CONTENDING FOR THE FAITH
Trump Recognizes Start of Holy Week: ‘History Was Forever Changed’ By Resurrection of Jesus Christ
April 15, 2025 — Breitbart.com reports: “President Donald Trump recognized the start of Holy Week and Jesus Christ’s Crucifixion and Resurrection, noting ‘History was forever changed’ in the moment of Jesus Christ’s Resurrection.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote about how ‘the pain and sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross’ was an example of ‘God’s boundless Love and Devotion to all Humanity.’ Trump continued to wish Christians around the world a ‘Happy and very Blessed’ Easter holiday.
‘This Holy Week, Christians around the World remember the Crucifixion of God’s only Begotten Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and, on Easter Sunday, we celebrate His glorious Resurrection and proclaim, as Christians have done for nearly 2,000 years, ‘HE IS RISEN!’‘ Trump wrote in his post…” (Amen President Trump. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. (Matthew 28:1-10).
What a refreshing change from Resurrection Sunday last year, when President Biden proclaimed the day not as Resurrection Day, but rather said: Today, we send a message to all transgender Americans: You are loved. You are heard. You are understood,” the White House statement said. “You belong. You are America, and my entire Administration and I have your back. NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim March 31, 2024, as Transgender Day of Visibility.”)
After Two Decades of Socialist Attacks on Christianity, 97% of Venezuelans Still Believe in God
April 18, 2025 — Breitbart.com reports: “A recent study conducted by Venezuela-based research firm Delphos found that 97 percent of Venezuelans believe in God and a majority pray regularly despite more than two decades of attacks against the Venezuelan Church by the socialist Maduro regime, the outlet Runrunes reported on Wednesday.
Runrunes reported that the study, titled ‘Religious Sociography: The Religiosity of Venezuelans,’ was a joint collaboration between the local religious organization Gumilla Foundation and polling firm Delphos. Venezuela is an overwhelmingly Christian nation with roughly 90 percent of the population practicing either Catholicism or other forms of Christianity.
The study found that 63 percent of respondents identify themselves as Catholic and an additional 16 percent identify as Evangelical Christians. Another six percent said they were practitioners of other Christian denominations, while eight percent of respondents declared that they do not profess any religion; this category includes atheists and agnostics…” (Great persecution will soon overtake most Christians in a majority of the world. Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. – Matthew 5:10 – 12; If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. – John 15:18 – 21; …When he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held. — Revelation 6:9; …I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. – Revelation 20:4; and Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. – Revelation 2:10. See the next report.)
‘Eliminating Christianity’: Chinese Communists unleash new limits on faith
April 22, 2025 — WND.com reports: “A new report in the Federalist is warning that the Chinese Communist Party has embarked on a new campaign with the goal of attacking, even eliminating, Christianity.
The new rules, to become effective May 1, are needed to fight ‘extremism,’ the party charges, and will require foreign missionaries to get government approval for lectures, sermons and group activities.
‘Additionally, the regulation includes a comprehensive set of restrictions that prohibit foreign missionaries from engaging in activities such as ‘Recruiting religious believers among Chinese citizens and appointing religious clergy,’ ‘Organizing and carrying out religious education and training,’ ‘accepting religious donations from Chinese organizations and citizens,’ and producing, distributing, and selling religious materials.’
Violators, the CCP charges, are criminals…”