forty-million dollars on the Russia hoax investigation, but we cannot look into an election?”

“The Legislature determines the time, place, and manner of elections, not State Supreme Courts, not Secretary of State, not County Commissioners. All of those entities took actions that directly violated the law, the law that state legislatures enacted and thereby violated the Constitution.”

View the video below of Rep. Jim Jordan testifying before the House of Representatives on Tuesday, January 5th, 2021.

See related articles:

After voter fraud, Ohio AG requests U.S. Supreme Court overturn PA case
Ashland pastors side with Jim Jordan in sounding alarm on Deep State impeachment coup (VIDEO)

Councilman joins chorus of elected officials leaving Democrat Party to ‘come home’

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Leaders standing against social justice movement

MANSFIELD — After the 2020 elections, the outgoing State Democrat Chairman cited North Central Ohio as a key area Democrats failed to reach. It is no surprise several local office holders are leaving the Democrat Party and going to greener pastures.

One City Councilman believes the party no longer represents tolerance and diversity when it comes to faith and values.

Councilman Jason Lawrence
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“When I first served on Council, it did not matter if you were a Democrat or a Republican, it was about collaborating with council colleagues and doing what is best for the community,” explains Fifth Ward Councilman Jason Lawrence.

As a husband and a father of four, Mr. Lawrence believes strong families are foundational for a vibrant community. He regularly leads council meetings with an opening prayer invocation.

“As time has gone by, I have made the discovery: the Democrat Establishment is not inclusive of independent-thinkers if you happen to embrace family values shaped by Biblical faith. This is why I feel I can no longer best serve my ward as a Democrat. I am coming home to the Republican Party.”

The Councilman faced heavy criticism from the Democrat stalwarts for his votes against legalizing marijuana and against a divisive systemic racism resolution. As a result, the party tried to strong-arm him by grooming a candidate to oppose him in this Spring’s primary.

“In these dangerous times, we need to defend the police not defund them. In addition, putting mind-altering drugs on the streets will create more combustible conditions in our neighborhoods. I want to bring more families back to the Fifth Ward, and having safe neighborhoods is of paramount importance.”

“As time has gone by, I have made the discovery: the Democrat Establishment is not inclusive of independent-thinkers if you happen to embrace family values shaped by Biblical faith. This is why I feel I can no longer best serve my ward as a Democrat. I am coming home to the Republican Party.”

Fifth Ward Councilman Jason Lawrence

Earlier this week a high-profile black lawmaker, State Rep. Vernon Jones, announced he was cutting ties with the Democrat Party and “leaving the plantation.” Last year the lifelong Georgia Democrat stated he “did not leave the Democrat Party, the Democrat Party left him.”

Last but not least, Richland County Auditor Patrick Dropsey will also be switching parties and leaving the Democrat Party after holding the elected office for twenty years. The Republican Party is welcoming him with open arms.

And this coming Fall of 2021, Councilman Lawrence will be running for re-election as…a Republican.

“It is eye-opening that the Republican Party saw a significant increase in support from Hispanic and Black voters for the 2020 Presidential election,” the Fifth Ward Councilman commented. “I think people are tired of their vote being taken for granted.”

See related articles:

Oasis of Love Church leads charge against violence by reaching youth
Is there an exodus of Ohio voters leaving the Democratic Party? (VIDEO)

Court of Appeals slaps down Toledo Health Dept. in religious freedom victory

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CINCINNATI – Last Friday the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order blocking the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD) from enforcing their order closing all in-person education for children grades seven thru twelve.

Three private religious schools took TLCHD to court contending that even if the Constitution has taken a holiday during this pandemic, it cannot become a sabbatical.

Aaron Baer (Photo courtesy of CCV)

“The First Amendment does not take a holiday break,” says Aaron Baer, President of the Citizens for Community Values (CCV) which operates the Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN). “It was clear from the outset that the TLCHD’s order closing schools violated their Constitutional ‘Free Exercise’ rights. It is indefensible and irrational to block children from accessing in-person instruction, while allowing casinos, gyms, liquor stores, and other public places to remain open.”

The Free Exercise Clause “protects religious observers against unequal treatment” and prohibits the State from “penalizing religious activity by denying any person an equal share of the rights, benefits, and privileges enjoyed by other citizens.”

Baer says “Our message is simple, let kids learn, and let Christian schools continue to disciple the next generation in grace and truth.”

Monclova Christian Academy, Emmanuel Christian, St John’s Jesuit, and CCV filed their emergency appeal in Federal Court after TLCHD blocked schools from holding in-person education from December 4 to January 11.

“The First Amendment does not take a holiday break. It was clear from the outset that the Lucas County Health Board’s order closing schools violated the Constitutional ‘Free Exercise’ rights. It is indefensible and irrational to block children from accessing in-person instruction, while allowing casinos, gyms, liquor stores, and other public places to remain open.”

Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed an amicus brief in support of the three Christian Schools and OCEN. “Arbitrary restrictions limiting in-person instruction for months on end have inflicted immeasurable harm on children,” Attorney General Yost’s Solicitor General Ben Flowers wrote.

David Yost
(Photo courtesy of AG’s office)

The schools’ appeal stated that the affected age group has seen exponential increases in severe depression, anxiety disorders, suicide attempts, substance abuse problems, and mental health-related pediatric emergency department visits.

The appeal also noted that neither Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Education, nor the Center for Disease Control (CDC) have recommended closing in-person school. The CDC says it is safe for children to be in school.

“Lucas County families have suffered plenty through this pandemic, and to unreasonably deny their children in-person education is unconscionable,” Aaron Baer commented. “Today’s order is a victory for families, for religious freedom, and for all those willing to courageously stand up against unnecessary and overreaching government orders.”

See related articles:

Lucas County Health Department taken to court for violating religious liberty (VIDEO)
Ohio Court says health department cannot suspend licenses over masks

Critical mass in Buckeye Bible Belt play massive role in 2020 (VIDEO)(SLIDESHOW)

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AK Steel prayer vigil

NORTH CENTRAL OHIO –Looking back at 2020, it is hard not to think of the role local evangelicals played in the region during the ‘crucible’ of a very chaotic year. While the heat has been turned up, a more resilient Church is being galvanized together by faith.

Area clergy receive Congressional recognition for Clergy Appreciation Month. Pictured L to R: Pastors Louis Blevins, Steve Schag, & Steve Brenneman (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

The unforgettable chain of events started at AK Steel where a furnace worker was tragically injured in the melt shop in January. Area clergy coordinated a spur of the moment prayer vigil in the cold with both labor and management standing together. The very thought of such an occasion occurring at the steel mill was mind-boggling considering residual bitterness from a lockout years prior.

As many urban areas reached a boiling point in the summer of 2020, cooler heads prevailed in Mansfield where social justice efforts failed to divide the community. In August, City Council voted against identity politics by rejecting a resolution involving systemic racism. Black clergy were the main opponents of the resolution, pointing out their names were fraudulently included as cosigners, and citing their support of local law enforcement. Coincidentally, after the 2020 elections, the Ohio Democrat Party Chairman would later resign, calling for new leadership and listing Mansfield as a city where liberal ‘outreach’ failed.

One public health crisis area pastors did believe existed was the societal addiction to pornography. Seventy-four leading clergy submitted a draft resolution to the county health department in mid-August. The clergy called for tighter enforcement of obscenity laws to deter potential human traffickers from establishing operations in the region.

August Sacred Assembly in Ashland, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

One week later, twenty-five churches in nearby Ashland held a corporate sacred assembly in sweltering heat. Praying for spiritual breakthrough and the welfare of women and children in the region, the Mayor of Ashland grabbed national headlines after dedicating the city to Jesus Christ.

Little did anyone know a divine dragnet would sweep the region days later. Multiple high-profile sting operations led by U.S. Marshals rescued children from human trafficking and arrested persons soliciting minors. The fear of GOD had come to north central Ohio.

The Ashland Mayor’s bold declaration would be the pinnacle of a year where elected officials publicly welcomed religious involvement. Earlier in January both the Board of County Commissioners and Mansfield Mayor encouraged citizens to recognize Richland County as “God’s land,” and Mansfield as “God’s field.” Their two proclamations encouraged participation in a series of community-wide non-denominational prayer gatherings. As time would tell, prayer would become a reoccurring theme.

March clergy press conference calling for prayer & fasting during pandemic.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, one hundred-twenty area clergy held a press conference proclaiming a season of corporate prayer and fasting. While estimated COVID-19 deaths and cases were greatly reduced, the conditions of mental health and the economy persuaded one hundred clergy to later send a written request to Governor Mike DeWine encouraging him to end the lockdown in early May. After a series of events, the Governor would sign a bill into law reducing his own pandemic powers.

In September, over one hundred clergy sent an open letter to President Trump thanking him for twenty noteworthy policies implemented by his Administration, including his support for the sanctity of life, for religious freedom, and his support of Israel.

Several weeks later, thirty-three leading clergy sent a correspondence to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repudiating the World Council of Churches’ support of BDS policies. The clergy also announced their commitment to personally invest in Israel bonds. Within weeks of the clergy letter, Mr. Pompeo made a historic visit to Israel echoing the same positions on Israel sovereignty and taking actions against the BDS Movement. It was almost as if the Secretary of State followed the clergy message to the letter.

In October clergy announce commitment to invest in Israel bonds.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

While the clergy showed support for Mr. Pompeo’s policies in the Middle East, they did not hold the middle ground regarding Eastern Religion. In an open letter to thirty-nine school districts in the region, one hundred and five clergy identified local instances where classes were practicing yoga. Insisting the practice was a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment, parents drew a collective sigh of relief as several districts promptly removed Eastern Religion from their curriculums.

Speaking of the First Amendment, in November one hundred area clergy from north central Ohio provided compelling testimony at the Columbus Statehouse successfully persuading the Legislature that a sexual orientation/gender identity (SOGI) bill would turn the First Amendment upside down.

View the slideshow below of top news stories from 2020:

  • AK Steel prayer vigil
  • AK Steel prayer vigil
  • AK Steel prayer vigil
  • AK Steel prayer vigil
  • Leaders standing against social justice movement
  • Richland County clergy with public health crisis resolution
  • Ashland County clergy promoting sacred assembly
  • Ashland County sacred assembly
  • Ashland clergyman at sacred assembly
  • Ashland County sacred assembly
  • Ashland Mayor dedicates city to GOD
  • Clergy with Richland County Board of Commissioners
  • Clergy outside Richland County courthouse
  • Clergy at press conference calling for prayer during pandemic
  • Clergy at press conference calling for prayer during pandemic
  • Ashland clergy prayer during pandemic
  • Ashland Mayor prays during pandemic
  • Clergy send thank you to President Trump
  • Clergy send thank you to President Trump
  • Clergy invest in Israel bonds
  • Clergy invest in Israel bonds
  • 12 area congregations gather for Yom Kippur services
  • Clergy stand against Eastern Religion in public schools
  • Clergy stand against Eastern Religion in public schools
  • Clergy stand against SOGI bill
  • Ohio clergy recognized by Congressman

With 2020 now behind us, it can be said that a critical mass of evangelicals in Ohio producing massive results became a hot topic.

View the video below on clergy engagement produced this past year by Frontlines Ohio Media:

See related articles:

Several schools agree to bow out of yoga after clergy dissent (VIDEO)
Ashland becomes spiritual hot spot following sacred assembly (VIDEO)
Is the fear of GOD driving wheels of justice in Northern Ohio? (AUDIO)

The Bottom Line:

“If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves, and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Ohio pastors say majority of Americans believe election stolen

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NORTH CENTRAL OHIO — Like a thief in the night, the 2020 election results took a turn for the worse for Donald Trump following Election Night. Many are skeptical of the results and several clergy are not buying the results.

Reverend Jerry O’Brien (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“There is no doubt there was systemic fraud and election interference in the 2020 Election,” says Pastor Jerry O’Brien. “While the courts have not allowed President Trump to even present his case, the court of public opinion clearly supports President Trump despite Big Tech censorship .”

Pastor O’Brien points to a report by the Media Research Center (MRC) which found major media censorship of vital stories that left Biden voters in the dark, and prevented President Trump from easily winning a second-term.

After the 2020 Presidential Election, Media Research Center conducted poll of 1,750 Biden voters in the six disputed states

“According to the report, seventeen-percent of Biden voters in the six swing states would have taken their vote away from the Democratic candidate had they known the facts about one or more of these news stories,” O’Brien says.

The post-election survey, interviewed 1,750 Biden voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, The voters were asked about their knowledge of eight news stories, all of which the liberal media had downplayed or censored.

News stories included the allegations of sexual assault made by Tara Reade against Joe Biden.

“The only way out of this basement is repentance. The Founding Fathers gave their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to build America. Meanwhile, Joe Biden brazenly boasts about having the most extensive fraud organization in the history of American politics. The burning question is, will there be enough patriots in Congress on January 6th to preserve our Constitution?”

Pastor John Bouquet

“By this story itself, this would have flipped all six of the swing states won by Biden, giving the President a win with 311 electoral college votes,” MRC reports.

Reverend El Akuchie (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Another important story buried by the major media was the Hunter Biden laptop story, which revealed Joe Biden was aware of his son’s business dealings in the Ukraine and in Communist China.

According to Reverend El Akuchie, he believes the election results and data do not add up considering President Trump broke the previous record for most votes in U.S. history with seventy-four million votes. 

“To see the large crowds that turned out for the Trump rallies and then to review the statistical data, it just does not pass the smell test.”

“President Trump broke Barack Obama’s record in 2008 by five million votes, and yet we are told he still lost. Even with disputed results, Trump won 2,496 counties, compared to only 477 for Biden. When a candidate wins only seventeen-percent of the counties, loses support from Blacks and Hispanics, and loses the bellwether states of Ohio, Florida, and Iowa, how can Joe Biden be considered the winner? I think we need to take Joe Biden at his word when he tells people in Michigan he does NOT need their vote to get elected.”

Reverend John Bouquet (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Pastor John Bouquet notes the discovery from forensic examinations of sixteen Dominion Voting machines in Antrim, County, Michigan, and a election report in Clark County, Nevada as evidence of rampant fraud. The discoveries found error rates in the voting machines intentionally set at around seventy-percent.

“The 2020 election fraud sets off a domino effect where election integrity becomes suspect, and voter turnout is adversely impacted,” the Pastor says.

“I believe we are losing the soul of our nation; this may take a lifetime to correct. The only way out of this basement is repentance. The Founding Fathers gave their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to build America. Meanwhile, Joe Biden brazenly boasts about having the most extensive fraud organization in the history of American politics. The burning question is, will there be enough patriots in Congress on January 6th to preserve our Constitution?”

Related articles:

Former Ohio Secretary of State calls Presidential election an ‘electoral larceny’
Ohio clergy believe Trump will win against the odds
After voter fraud, Ohio AG requests U.S. Supreme Court overturn PA case

Former Ohio Secretary of State calls Presidential election an ‘electoral larceny’

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MANSFIELD — According to a former Ohio election chief, Big Tech oligarchs, Marxist activists, and government officials are prioritizing partisanship over patriotism in their attempt to steal an election.

“The 2020 election was stolen because leftists were able to exploit the coronavirus pandemic to weaken, alter, and eliminate laws that were put in place over the course of decades to preserve the integrity of the ballot box,” says Ken Blackwell, former Ohio Secretary of State. “Truth be told, the election was stolen because those same leftists had a thoroughly-crafted plan, and were ruthless in its execution.”

Ken Blackwell (Photo courtesy of Family Research Council)

Blackwell points out that leftists have been trying to remove Donald Trump from the Presidency longer than he has been in office.

“All of this sounds like the stuff of fiction — the sort of thing one would expect from a cinematic thriller or a spy novel. Sadly, it’s the reality that our country is faced with after years of placidity in the face of increasingly aggressive intervention into our electoral process on the part of Big Tech oligarchs and activists with deep pockets and shallow motivations.”

Mr. Blackwell believes the beginning of the election heist can be traced at least as far back as 2017 when Barack Obama’s former campaign manager, David Plouffe, took a new position. The new job would lead the policy and advocacy efforts of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, a “charitable organization” run by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

Plouffe published a book entitled: “A Citizen’s Guide to Defeating Donald Trump,”outlining his vision for the Democrats’ roadmap to victory in 2020, which involved a “block by block” effort to turn out voters in key Democratic strongholds in the swing states that would ultimately decide the election: Philadelphia, Milwaukee, Detroit, and Minneapolis.

The former Secretary of State credits the efforts of investigators and attorneys for the Amistad Project of the nonpartisan Thomas More Society, who have been following Zuckerberg’s money for the past eighteen months.

“All of this sounds like the stuff of fiction, the sort of thing one would expect from a cinematic thriller or a spy novel. Sadly, it’s the reality that our country is faced with after years of placidity in the face of increasingly aggressive intervention into our electoral process on the part of Big Tech oligarchs and activists with deep pockets and shallow motivations.”

Ken Blackwell, Former Ohio Secretary of State

“Under the pretext of assisting election officials to conduct “safe and secure” elections in the age of COVID, Zuckerberg donated $350 million to the partisan Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL) which proceeded to distribute Zuckerberg’s funds to left-leaning counties in battleground states. These were the people Plouffe identified as the linchpins of the 2020 Democrat strategy.”

While the Constitution gives state lawmakers the sole authority for managing elections, CTCL’s grants put private interests firmly in control. Zuckerberg and CTCL wrote detailed conditions into their grants that dictated exactly how elections were to be conducted, down to the number of ballot drop boxes and polling places.

Blackwell also explains that high-ranking state officials simultaneously took significant steps to weaken ballot security protocols, acting on their own authority without permission from the state legislatures that enshrined those protections in the law.

“In numerous states, officials absurdly consolidated the vote-counting and ballot-curing process to sporting arenas and other large venues, rather than the manageable precinct-level offices that normally handle the job. This made absolutely no sense as a pandemic-related safety measure. Consequently, mass amounts of ballots without chains of custody were transported to election workers paid directly by CTCL’s grants. Election observers were relegated to distant corners far away from the counting.”

“It’s impossible to know exactly what happened, because Republican observers were denied meaningful access to the process,” Blackwell laments. “In some cases Republicans were literally locked out of the counting rooms while election workers obscured the windows with cardboard.”

President Trump says birth of Christ has changed the course of history (VIDEO)

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WASHINGTON DC — In 2016, the ‘War on Christmas’ took a dramatic turn. When Donald Trump won the Presidential election, he promised to make the words: “Merry Christmas” popular again. Now he is making it ‘the most wonderful time of the year.’

Official portrait of President Donald J. Trump, (Photo by Shealah Craighead)

This month the President made an executive order recognizing Christmas Eve as a federal holiday, resulting in a full day of vacation for federal employees.

At a recent Christmas celebration, President Trump commented that for Americans, Christmas is a time for prayer and worship, for gratitude, goodwill, for peace and for renewal.

“For Christians, this is a holy season, a celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,” the President said.

All things considered, prior to President Trump’s arrival, the Obama Administration told the world America was no longer a Christian nation. By the same token, retailers refrained from giving Christmas greetings to shoppers. But in the following Presidency, political correctness has gone by the wayside.

“Whatever our belief, we know that the birth of Jesus Christ and the story of this incredible life forever changed the course of human history. There is hardly an aspect of our life today that his life has not touched: art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred dignity of every person everywhere in the world.”

President Donald J. Trump

At the White House gala, President Trump went on to say, “The Christmas story began two thousand years ago with a mother, a father, their baby son, and the most extraordinary gift of all: the gift of God’s love for all of humanity.”

He continued, “Whatever our belief, we know that the birth of Jesus Christ and the story of this incredible life forever changed the course of human history. There is hardly an aspect of our life today that his life has not touched: art, music, culture, law, and our respect for the sacred dignity of every person everywhere in the world.”

View the video from the White House below.

In this season of Hannukuh, are there any Maccabees?

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CHARDON — In a day when religious gatherings are being banned by bureaucrats around the nation, the story of Hanukah could not have come at a better time. One faith-based advocate for Israel believes leaders who will not submit to the secular worldview need to step forward.

Ed Douglas, CUFI State Director

“As the Maccabees courageously defended the Temple from hostile invaders when Hanukah first originated, we as Christians today need to vigorously defend our Biblical convictions and congregations,” says Ed Douglas, the Ohio Director of Christians United for Israel.

The eight-day holiday of Hanukah celebrates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem after it was retaken by a group of Jewish warriors from the Greeks in the 2nd century B.C. These warriors, called the Maccabees, were a small band of Jews who refused to conform to the customs and traditions of the secular Greeks.

Facing religious persecution for following the Jewish tenants of their faith, including the observation of the Sabbath, these warriors defeated their pagan occupiers despite being outmanned and poorly equipped.

“There is no doubt these clergy walk in the footsteps of the Maccabees. They are an example of unity in action. They courageously stand with Israel, and defend religious freedom. By recently addressing Bible illiteracy and combatting the promotion of Eastern Religion in public schools, they are not compromising with the world system. The burning question is, are there other leaders who will shine in the darkness?

Ed Douglas, Ohio CUFI Director

Douglas has made it his life’s passion to defend Israel and has combatted the anti-Semitic BDS Movement. His activism involves traveling around the state and speaking on behalf of the Nation of Israel.

“I commend the faith community in North Central Ohio and their activism, many times involving over one hundred congregations,” says Douglas.

“There is no doubt these clergy walk in the footsteps of the Maccabees. They are an example of unity in action. They courageously stand with Israel, and defend religious freedom. By recently addressing Bible illiteracy and combatting the promotion of Eastern Religion in public schools, they are not compromising with the world system. The burning question is, are there other leaders who will shine their light in the darkness?

Hannukuh banquet at Sar Shalom Center in 2018. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Douglas believes there is a generation of other leaders cut from the mold of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers. It’s just finding them.

Christians United for Israel has over nine million members who defend Israel and fight against anti-Semitism in communities, churches, college campuses, the media, and on Capitol Hill.

Related articles:

Faith leaders stand behind Trump policy change recognizing Judea & Samaria (VIDEO)
Congregation supports schools and police for Hannukah
Mansfield has first public menorah lighting

2020 Conservative victories can function as firewall says election watchdog

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COLUMBUS — While the nation is still deciding who the next President will be, the iVoterGuide team is encouraging believers to celebrate the Christian election wins of November 2020.

Debbie Wuthnow (Photo courtesy of iVoterGuide)

“Don’t fall prey to the Left’s ‘victory dance’ or uninformed ‘doom and gloom’ analysis,” said iVoterGuide President, Debbie Wuthnow. “In politics, you seize what ground you can and build from it. Over time, that is how you win. And in 2020, Christians won strategic ground.”

Wuthnow points to the nation’s biggest victories, “Hands down, I believe it is state legislatures. Because it is a census year, the state legislators who were elected on Nov. 3rd will have control of redrawing district lines for both their state legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives. The Constitution gives the legislatures this duty after each census records population changes. That means they can redraw districts to favor conservative candidates for the next decade!”

In these state legislative races, Christian and conservative voters had a nearly perfect night on election night. Candidates who share Christian values will control the redistricting of at least 188 congressional seats, or forty-three percent of the U.S. House of Representatives.

In Ohio, Republicans expanded their super-majorities after the 2020 election in both chambers. The GOP increased their lead in the State Senate from 24-9 to 25-8. in the State House their lead went from 61-38 to 64-35. Rep. Timothy Ginter (R-Salem) and Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), both ordained ministers, won handily in their races.

Ohio Republicans also won twelve of the sixteen U.S. Congressional races as the GOP gained a total of at least twelve seats in the House.

“First, Christians and conservatives can erect a firewall to blunt the attacks of the Secular Left. This firewall will get even stronger should conservatives prevail in the special Georgia elections for U.S. Senate on Jan. 5th. Remember, not all Democrats are on board with the far-Left agenda. Many come from states like West Virginia, and they likely won’t vote with radicals or they will pay a price.

Debbie Wuthnow, PResident of iVoterguide

What does this mean for America? According to Wuthnow, it means plenty.

“First, Christians and conservatives can erect a firewall to blunt the attacks of the Secular Left. This firewall will get even stronger should conservatives prevail in the special Georgia elections for U.S. Senate on Jan. 5th. Remember, not all Democrats are on board with the far-Left agenda. Many come from states like West Virginia, and they likely won’t vote with radicals or they will pay a price.

“Second, the state legislative victories mean that in 2022, control of the U.S. House is well within reach of Christians and conservatives. If you combine redistricting with the stunning victories won by conservatives in House races on Nov. 3, including a record number of pro-life women entering Congress, 2022 could shut the door on radical progressives in the House.

Wuthnow went on to point out the 2020 election results reveal a new wave of new conservative voters participating in the process.

“Third, it means we have only begun to tap the potential of turning out new and informed Christian and conservative voters who will vote their values. Despite voter fraud, despite the rise of leftist corporations and billionaires from Silicon Valley to Hollywood to Manhattan, we are awakening potentially tens of millions of new voters who can overcome their advantages.”

iVoter partners with fifty-nine other ministries, including Ohio Christian Alliance, and Family Research Council Action. iVoter also has a booklet describing the civic duties of a Christian.

iVoterGuide is a one-stop resource for candidate ratings and election information from a Christian and conservative worldview. In 2020, iVoterGuide’s expert researchers gave an in-depth analysis and overall rating for over seven thousand candidates in more than three thousand races nationwide.

Nativity scene adorns decorative holiday display in Mansfield

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MANSFIELD — After a dark year in 2020, the downtown is a little brighter for Christmas. The city has added to its holiday light display in Central Park, and people are talking. As one pastor points out, it is still important to keep the message of Christ on the public square.

Pastor Dink Porter of Mansfield Open Bible Church. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

“The city did a great job with the lights this year which has attracted people to the downtown,” says Pastor Dink Porter of Mansfield Open Bible Church.

“It is my hope that people will see the nativity scene by the gazebo and realize the real hope we have in this season revolves around Christ. The Son of GOD came into this world to give the gift of salvation. With all the censorship we are seeing by Big Tech, it is still good we have these displays of our faith on the public square. They are important for the next generation.”

Previously Pastor Porter served as a youth pastor for fifteen years. Last year he partnered with another local clergymen and donated framed posters of mottos “In GOD we trust” and “With GOD all things are possible” for every classroom in the Madison Local School District.

“It is my hope people will see the nativity scene by the gazebo and realize the real hope we have in this season revolves around Christ. The Son of GOD came into this world to give the gift of salvation. With all the censorship we are seeing by Big Tech, it is still good we have these displays of our faith on the public square. They are important for the next generation.”

Pastor Dink Porter, Mansfield Open BIble Church

The nativity scene at Central Park is sponsored by the Richland Community Prayer Network. Privately sponsored nativity scenes or religious symbols are permissible on public property that has been opened to the general public for expressive activity. No secular symbol is necessary.

Pastor Porter noted that last month, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals granted a motion to stay, allowing a nativity scene to be included in an annual holiday display in Jackson County, Indiana.

According to Liberty Counsel, the legal counsel who argued the case, the U.S. Supreme Court and many federal courts have ruled such religious displays are constitutional. Liberty Counsel provides a legal memorandum and pro-bono legal services.

Nativity scene at Mansfield Central Park. (Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Pastor Porter added, “If we do not exercise our right to practice religion publicly, we will lose that right in the next generation. This is the season that we can make Christ the talk of the town, so let’s do it.”

See related articles:

Nativity scenes take center stage across Buckeye Bible Belt (SLIDESHOW)
Holy night in Savannah as live nativity draws capacity crowd (SLIDESHOW)
Atheist group fails in bid to bully Ohio town over nativity scene

The Bottom Line:

Matthew 2 says, “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem…”

Lucas County Health Department taken to court for violating religious liberty (VIDEO)

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TOLEDO – A coalition of religious schools is saying a health department has gone too far and is overlooking the First Amendment. The group says the Constitution should not be suspended during a pandemic; it looks like now they will have their day in court.

The Ohio Christian Education Network (OCEN) and three Christian Schools have filed a lawsuit in Federal Court against the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department (TLCHD) for violating Christian schools’ First Amendment religious freedoms. TLCHD ordered all schools, grades 7-12, to cease in-person instruction for six weeks. 

Toledo-Lucas County Health Department is being sued by religious schools for its order to cease all in-person instruction.
(Photo courtesy of Facebook/Toledo-Lucas County Health Dept.)

The lawsuit, filed in the Northern District of Ohio, asks the court for a Temporary Restraining Order to stop Lucas County from closing schools to allow the Evangelical and Catholic schools to safely resume providing in-person education to their students.

“First Amendment freedoms does not go on a holiday break,” says Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values, which operates the Ohio Christian Education Network. “The Lucas County Health Department has not only violated the religious liberty rights of Christian schools and students by denying them the right to provide religious instruction, but they’ve threatened the futures and mental health of Lucas County students.” 

“Despite all the medical evidence and experts that continue to say one of the safest places for children to be is in school, Lucas County has taken aggressive action to deny children the right to in-person education. Meanwhile, they’ve let casinos, strip clubs, liquor stores, and concerts continue. We cannot sit idly by while children and freedoms are being harmed.”  

“Regardless of how well-intentioned TLCHD may be, the Resolution is misguided and violates the federal constitution by burdening religious institutions yet failing to prohibit other gatherings that pose more sinister health risks to community spread.”

statement from Lawsuit by OCEN and religious schools

OCEN and the Christian schools retained Brian Fox, Corporate Counsel at Graydon Head & Ritchey LLP to file the complaint.

“Regardless of how well-intentioned TLCHD may be, the Resolution is misguided and violates the federal constitution by burdening religious institutions yet failing to prohibit other gatherings that pose more sinister health risks to community spread,” the complaint says.

This lawsuit follows a letter sent by OCEN, before the order went into effect, to discuss Christian schools’ concerns with the order. Despite multiple attempts by OCEN to have a conversation with the Health Board on how best to serve students – both medically and academically – the Health Board ignored OCEN’s outreach efforts. 

View the CCV video below with President Aaron Baer explaining why his coalition had no choice but to file a lawsuit against TLCHD.

Article updated December 8, 2020.

Liberty Counsel launches 2020 ‘Naughty or Nice’ list to assist shoppers

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MANSFIELD — A Christian legal firm based in Orlando has launched a “Friend or Foe Christmas Campaign” as a tool to assist shoppers in the midst of the culture war. As Christians face censorship and boycott nationwide, the holiday campaign includes encouragement, education-and if necessary, litigation to guard the rights of Christians to publicly celebrate Christmas.

Each year Liberty Counsel publishes a Naughty and Nice List of retailers who either censor or celebrate Christmas. The Christian ministry encourages customers to give the gift of Christmas back to companies who support Christmas. If retailers choose to profit from Christmas while pretending it does not exist, shoppers are encouraged to politely explain why and then patronize their competitors. 

The ministry also provides a one-page version of the retailer list.

Liberty Counsel has been engaged on a number of Christmas related issues. The ministry has published a legal memorandum detailing how courts and our Constitution preserve the freedom to celebrate Christmas.

As a matter of fact, the legal team at Liberty Counsel has addressed and overturned hundreds of censorship attempts including: restoring nativity scenes banned from public property, returning Christmas carols to nursing homes, and correcting school officials who rewrote religious words out of Christmas carols.

In the above situations—and hundreds more—Liberty Counsel has educated and successfully reversed this anti-Christmas censorship.

The legal team at Liberty Counsel has addressed and overturned hundreds of censorship attempts including: restoring Nativity scenes banned from public property, returning Christmas carols to nursing homes, and correcting school officials who rewrote religious words out of Christmas carols.

Some retailers on the list are showcased for promoting Christmas.

Menard’s sells merchandise with “say Merry Christmas.” There are also quite a few Nativity items. When searching specifically for “Christmas” items, three large categories clearly label a Christmas pop up – “Indoor Christmas, Outdoor Christmas, and Christmas Lights.”

Lowe’s also is on the good side of the list. When searching for “Christmas,” several different categories pop up. All of Lowe’s holiday decorations are labeled as “Christmas” decorations and there is also a specific section for “Christmas supplies.”

Hobby Lobby stays true to their Christian values. Their homepage prominently advertises Christmas products and they carry many products printed with “Merry Christmas.” Many other items are actually labeled as “Christmas” decorations and there is a large selection of Nativity scenes.

The “Naughty or Nice” list also includes unreputable retailers. Besides supporting same-sex restrooms and the sale of pornography, Target and Barnes & Noble also refuse to acknowledge Christmas.

Guest Column: The Ballot Battle of Gettysburg (AUDIO)

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Where are the real journalists? Certainly not in Pennsylvania, where one of the most jaw-dropping hearings in state history just took place. Most Americans haven’t heard a word about it, which is no great mystery since the media is doing everything it can to make the election results look squeaky clean. The reality, Paul Kengor warns, is anything but. And a 570,000 ballot dump is a major reason why.

Tony Perkins (Photo courtesy of FRC)

The audience, Kengor points out, gasped when they heard it. In Gettysburg, where legislators were pouring over numbers and looking at all of the claims of voting manipulation, one particular bombshell took the room’s breath away. An expert, testifying to the Pennsylvania Senate, took to his chair and started talking about “spike anomalies,” or, certain points in the vote processing where a huge number of ballots are processed in “a time period that is not feasible or mechanically possible under the circumstances.”

Pulling out a chart, Ret. Col. Phil Waldren points to a 90-minute period on Election Day where 604,000 votes were counted in 90 minutes. But here’s the astonishing part: 570,000 of those votes were for Biden and 3,200 were for Trump.

In other words, Kengor does the math, “Biden scooped up this enormous batch by 99.4 percent. Incredible. Impossible. Scandalous.” And he wasn’t the only one who thought so. The room was audibly shocked (1:28:00 of video below).

“If this is true, then this episode alone might well constitute a smoking gun affirming a fraudulent election in Pennsylvania. This electoral bombshell has been completely ignored by the mainstream press.”

Paul Kengor, political scientist at Grove City College

“If what Waldren alleges here is true,” Kengor argues, “then this would constitute one of the most insidious examples of documented voter fraud in the history of American presidential politics. This one spike alone would have erased Donald Trump’s 600,000-vote lead over Joe Biden late Tuesday night, November 3. Biden has reportedly won Pennsylvania by about 70,000 votes.

“If this is true, then this episode alone might well constitute a smoking gun affirming a fraudulent election in Pennsylvania.” And yet, Kengor fumes, “this electoral bombshell has been completely ignored by the mainstream press.”

Another interesting piece of this, Kengor explained on “Washington Watch” Tuesday is that of the 3.1 million mail-in ballots were sent to Pennsylvania voters (these are updated figures from the secretary of state’s office), there was an extraordinarily high mail-in return rate. According to state election officials, almost 90 percent of voters sent in a completed ballot. That’s almost unheard of, Kengor says. And “what it would have taken for Joe Biden to [surpass] Donald Trump’s 700,000 vote lead in Pennsylvania seems statistically impossible.”

And, oddly enough, a majority of those late mail-in ballots only had Joe Biden’s name circled. “I don’t know how common that is to have only the President checked off and nobody else. But I find that too curious, especially given the opportunities for fraud, the lack of verification in the mail-in balloting process.”

The press, meanwhile, is completely missing in action — even though these are legitimate issues that have the power to sway the election of the most powerful leader in the free world. “Trump’s critics,” Kengor understands, “will want to dismiss the hearings as a partisan spectacle hosted by Pennsylvania Republican legislators. You can’t do that. A real journalist would see enough here to at least merit making some phone calls or sending a few emails…”

“Look, Kengor says, “whether you like Donald Trump or not, whether you voted for him or not, this should concern every American. If this were Joe Biden being victimized, I would likewise protest. The media sure as heck would. This is not right.”

Listen to the interview on the radio broadcast below of “Washington Watch” with Tony Perkins.

Tony Perkins is President of Family Research Council and host of the radio broadcast “Washington Watch,” which discusses current issues and frequently conducts interviews with members of Congress and prominent pro-family leaders from across the nation.

Cuyahoga County backs down from divisive SOGI law after ADF lawsuit (VIDEO)

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CLEVELAND — When it came to enforcing a controversial law against a wedding officiant, Cuyahoga County got cold feet. Last month it was decided an evangelical Christian officiant in Ohio will not be forced to perform same-sex wedding ceremonies against her will. Her ministry can continue overseeing ‘marriages made in heaven.’

Kristi Stokes, owner of Covenant Weddings, sued Cuyahoga County this year over a law barring places of public accommodation from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI).

Pictured: Kristi Stokes, owner of Covenant Weddings (Photo courtesy of ADF)

In a October proposed judgment entry, both parties agreed the law would not apply to Stokes and her company, as they would not be identified as a place of public accommodation.  

The agreement stated, “Because Kristi does not have a physical storefront, Cuyahoga County decided Stokes does not qualify as a ‘public accommodation’ and therefore she has the right to use her talents to promote and celebrate the events that are consistent with her beliefs. The county also acknowledged that it can’t force her to solemnize weddings or write scripts even if she did have a physical storefront.” 

Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse of Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), which represented Stokes, released a statement after Stokes’ big day in court celebrating the agreement between the two parties.

“No one should be forced to officiate ceremonies that conflict with their religious beliefs,” the ADF Legal Counsel said. “Cuyahoga County’s law made Kristi face an impossible choice: disobey the law, defy her own faith, or ditch her business. She no longer faces that choice. No matter one’s views on marriage, we all lose when the government can force citizens to participate in religious ceremonies they oppose.”

“Cuyahoga County’s law made Kristi face an impossible choice: disobey the law, defy her own faith, or ditch her business. She no longer faces that choice. No matter one’s views on marriage, we all lose when the government can force citizens to participate in religious ceremonies they oppose.”

Johannes Widmalm-Delphonse, ADF Legal Counsel

Stokes originally filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio over an anti-discrimination law known as Cuyahoga County Code § 1501.02(C). The local ordinance prohibits places of public accommodation from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

“My religious beliefs influence every aspect of my life, and I can’t simply put my religious identity into separate personal and professional boxes,” Stokes stated. “If you’re looking for someone to officiate your wedding, and you’re hoping to incorporate a cannabis theme or write prayers to celebrate an open marriage, I’m not your girl.”

This is not the first time local governments in the U.S. District Court of Northern Ohio have pulled back on costly local SOGI ordinances leading to litigation.

In 2018, the city of South Euclid, Ohio passed a SOGI law. The law could have required the Catholic school, Lyceum, to hire those who disagreed with its core beliefs on marriage and sexuality or risk fines and jail time. With the help of ADF, Lyceum challenged the law in court, and in May 2019, the city officially clarified that the law would not apply to the school.

View the video below produced by Alliance Defending Freedom on the story of Lyceum’s victory.

See related articles:

Cuyahoga County taken to court over its discrimination against Christian (VIDEO)
100 Ohio clergymen warn SOGI bill will turn First Amendment upside down
Ohio Catholic School Sues City to Protect Civil Rights and Religious Freedom (VIDEO)

The Bottom Line

“Now the LORD is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the LORD is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Guest Column: America’s Thanksgiving Heritage

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Thanksgiving is not only a time to express gratefulness to God for His provision but also a time to teach others about America’s true heritage. Public acknowledgements of the providence of God have been part of the history and traditions of this nation–from the Pilgrims, to the Founding Era, to the Civil War, and today–and it is important to share the true meaning of Thanksgiving. 

In fact, George Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation reveals important information about the meaning of the First Amendment. 

Mat Staver
(Photo courtesy of Liberty Counsel)

On Friday, September 25, 1789, the Bill of Rights was ratified by the Senate. The First Amendment was approved by Congress and sent out to the states for final approval. However, after the Framers completed the Bill of Rights, Elias Boudinot, a member of the House of Representatives, said he could not think of letting the session pass without offering an opportunity to all U.S. citizens to return thanks to God for His many blessings. That same day, the U.S. House passed the following resolution: 

“Resolved, that a joint committee of both Houses be directed to wait upon the President of the United States, to request that he would recommend to the people of the United States, a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed, by acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a Constitution of Government for their safety and happiness.”

On Saturday, October 3, 1789, President George Washington declared November 26, 1789, a national day of Thanksgiving to thank God for the Constitution and our new American government: 

George Washington

“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor– and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” 

That same year, the Protestant Episcopal Church, of which President Washington was a member, announced that the first Thursday in November would become the regular day for giving thanks, “unless another day be appointed by the civil authorities.” In fact, by 1815, the various state governments had issued at least 1,400 official prayer proclamations, almost half for times of thanksgiving and prayer and the other half for times of fasting and prayer. 

The Thanksgiving proclamation called Americans to prayer with optimism and genuine thankfulness, noting that: “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God…”

Mrs. Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, deserves much of the credit for the adoption of Thanksgiving as an annual national holiday. For two decades, Hale contacted presidents trying to promote the idea. Finally, during the darkest days of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln responded in 1863. Lincoln issued a formal proclamation, passed by an act of Congress, that set aside the last Thursday of that November as the first annual National Day of Thanksgiving and Praise. 

The Thanksgiving proclamation called Americans to prayer with optimism and genuine thankfulness, noting that: “No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, Who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy…” 

Abraham Lincoln

Three months earlier, the Battle of Gettysburg had occurred, resulting in the loss of approximately 60,000 American lives. And while President Lincoln walked among the thousands of graves there at Gettysburg, Lincoln committed his life to Jesus Christ.

Lincoln said, “When I left Springfield [to assume the presidency], I asked the people to pray for me. I was not a Christian. When I buried my son, the severest trial of my life, I was not a Christian. But when I went to Gettysburg and saw the graves of thousands of our soldiers, I then and there consecrated myself to Christ.” 

It is important that we know and teach others about America’s heritage and biblical foundation in order to reflect upon the true meaning of Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for in America, and the Founders wanted to make sure future generations never forget the blessings of freedom. 

Mat Staver serves as Senior Pastor, Founder, and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. Mat has over 300 published legal opinions. Mat has also filed numerous briefs and argued cases in many federal and state courts, including several landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases. Mat is host and producer of Faith and Freedom podcast/radio program and Freedom’s Call radio program.

S.B. 89 passes giving families more education alternatives

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COLUMBUS – School choice programs with as few strings attached, can ensure private Christian schools do not have to compromise their operating principles in order to enroll in state-sponsored scholarships. After a recent vote, families are thankful the government will not be pulling one more string.

This week, Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 89. Sponsored by Senator Matt Huffman, this new law will allow more families to access to EdChoice Scholarships, with approximately fifty-percent of Ohio students eligible for a scholarship upon enactment. 

Aaron Baer
(Photo courtesy of CCV)

“As government schools across Ohio refuse to open to serve children, the Ohio General Assembly and Governor DeWine have taken a significant step to provide more families with more educational options by enacting SB 89,” says Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values (CCV).

“No student should be stuck in a school that does not meet their needs. SB 89 will ensure more families can access a wide array of educational opportunities.”

Despite more choices for families, the Ohio Education Association opposed the measure.

“School Choice is a winning issue in Ohio. It’s something that benefits all Ohioans across racial, religious, and economic lines. Children throughout the Buckeye State will have a brighter future. SB 89 is another step in the right direction.”

Aaron Baer, President of Citizens for Community Values

“School Choice is a winning issue in Ohio. It’s something that benefits all Ohioans across racial, religious, and economic lines. Children throughout the Buckeye State will have a brighter future. As we work towards a day where every family can access a scholarship to attend the school of their choice, SB 89 is another step in the right direction.”

With the passage of SB 89, an EdChoice district will be determined by the number of students who reside in the district and generate Title I funds. If a public school district has at least 20% of students who generate Title I funds, then all students residing in that district will be eligible with one exception: If the school they attend is in the top 80% of the Performance Index in the last two years, then that school building will be exempted from EdChoice.

The bill also grandfathers in K-12 students who were eligible in the 19-20 school year, but for whatever reason did not take a scholarship. In addition, EdChoice Expansion is increased from 200% to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. Below are the Federal Poverty guidelines for gross household income.

Image

Under this bill, the application window will move from February 1st to March 1st to be in line with the statutory bill effective date.

In the 2019-2020 school year, more than twelve thousand students in Ohio participated in the Income-based Scholarship Program. Nearly five hundred schools in Ohio participate in the program, with the average scholarship amount over $4,200.

See related article:

Ohio Supreme Court skips class, denying justice to families

Did Ohio clergy letter sway Secretary of State Pompeo? (VIDEO)

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ONTARIO — Last month a group of clergy sent a correspondence to Israeli officials and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declaring their support for Israel. Within weeks of the clergy letter, Mr. Pompeo made a historic visit to Israel echoing the same positions on Israel sovereignty and the BDS Movement. It’s almost as if America’s top diplomat was….reading their mail.

Pictured: Rabbi William Hallbrook, Pastor Jody Odom, & Pastor Anthony Cooper.
(Photo courtesy of Frontlines Ohio)

Mike Pompeo became the first United States Secretary of State to visit a Jewish community in Israel’s biblical heartland of Judea and Samaria. During his visit, Pompeo declared that going forward, products produced in the disputed region will now be labeled “Made in Israel.” He also said the U.S. would cut support to any groups participating in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanction (BDS) Movement against Israel.

Just one month prior to the state visit, thirty-three clergymen from the Buckeye Bible Belt sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu, Ambassador Freidman, and Secretary of State Pompeo announcing their staunch support.

“We are declaring our commitment to the Jewish State by personally purchasing Israel bonds,” the clergy letter wrote. “We want to formally express our support for Israel and to demonstrate our approval of construction and expansion of Jewish settlements in its sovereign territories.”

“The Trump administration has the strongest record of any U.S. President for support of Israel. It’s been said for every letter sent to elected officials, that voice represents countless other voices. We put the clergy letter together so it would align with Scripture. I would like to think our small faith community has made an international impact and perhaps even a prophetic impact.”

Rabbi William Hallbrook, Sar Shalom Center

Co-signers of the clergy letter believe Biblical prophecy is being fulfilled with Israel. Absent for nearly two millennium, the Jewish State is now taking ownership of the land promised to their forefathers. One of the clergy elaborates.

“The Trump administration has the strongest record of any U.S. President for support of Israel,” mentions Rabbi William Hallbrook of Sar Shalom Center. “It’s been said for every letter sent to elected officials, that voice represents countless other voices. We put the clergy letter together so it would align with Scripture. I would like to think our small faith community has made an international impact and perhaps even a prophetic impact.”

When asked if he believes that purchasing Israel bonds can influence foreign policy, the Rabbi made a point.

“We have seen the clergy commitment to invest in Israeli bonds influence local officials on a micro level. Who is to say that it could not impact national policy on a macro level?”

Pictured: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo during November 19th meeting. (Photo courtesy of Secretary of State/Twitter)

County Treasurer Bart Hamilton first purchased $200,000 in Israel bonds at the request of forty local clergy. Mr. Hamilton has now invested an additional one million dollars in Israel bonds the same month of the clergy letter. He joins a number of other County Treasurers and the State of Ohio, which has bought more Israel bonds than any state in the nation.

Another co-signer agrees with the Rabbi. “I think purchasing Israel bonds could have possibly influenced the Secretary of State; that is our hope,” says Pastor Anthony Cooper of Shelby Life Church. “I also believe GOD is working in these last hours and prophecy is unfolding before our very eyes. A tiny speck in the desert is now blooming with new life.”

View the two minute video below produced by CBN News reporting on Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s visit last week to Binyamin and the Golan Heights.

See related articles:

North Central Ohio strengthens close-knit bond with Israel
40 clergy see immediate returns after Richland County invests in Israeli bonds (VIDEO)
Faith leaders stand behind Trump policy change recognizing Judea & Samaria (VIDEO)

The Bottom Line:

“Who has seen such a thing, who has heard such a thing? Can a land be born in one day? As soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her sons and her daughters.” Isaiah 66:8

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