Church Must Preserve Society in Time of Crime and Corruption

If the Church exists and is present in society, why is there so much criminality?, the Christian Daily website asks today (May 6, 2025).

Have we asked ourselves why crime, corruption, injustice,, and evil continue to thrive around us? Could it be because we are living in overwhelming darkness and moral decay?  

All violence and crime impact people's lives, as well as the well--being and peace of mind of families -- and therefore, also the believers who are part of the population.

Every one of us -- regardless of economic status, religion, social backfround, race, or culture -- is exposed to the growing danger of delinquency and criminality. These forces are rapidly escalating and contributing to the rise of a culture of death in our society. The proposals and measures implemented by gocvernment -- even in cooperation with all branches of the state -- are often ineffective and, at best, insufficient. 

In light of the Holy Scriptures, the Church has a role to fulfill on this earth. Analysts must look beyond the social causes of inequality, injustice, and exclusion to grasp the full nature of the human being, who is not only physical but also spiritual. 

Violence and crime originate in the sinful nature of human beings, which then take root and grow within the unjust structures of society. In this sense, the Church must engage in the spiritual and moral discernment of criminal behavior in order to offer a viable comprehensive solution to the problem of crime. 

We are called to proclaim the way of freedom as the transforming message of the good news of redemption in Christ, with the clear and powerful anointing of the spirit. Through this message, people might turn from their sins and repent -- being reconciled with God and with one another. 

Trump Seeks Huge Spending Increase on Border, Deportations

President Donald Trump wants to boost the nation's border security budget by nearly $44 billion, for one year only, the USA Today website reports today (May 4, 2025). 

The proposal would raise the Department of Homeland Security budget by two--thirds to $107 billion, from $65 billion, for fiscal year 2026. 

The one--time funding surge would enable DHS to pay for the President's planned deportation campaign, build border fencing, modernize the Coast Guard fleet, and enhance Secret Service operations. 

The proposal would at the same time cut funding for programs that support vulnerable migrants  or make investments in migrants' home countries to create the economic and security conditions that would encourage them to remain.  

It cuts or eliminates funding for programs that resettle refugees, places unaccompanied minors with sponsors, provides emergency shelter to migrants and for USAID, the State Department entity that funds programs overseas.  The president's proposal is a request; Congress holds the power of the purse to appropriate money to fund the government. 

DHS is the umbrella agency for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- two agencies that are key to Trump's deportation and border security agenda. 

"ICE, CBP, and other agencies have consistently felt underfunded for the missions they are allocated with," said Colleen Putzel--Kavanaugh, associate policy analyst with the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. "For mass deportation, ICE has said it doesn't have the resources to do it." 

Trump Seks Huge Spending Increase on Border,Deportations

 President Donald Trump wants to boost the nation's border security budget by nearly $44 billion, for one year only,the USA Today website reports today (May 3, 2025). The proposal would raise the Department of Homeland Security budget by two--thirds to $107 billion, from $65 billion for fiscal year 2026.

The one--time funding surge would enable DHS to pay for the president's planned deportation campaign, build border fencing, modernize the Coast Guard fleet, and enhance Secret Service operations. 

The proposal would at the same time cut funding for programs that support vulnerable migrants or make investments in migrants' home countries to create the economic and security conditions that would encourage them to remain.

It cuts or eliminates funding for programs that resettle refugees, places unaccompanied minors with sponsors, provides emergency shelter to migrants and for USAID, the State Department entity that funds programs overseas. The president's proposal is a request; Congress holds the power of the purse to appropriate money to fund the government.

DHS is the umbrella agency for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- two agencies that are key to Trump's deportation and border security agenda. 

"ICE, CBP, all of these different agencies have consistently felt underfunded for the  missions they are allocated with," said Colleen Putzel--Kavanaugh, associate policy analyst with the Migration Policy Institute for Mass Deportation. ICE has said it doesn't have the resources to do it."

What the Bible Says about Boundaries

Boundaries have become almost a buzzword on the internet lately, the Crossmap website reports today (May 2, 2025). 

The person who best demonstrated boundaries was Jesus. He had clear boundaries with people in His life and throughout the Bible. We can see why boundaries are important, and even which boundaries are important.

The most obvious way the Bible puts boundaries on display is almost so obvious that it's easy to miss. God set the world in motion with boundaries. There is a law or a rule that the world follows. In the very beginning, God started by creating boundaries. 

"And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness" (Genesis 1:3--4). 

God set boundaries for day and night, and for land and water. He also set boundaries for us. He told us what we had rule over (Genesis 1:29) and what to eat and what not to eat (Genesis 2:16--17). 

Later in Scripture, God governs His people  and shows us how boundaries are meant to protect us and invites us into healthy relationships with Him and with one another. 

"God's story gives us clarity by showing us the boundaries that He has provided as a protection for women, children, and all in society. In the  law, God provides those boundaries for Israel as a community. The ceremonial boundaries taugfht them God's holiness. The moral boundaries taught them God's righteousness. The social/civil boundaries taught them the value of all in the nation."

Study: White Evangelicals Have Top Support for Trump's First 100 Days

According to a new poll, President Donald Trump and his policies have majority support  among white Evangelical  Protestants, even as nearly all other religious demographics have expressed reservations about some or all of his policies, the Christian Post website reports today (May 1, 2025).

Pew Research Center released a report on April 28 highlighting President Donald  Trump's approval rating among members of various religious denominations as the first 100 days of his second term in office come to a close. The data in the report is based on responses collected from 3589 Americans between April 7--13 and has a margin of error of 1.8 percentage points, 

Respondents include 496 white Evangelical Protestants, 351 white non--Evangelical Protestants, 220 black Protestants, 428 white Catholics, 201 Hispanic Catholics, and 1,079 religiously unaffiliated voters. Overall, Trump has an approval rating of 40% with the American public, while 59% disapproved of his job performance.

Among all Christians, Trump has a 51% disapproval rating and a 48% approval rating. The president boasts a 72% approval rating with this group. Trump has an approval rating of 51% anong both white, non--Evangelical Protestants, and white Catholics. Among all other religious demographics, more disapprove than approve of his presidency. 

Survey: Religiously Unaffiliated Now Outnumber Cath. and Protestants in Germany

For the first time in modern German history, more Germans identify as religiously unaffiliated than as Roman Catholics or Protestants, according to a new survey published by Weltanschauungen research group, the Christian Daily website reports today (April 30, 2025). The 2024 data reveal that 47%  of Germany's population -- an estimated 39 million people -- now consider themselves to have no religious affiliation. In contrast, the combined number of Protestants and Roman Catholics stands at 38 million, or 45% of the population.  

The shift marks a significant milestone in Germany's religious landscape and underscores the ongoing decline in membership among the country's two historically dominant Christian denominations

Over one million church members left the church in 2024.

Who Is Jesus?

 Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He asked them, "Who do people say I am ?" (Mark 8:27), the Crossmap website reports today (April 29, 2025). 

After Peter had spent so much time with Jesus, he had become familiar with who Jesus was, so his answer was fitting to Jesus' question. "You are the Messiah."  It wasn't the right time for everyone to know who Jesus fully was,  even though the whole time He was on earth, He was revealing the Father God. Was it a big surprise? The fullness of the glory of God was revealed in Jesus after He died on the cross. Jesus became our Messiah, He won the victory over sin and became the exalted Son, who sits at the right hand of God. 

People are very interested in asking the same question about who are you? They try to guess our identity and sometimes want to tell you who you  are. This is who you should be!

Who knows what makes your heart swing? Who can tell what makes you soar on the wings of eagles? The one  thing about our identity that we should never forget is that God tells us who we are and calls us His sons and daughters.  We are a new creation  because of Jesus and belong to God's Kingdom. 

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"