History Made! Pres. Trump Enters North Korea

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(includes review of Q posts related to NK)

While most Americans were fast asleep early Sunday morning, it was midday in Korea as the President made history. Meeting with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un at the line that separated North from South, the two leaders shook hands, then President Trump stepped over the line and entered North Korea. He is the first US president to do so.

The set-up went like this: on Saturday, the President broached the subject in a tweet to Kim Jong Un saying, “…if Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!”

North Korea responded to Trump’s invitation through its state media that Kim agreed to meet.

These are some of President Trump’s comments following their exchange:

“I just want to say that this is my honor. I didn’t really expect it. We were in Japan for the G-20. We came over, and I said, hey, I’m over here. I want to call Chairman Kim. And we got to meet. And stepping across that line was a great honor. A lot of progress has been made.”

“We just had a very, very good meeting with Chairman Kim. And we’ve agreed that we’re each going to designate a team. And the team will try and work out some details. And again, speed is not the object. We want to see if we can do a really comprehensive, good deal.”

“I don’t like sanctions being on his country. I’m looking forward. But the sanctions remain, yes. But at some point during the negotiation, things can happen. And that’s when we’ll be talking about sanctions, OK?”

The President also met with foreign leaders in Osaka, Japan during the G20 Summit last week. He also sat down with Russian President Putin. A reporter asked him if he would tell Putin to stop meddling in US elections. Having a bit of fun, President Trump looked at Putin and said, “Don’t meddle in the election.” Putin laughed.

The $40 million Special Counsel investigation found that Trump did not collude with Russia in the 2016 election, nor did he obstruct the investigation.

Mr. Trump’s meeting with President Xi of China went “far better than expected,” Trump said, and encompassed the following agreements.

• There will be no change to existing tariffs while the two countries continue to negotiate.
• China has agreed that, during the negotiation, they will begin purchasing large amounts of agricultural product.
• Chinese telecom giant Huawei will buy products from American high tech firms as long as they do not impact national security.

How to Pray: for continued talks with North Korea and their complete de-nuclearization. Pray for the North Koreans who are terribly persecuted to be freed from the oppressive regime and for democracy.

National News

Hitting a Wall

U.S. District Judge Haywood Gilliam in Northern California federal court made permanent an injunction to stop the administration from redirecting military funds for constructing a border wall.

That immediately affects two proposed border fencing projects that would stretch 79 miles along the border in California, New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. The administration is expected to file an emergency motion to appeal the decision.

Silencing Pastors

California’s state assembly passed a resolution requires church leaders to affirm homosexuality and transgenderism. It also prohibits counseling against unwanted same-sex attraction or gender confusion—which is also known as conversion therapy.

According to Roger Gannam, Vice President of legal affair of Liberty Counsel, there is a track record of success helping people leave homosexual lifestyles. He believes this resolution is a form of slander because it blames the church and religious leaders for high rates of suicide in the LGBT community without any proof.

Leading the way to get the resolution passed is the former director of the National Association of Evangelicals and current Chaplain at Azusa Pacific University, Dr. Kevin Mannoia. The measure now heads to the state senate.

Church Sexual Abuse

Meeting in Birmingham, AL, last week, the Southern Baptist Convention voted to make it easier to expel churches that mishandle claims of sexual abuse. They also voted to set up a committee to examine the issue. The convention was reacting, in part, to this February 10, 2019 story in the Houston Chronicle:

• Since 1998, about 380 SBC leaders and volunteers have faced allegations of sexual misconduct. More of them worked in Texas than in any other state.
• The 700 victims were often shunned by their churches and left to themselves to rebuild their lives.
• About 220 offenders have been convicted or took plea deals, and dozens of cases are pending. They are pastors, deacons, Sunday School teachers, and other volunteers.

How to Pray: Judgment begins at the house of the Lord. Thank God for what He is doing to clean it up. Remember that it is a spiritual battle, stay in a mode of forgiveness, and trust Him with the outcome.

2 Cor. 10:3-6 – For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.