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Fake News in the Church? It Started in a Garden...
“Fake news isn’t new.
In fact, the very first fake news story was broadcast in the Garden of Eden when Satan told Eve:
“You will not surely die...” (Genesis 3:4)
That was a lie — and it’s been spreading ever since.
Christ called Satan the father of lies (John 8:44), and to this day, he remains the invisible broadcaster behind every slander, whisper, distortion, and deception — including many that make their way right into the Church of God.
In a world trained to doubt everything and mock everyone, the spirit of fake news has crept in among God’s people — not just through media, but in our conversations, our comments, our posts, and even our fellowship.
Let’s be real:
Gossip, rumors, harsh opinions, character assassinations — these are all modern forms of false witness, and they violate the Ninth Commandment:
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16)
Even if something is “technically” true, if it’s told with the intent to damage, divide, or discourage — it becomes spiritual fake news.
God hates it.
“A lying tongue… a false witness who speaks lies… and one who sows discord among brethren.” (Proverbs 6:16–19)
It’s easy to fall into it.
We’ve all heard it — maybe we’ve even spread it.
That’s why we must wake up and take spiritual inventory.
Christ didn’t just speak truth — He was the Truth (John 14:6).
As His followers, we must reflect that same Spirit of truth — in our words, our tone, our posts, and even in our private conversations.
So ask yourself:
Do I speak negatively about others?
Do I pass on things I haven’t personally confirmed?
Do I allow cynicism or distrust to shape my attitude in the Church?
Cynicism isn’t harmless. It damages your faith and erodes others’. It causes stumbling — and Christ warned that causing a brother to stumble is no small thing (Matthew 18:6).
This isn’t about being naïve. It’s about being spiritually responsible.
We must not become the carriers of a spiritual virus that Satan uses to weaken the Church from within.
So here’s the challenge:
▸ Don’t engage in or pass along gossip
▸Speak well of others when possible — and stay silent when it’s not
▸Change the subject when others veer negative
▸Choose your words — and your thoughts — carefully
“Let all that you do be done with love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14)
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.” (Revelation 3:21)
You were called to truth — not just to know it, but to live it.
Let’s overcome the spirit of fake news — and be vessels of faith, clarity, and peace.
With sincerity and encouragement in Christ,
Bob Schenfield”
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Heeding an Alarm: The Texas Tragedy Still Haunts Us
“Have you ever heard an emergency alarm sound and ignored it? I have.
I remember the alarm system when I was young in my hometown. A weather alert would come on the television or the radio. Those were the only two systems we had. Because my mother had once experienced a tornado, and we had a next-door neighbor who took the alarms seriously and came knocking on our door, we took it seriously. We would go to our basement until the alarm passed.
Recently, I visited my hometown. One night, storms came through, spawning tornadoes, and the tornado alarms went off. The town now has a system of very loud alarms. When the alarms sounded my wife and I did nothing. We turned over and went back to sleep. Fortunately, nothing occurred. I am alive to write this piece.
I am still digesting the recent flooding tragedy in south Texas along the Guadalupe River. Every time I think of the young girls who were swept away in the dark of night, I grieve for their families. The whole incident haunts us. The region will take a long time to recover. Parents and family of the dead will never fully recover.
Could the devastating loss of life have been prevented? Had it occurred in daylight, rather than the early hours of morning when all were asleep, the number of casualties would certainly have been reduced. It happened when it did, when people were sleeping and evidently the only alarm system was on people’s cell phones. When you are asleep it is difficult to hear and heed an alarm.
I read that Kerr County, Texas, where this occurred is about the size of the state of Rhode Island (1,107 square miles) and only has 54,000 inhabitants. Rhode Island has more than a million people. Emergency services were likely tailored to the size and resources of the population. They proved inadequate.
What do we learn from this tragedy?
I will pay more attention to the sounding of an alarm, whether it is a tornado, fire or other emergency. It is the right thing to do. One day danger will strike. If we prepare even a small amount, it can save a life.
I have thought about the biblical references to the coming of the Lord as a “thief in the night.” This phrase is used in four locations in the New Testament. Revelation 16:15 says, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Luke 21:34; 1 Thessalonians 5:4; 2 Peter 3:10; Revelation 3:3).
The metaphor is striking—“a thief in the night.” While we sleep—when we are least able to hear and respond to danger.
These scriptures refer to spiritual watchfulness.
The events of the Day of the Lord will begin suddenly. Spiritual deception is high. World events suddenly shift. These biblical references speak to preparedness, alertness and righteous works.
My lack of reaction to a local alarm tells me I may need to study these scriptures again.
There is much to learn.” From: https://mailchi.mp/ucg/heeding-an-alarm-texas-tragedy?e=72c729d811
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The same diet that’s anti-cancer is also anti-heart disease and anti-lung disease.
“Following cancer prevention guidelines for lifestyle and diet may increase longevity.
Adherence to cancer prevention recommendations isn’t just associated with higher survival in cancer patients and lower risk of dying from cancer, but lower risk of dying overall. That’s the beauty of eating a more plant-based diet.
Thirty to 50 percent of common cancers are preventable with diet and lifestyle. We have the power to change our health destiny.
A healthy lifestyle that includes a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes may help reduce the number of breast cancer incidences, for example.
The American Institute for Cancer Research recommendations include maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and eating a diet rich in whole grains, vegetables, fruits, and beans, while limiting fast food, processed junk, meats, soda, and alcohol.
Specific to breast cancer, those who met most of those recommendations only had half the risk, compared to individuals who only met a couple. If you could only do one of those recommendations, limiting animal foods seems most protective. Adherence to the recommendations is also associated with higher survival in people who already have cancer.
Higher dietary fiber consumption was associated with a 37 percent lower risk of dying from all causes put together and a 28 percent lower risk of dying specifically from breast cancer among breast cancer survivors––and it didn’t take much. There was about a 10 percent drop in death risk for every increment of 5 daily grams of dietary fiber. That’s like a cup of oatmeal or broccoli, or just a third of a cup of beans.
Watch the video “Diet and Lifestyle for Cancer Prevention and Survival” at see.nf/3O4GyAa
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