God’s restoration shop and you.
Saturday Watchdog: El-Sayed And Hassan Piker
Abdul El-Sayed, who won Michigan’s Democratic U.S. Senate primary on August 4, 2026, says he opposes antisemitism, yet he repeatedly chooses to campaign with Hasan Piker, whose record goes well beyond ordinary criticism of Israel.
So why does El-Sayed keep campaigning with him?
Piker isn’t controversial because he once criticized Benjamin Netanyahu or questioned Israeli policy. Plenty of people do that.
We’re talking about a guy who has called Orthodox Jews “inbred,” called Zionism a “mental illness,” generated controversy over his comments about Hamas and October 7—and once famously declared:
“America deserved 9/11, dude.”
Piker later called his 9/11 wording “inappropriate” and said it was intended as satire and criticism of American foreign policy. I call BS. He only backtracked on his outrageous comment after it received massive public attention and condemnation. Trying to weasel out of an outrageous statement doesn’t magically erase it. In fact, it raises questions about the ugly and insidious thinking behind the original statement.
And this week—after winning Michigan’s Democratic Senate nomination—El-Sayed was again asked whether he would continue working with Piker. He didn’t give a straight answer, even as he continued celebrating with Piker.
El-Sayed has every right to criticize Israel. He has every right to oppose U.S. military aid to Israel. And criticism of Israel is not automatically antisemitism. But anti-Zionism can sometimes become a subtle and convenient hiding place for bigotry.
El-Sayed also has a choice about whom he puts beside him on a campaign stage, and if he continues to cozy up to Piker, that should be disqualifying to anyone with a lick of common sense and decency.
Jesus put it pretty simply:
“Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” — Matthew 7:20 (KJV)
If a Republican Senate candidate repeatedly campaigned alongside someone with an ugly history of remarks about Jews, Muslims, or Black Americans, would the media reasonably ask why?
Of course they would, and of course they have. So why should the standard change here?
Antisemitism is wrong. Anti-Muslim hatred is wrong. Racism is wrong. And deliberately looking the other way because somebody can deliver votes is wrong too.
Your friends don’t automatically define you—but choosing to repeatedly give someone your stage tells us something about your judgment and may tell us something about the biases you’re willing to tolerate.
Because sometimes the biggest red flag isn’t what a politician says—it’s whom he’s unwilling to walk away from.
They Said It: Four Quotes On The Book Of Micah
Here are four thoughtful quotes from respected Christian leaders and theologians on the Book of Micah:
Matthew Henry (1662–1714)
“When Micah had shown the judgments of God against Israel and Judah, he comforts the faithful with the assurance that God will yet perform His promises, and that mercy shall rejoice against judgment.”
— Matthew Henry, Commentary on Micah
Charles H. Spurgeon (1834–1892)
“Micah’s gospel shines brightest when he points us to Bethlehem. The little town becomes great because the everlasting King comes forth from it.”
— Based on Spurgeon’s sermons on Micah 5:2
John Stott (1921–2011)
“Micah 6:8 is one of the clearest summaries in Scripture of the ethical life God requires—not ritual without righteousness, but justice, mercy, and humble fellowship with God.”
— John Stott, reflections on Micah 6:8
Warren W. Wiersbe (1929–2019)
“The message of Micah reminds us that God is not impressed by outward religion. He is looking for transformed hearts that express themselves in justice, mercy, and humble obedience.”
— Warren Wiersbe, Be Concerned (The Minor Prophets)
Thursday Watchdog: Eye On The Middle East
Here are three of the most significant current headlines from the Middle East.
Remember Matthew 24:6-7
And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Israel launches strikes in southern Lebanon after evacuation warning The Israeli military carried out targeted strikes in southern Lebanon after issuing evacuation orders for the village of Mansouri, saying Hezbollah had violated the existing ceasefire. The strikes came as Israeli and Lebanese officials resumed U.S.-mediated talks in Rome aimed at advancing an agreement involving Israeli withdrawal and Hezbollah’s disarmament. (Reuters)
Iran and Oman move closer to reopening the Strait of Hormuz Iran and Oman announced progress on an agreement to reopen shipping through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important oil transit routes. Negotiations remain tied to broader U.S.-Iran discussions, while regional tensions continue to affect global energy markets. (The Guardian)
Israel-Lebanon negotiations continue despite renewed fighting Israeli forces remain deployed in parts of southern Lebanon while negotiators prepare for another round of talks in Rome under a U.S.-brokered framework. The discussions seek to reduce border tensions and establish longer-term security arrangements even as sporadic military action continues. (AP News)
Armchair Apocalypse: Who Or What Is The Antichrist – Part Two
Hollywood’s Big Myth
Mention “the Antichrist,” and most people picture a slick global dictator, the son of Satan, running the United Nations while plotting world domination. Throw in a creepy kid named Damien, a barcode or implanted microchip, and dramatic background music, and you’ve basically got pop culture’s version of the end times.
But come on, that’s not actually what the Bible says.
Much of our modern picture comes from movies like The Omen (1976), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Hal Lindsey’s Late Great Planet Earth, and later the Left Behind novels and films, where the charismatic politician Nicolae Carpathia became the Antichrist for an entire generation. These stories are entertaining, but they blend together different biblical characters and centuries of theological tradition into one supervillain. (Wikipedia)
As I outlined previously, though, the word “antichrist” never appears in the Book of Revelation. Not even once.
Instead, John uses the word only in his letters (1 John 2:18, 22; 4:3; 2 John 7), where he says that “many antichrists” were already present in his own day. He describes people who denied that Jesus is the Christ—not a future global emperor waiting for his movie trailer.
A Little History
So where did the famous end-times Antichrist come from?
Over the centuries, Christian writers gradually combined several different biblical figures into one character:
- John’s antichrists (false teachers).
- Paul’s “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2).
- Daniel’s little horn (Daniel 7).
- Revelation’s Beast from the sea (Revelation 13).
By the Middle Ages, this blended figure had become a detailed legend. Modern prophecy books, novels, and films later turned that legend into the polished villain many people know today.
The Bible certainly speaks of wicked rulers. Pharaoh opposed God. Nebuchadnezzar exalted himself. Antiochus IV Epiphanes persecuted God’s people. Nero brutally attacked Christians.
Revelation also portrays the Beast as a blasphemous, persecuting political power, which many scholars understand primarily as an empire or imperial system rather than a single individual. But Scripture doesn’t simply hand us Hollywood’s single, all-in-one Antichrist character. It presents several different figures serving different purposes in different books.
So What?
The Bible’s main message isn’t, “Pin the tail on the Antichrist.” It’s, “Patiently wait for the King and the Kingdom.”
Remain faithful and watchful. Remain unafraid.
The Hollywood and pop-culture bogey man called the Antichrist is a manufactured, unbiblical creation that gets far too much attention. Don’t let it have yours.
Tuesday Watchdog: So Many Wildfires
No doubt there are going to be those who claim that the current devastating wildfires in Spokane, Greece, Spain, Montana, and elsewhere are God’s wrath being poured out on a sinful and wicked people.
And sadly, this kind of “hellfire-and-brimstone” nonsense will be preached by so-called “Christians,” as it has been countless times when death and tragedy strike a particular community or geographical area. No wonder people are abandoning traditional and Evangelical Christian churches in droves.
Let’s look at the answer Jesus gave to his questioners in Luke 13:1–5 when they asked him about Pilate slaughtering a group of Galileans:
“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.”
Our Lord could not be more clear. Disaster, suffering, and death, whether natural or man-made, are not meted out according to the level of sinfulness present in an area. Bad things don’t happen exclusively to bad people, and tragedy is not a sign of God’s judgment in this present age.
However, there is a time coming when God’s judgment and restoration will fall on the entire creation. The Apocalypse is real, but it is reserved for a future time, and those who have already accepted the sacrifice of the Lamb and are covered by it will be spared from the judgement of that great and terrible day.
Video Mini Message: Be Fruitful
Your Life And What Comes After: Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth.
Saturday Watchdog: What Does It Mean To Watch
Watching Without Losing Your Mind
Scroll social media for five minutes and you’ll find someone announcing they’ve finally cracked the prophetic code. Look, a red moon! Wow, another war in the Middle East. Did you hear about that earthquake? A politician whose name could be a 666 code. Is AI the Beast of Revelation?
Apparently, every headline is the headline that proves Jesus is coming back next Tuesday at 3:17 p.m.
Yes, Jesus absolutely told His followers to watch the signs. He pointed to wars, earthquakes, persecution, deception, and upheaval as reminders that history is moving according to God’s grand plan and toward His appointed conclusion. But He never told us to become prophecy detectives obsessed with predicting dates or identifying every newsmaker as the Antichrist.
Instead, He said, “So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.” (Matthew 24:33, KJV)
Watch the signs, but don’t worship or obsess over the signs. They are road markers, not the destination. Their purpose isn’t to make us fearful, distracted, or addicted to doom-scrolling. Their purpose is to remind us that God keeps His promises and that His Kingdom is drawing nearer every day.
So What?
The real question isn’t, “Can I predict the day?” Jesus already answered that: Nope. The better question is, “If He returned today, would He find me faithfully following Him?”
It’s good to stay informed. It’s wise to think about and try to understand what biblical prophecy means for us today. But if we spend more time refreshing the news than reading God’s Word, we’ve probably started watching the wrong thing.
So yes, we’ll keep one eye on the headlines—but we’ll keep busy and focused on the work God is calling us to.
Love God. Love your neighbor. Speak the truth. Be an example and blessing to others. Pray and manifest power and healing by the spirit God has given you. That’s what watching looks like.
Because when the King does return, He isn’t looking for people who guessed the date. He’s looking for people who were faithful while they waited.
Biblical Archaeology: Early Christian Church Discovered
Here are three of the most recent biblical archaeology discoveries that have made news:
Rare Roman Mosaic Found Near the Biblical City of Perga (Turkey)
Archaeologists uncovered an exceptionally well-preserved third-century A.D. Roman mosaic in the ancient city of Aspendos, near Perga, where the Apostle Paul and Barnabas began their ministry in Asia Minor (Acts 13:13–14).
The mosaic, measuring roughly 20 × 25 feet, decorated what appears to have been a ceremonial pool and features a rare depiction of the river god Eurymedon. Although pagan in theme, the discovery provides valuable insight into the cultural environment encountered by the early Christian church during Paul’s missionary journeys. (New York Post)
Ancient Egyptian Settlement Discovered from the Period Often Associated with the Exodus
Excavations at Tell el-Koua in Egypt’s Wadi Tumilat uncovered a substantial settlement dating from the Second Intermediate Period through the early New Kingdom—the era many scholars investigate when discussing the historical context of the biblical Exodus.
The site includes:
- Residential buildings
- Mudbrick tombs
- Storage silos
- Ovens
- Bronze tools
- Scarab amulets
While the discovery does not prove the Exodus, it provides important archaeological evidence about life in Egypt’s eastern Nile Delta during the period often examined in Exodus research. (New York Post)
Earliest Christian Church Identified Beneath Ancient Italian City
Archaeologists excavating beneath a former fish market in Oderzo (ancient Opitergium), Italy, uncovered what is believed to be the city’s earliest known Christian church, dating to the 4th or 5th century A.D.
Among the discoveries were:
- Intricate polychrome mosaic floors
- A large basilica with a central nave and side aisles
- Several Christian burials associated with the church
Although this find is post-New Testament, it offers significant evidence for the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire in the generations immediately following the apostolic era. (New York Post)
Thursday Watchdog: The Stories That Didn’t Trend… But Should Have
Everyone’s arguing about politics, celebrities, wars, and the latest viral nonsense. Meanwhile, two stories this week barely made a ripple.
In Nigeria, more Christians were murdered in brutal attacks by Fulani extremist militants, including entire families. In India, church leaders continued warning about growing restrictions and violence targeting Christians and Christian ministries. These aren’t isolated headlines—they’re reminders that faith in our risen and returning Savior still carries a real cost for millions of people.
(Source: Persecution.org)
Meanwhile, here in America, people sometimes think being a Christian is “hard” because someone rolled their eyes at a Bible verse on social media. Around the world, many believers are risking prison, losing their homes, or giving their lives simply because they refuse to deny Christ.
Our Lord never promised popularity. He promised hard truth.
“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.” — John 15:18 (KJV)
Who or what will we be faithful and loyal to, even when the crowd goes the other way?
Maybe we shouldn’t be asking, “Why are Christians persecuted?” as much as we should be asking, “If following our Lord cost me something, would I still follow Him?”
That’s a question worth thinking about long after today’s headlines disappear.