Quote of the day:

“There is no panic in heaven. God has no problems, only plans.”

^{- Corrie Ten Boom}

Today’s Headlines

SBF Convicted

Sam Bankman-Fried, founder of FTX, has been convicted on seven criminal charges. At 31 years old, the MIT graduate now faces up to 115 years in prison. The charges encompass a spectrum of financial misconduct, including wire fraud, securities fraud, commodities fraud, and money laundering.

The jury was unanimous in finding Bankman-Fried guilty on all charges brought against him. He had pleaded not guilty to accusations of defrauding FTX customers, lenders, and investors, as well as money laundering, but the evidence presented led to his conviction despite his claims that these were just business misjudgments. The trial began in early October and the jury deliberated for just one afternoon before reaching their guilty verdict. A second trial is planned for March, pending the government's decision by February 1 on how to proceed. Sentencing for this current conviction is scheduled for March 28.

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The Remnant's Response

The laughter of the wicked is short (Psalm 73:18-20). Whereas just months ago, a young and brilliant (by the world’s reckoning) Sam Bankman-Fried had all the trappings of success. What the world could not see was he was trapped in a web of deceit, fraud, and illegal activity. Instead of deceiving others and manipulating crypto markets, young Sam should have been diving into the Word of God and meditating on the Scriptures. Rather than scoff at others who have failed to take the Lord’s advice (1 Corinthians 10:12), you would be wise to reflect on the following.

When he was at the “top of his game” in the early 2020s, nobody would have guessed SBF was managing trouble. “The heart knows its own bitterness, and a stranger does not share its joy” (Proverbs 14:10). 

Imagine how much ‘richer’ SBF would be today had he invested in studying Solomon’s warnings, “The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:11-12). 

So remember, the next time you are tempted to envy someone celebrated by the world, their world may not be everything it appears to be. “Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, the end of joy may be grief” (Proverbs 14:13).

Here is some guaranteed investment advice the remnant will take to the bank: 

“Hear, O sons, the instruction of a father, and give attention that you may gain understanding, for I give you sound teaching; Do not abandon my instruction. When I was a son to my father, tender and the only son in the sight of my mother, then he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; Keep my commandments and live; Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom, and with all your acquiring, get understanding. Prize her and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her” (Proverbs 4:1-8).

Rangers Win World Series

After 63 years of anticipation, the Texas Rangers clinched their first World Series title, marking an incredible turnaround from a season with over 100 losses just two years prior. They defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 5-0 in Game 5 fueled by an undefeated 11-0 postseason road run, a record in any sport.

The Rangers broke a lot of records in the process, Evan Carter, a 21-year-old rookie, made it on to a base in all 17 postseason games and was the youngest player to bat third in a World Series Game 1. Reliever Will Smith was the first player to win three consecutive World Series titles with different teams. Adolis Garcia's impressive performance included eight home runs and a postseason RBI record with 22 runs. Manager Bruce Bochy, who led the San Francisco Giants to a World Series win against the Rangers in 2010, secured his fourth World Series ring, joining a select group of managers with this achievement.

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The Remnant's Response

“Life has enough bitter root, so when fleeting joys come your way, drink deeply.” - Todd Wagner 

While we have to be careful not to be distracted and consumed by fleeting things, we also have to be careful not to be so stoic that we cannot laugh and enjoy the sweetness our gracious Lord has given to us in this life. As Solomon said, “My son, eat honey, for it is good, yes, the honey from the comb is sweet to your taste” (Proverbs 24:13). Few things bring the world together as much as sports, and few things delight the Lord as much as seeing us brought together (Psalm 133). The greatest unity and oneness our Lord desires for us is the unity that we can only find as brothers and sisters in Christ (John 17:21). But there is still plenty of room to enjoy simple harvests of delight in the daily passings of the world. The key is to remember that the former is primary, certain, and eternal, and the latter is fleeting and unreliable. Honey is good in doses but it is deadly when greedily devoured. “Have you found honey? Eat only what you need, That you not have it in excess and vomit it” (Proverbs 25:16). 

The remnant can enjoy fleeting wins but feast on faithfulness and the perfection found in God’s will and way (Proverbs 24:14). We doubt we will be talking about who won the 2023 World Series in eternity, but we know for certain the Lord will forever reward those who took the Word of God seriously (Hebrews 6:10). Congratulations to fans of the Texas Rangers, and keep going, all you followers of Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Abortion on the Ballot

Virginia Republicans, led by Governor Glenn Youngkin, are revamping their abortion stance ahead of the upcoming election. They're advocating for a 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest, and the mother's life to broaden their appeal beyond their base. By doing so, they aim to shed the image of abortion extremists and attract swing voters focused on crime and the economy, mirroring similar moves by Republican Senate candidates in key battleground states.

In Ohio, a significant battle is unfolding as voters decide whether to enshrine "reproductive rights" into the state constitution, drawing national attention and $60 million in spending. The Ohio outcome will influence the abortion debate in the run-up to the 2024 elections, where Democrats consider it a crucial issue to mobilize supporters.

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The Remnant's Response 

After 50 years, the abortion debate finally returned to where it has always belonged, away from an invented constitutionally protected ‘right’ back to where it can be debated by representatives of the people. Tragically, despite years of increased scientific evidence, 4D imaging, and compelling intellectual arguments, we remain a society where millions call good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). As others observed long ago, “a country is not just what it does, it is also what it tolerates,” and tolerating infanticide is a shame to any people (Proverbs 14:34). As the news story above reports, millions of dollars are pouring into states like Ohio by abortion advocates trying to ensure that they can “enshrine” the right to terminate life in the womb. Enshrine is a word that has more than a few religious overtones. Its literal meaning is “to hold as sacred.” What one holds as sacred is what one cherishes, honors, and adores. If anyone ever needed an illustration of the failure of the church in our country, look no further than the fact that millions are investing their hard-earned money (Matthew 6:21) and effort to ensure that the “freedom” to kill children in utero is protected in their state. If nothing else is a “doctrine of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1), this is. 

The remnant has to be equally zealous, investing its treasure and passions “opening our mouths” for “the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy” (Proverbs 31:8-9). We encourage you to take time to get equipped and ‘discipline yourself for the purpose of Godliness (1 Timothy 4:7) by reading blogs like this by Randy Alcorn and listening to conversations like this by Scott Klusendorf and Alisa Childers. It’s not enough for the remnant to be outraged at the audacity of the unconvinced, we must “be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist” and “fulfill our ministry” (1 Timothy 4:5) before the wrath of God is poured out on our land because a feckless, ineffective, cowardly, distracted, silent church failed to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort” in the face of such horrors. We may not be able to change the minds of our fellow citizens, but we have to make sure we have done our job as “watchmen” (Ezekiel 33:1-11) and live in such a way that “when it comes to pass - they will know that a prophet has been in their midst” (Ezekiel 33:33). 

 Other news you should know

⚖️Trump's civil fraud trial continues, multiple family members take the witness stand in NYC.

🐭Disney takes full control of Hulu after purchasing final 33% stake for $8.6B.

🚲Mormon church sued again over how it (mis)uses tithes.

🤫Are Democrats moving to succeed Biden?

🏀Legendary Hall of Fame basketball coach, Bob Knight, dead at 83.

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