Dr Paul Allen

I n the spring of 1992, after the former Soviet Union had been dissolved, then-Russian Ambassador Vladimir Lukin asked American Robert Gates, “So when are we going to get together and make some new rules for spying on each other?” What is true of the CIA and other intelligence groups is openly admitted (the lack of trust), but what is not as openly admitted is that these problems also exist in people’s personal lives. The sad reality of living in a sinful world is that most people are usually untrustworthy and unfaithful. It is difficult to find someone faithful, one who tells the truth and is trustworthy. While that is the unfortunate reality of the world, the church is called to be different. The world is characterized by unfaithfulness and deception. However, God’s people are called to faithfulness without compromise. To help us understand what it means to be faithful and what this work of the Spirit looks like in our lives, there are three questions to help us gain a deeper underst...

“This is the conflicted experience of all believers of all times and in all places.” —Abraham Kuruvilla. Every Christian is like Spider-Man.  Not because we shoot webs, but because we live with a fundamental identity crisis. We've been supernaturally transformed—united with Christ in baptism—yet we still struggle with the same old problems. Why it matters:  The gap between our new identity in Christ and our ongoing battle with sin creates confusion and discouragement. Understanding how sanctification actually works is crucial for faithful Christian living. Here's the sanctification tension: We've been genuinely cured.  Union with Christ in baptism is a real, completed work of God. We're no longer under sin's ultimate authority or the law's condemnation. Christ took on that condemnation—death—so we're freed from both sin and the law's condemning power. But we still experience the effects.  Even though we're united with Christ, sin still "has its ...

On August 20, 636, the most consequential battle in world history took place: the Battle of Yarmuk. Not only did it decide whether the Arabian creed would thrive or die, it became a source of inspiration and instruction for jihadists throughout the centuries — right down to the Islamic State, or “ISIS.” Yet very few in the West are even aware of this battle, much less its influence on modern jihad. The story begins with the Prophet of Islam. In 632, Muhammad died, having united the Arabs under Islam. Afterwards, some tribes refused to pay taxes, or zakat, to the caliph Abu Bakr. Branding them apostates, the caliph launched the Ridda (“apostasy”) Wars, in which tens of thousands were beheaded, crucified, or burned alive. By 633, these wars ended, and in 634, Abu Bakr died. It fell to the second caliph, Omar bin al-Khattab (r. 634–44), to direct the united Arabs against “the infidel.” Thousands of Arabs quickly flooded into Christian Syria, slaughtering and plundering in the name of jiha...

Dear Christian, what do you hope for at the hour of death? Is it not to hear from the Lord Jesus Christ, “Well done, good and faithful servant”? We find this sweet phrase in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30). Our Lord associates it with a Christian’s faithful stewardship of his God-assigned abilities, capacities, and opportunities. This article will discuss the stewarding of our talents—those natural abilities and that spiritual giftedness that God uniquely entrusts to us. For starters, our talents do not come from us but to us. “What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?” (1 Cor. 4:7). Evidence of our talents should awaken gratitude, not pride. Sobriety is also warranted: To whom much is given, much is required (Luke 12:48). We are but servants—stewards—who will have to give an account. Our natural talents and spiritual gifts are to be employed for the advance of the gospel and for the good of others in ...

On August 15, 718, Constantinople hurled back the greatest assault the forces of Islam had ever mustered — and in so doing, preserved Western civilization. The irony of this date runs deep: The Muslims’ siege of that great city had begun on the same date a year earlier. And deeper still is the bitter fate that Constantinople — once the shield of Christendom — went on to suffer. The story is worth retelling in full. For All the Marbles After several failed sieges of Constantinople, in 715 the Umayyad Caliphate decided that enough was enough. This time it would vomit forth everything it had in a single, all-consuming effort to bring down the ancient Christian capital. Caliph Suleiman summoned his younger brother Maslama, commanding him to lead Islam’s combined might to Constantinople and “stay there until you conquer it or I recall you.” The young emir accepted the task as a sacred honour; he vowed, “I [will] enter this city knowing that it is the capital of Christianity and its glory; m...

Real Statistics on Suicidality in Transgender Youth VS Jacinta Allan Victoria Premier, pushing LGBT indoctrination view. WHAT IS THE EVIDENCE? Suicide attempts and about 2.5 times higher odds of attempts requiring medical treatment, compared to cisgender youth PMC . Another U.S. sample showed nearly triple the odds (2.99×) of reporting suicidal ideation in the past year for transgender youth (33.7%) vs non-transgender youth (18.8%) PubMed J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry . 2. Attempts and ideation behaviours in broader surveys A study in the Journal of Adolescent Health noted transgender youth were over four times more likely to have seriously considered suicide, and almost five times more likely to have attempted suicide compared to cisgender peers Datalab Wiki . Another study found transgender teens were 7.6× more likely to attempt suicide than their cisgender peers, with suicidal ideation about 5× higher, according to Medical News Today . 3. Australian Trans ...

On June 22, 2025, the Mar Elias (St. Elijah) Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus, Syria, became a   scene of unspeakable tragedy . An Islamic suicide bomber slipped into the sanctuary during Divine Liturgy, opened fire on the faithful, and detonated his explosive vest. Twenty‑five Christians—men, women, and children—were killed. More than 60 others were wounded, many critically. The church was destroyed; wooden pews were splintered, stained glass shattered, and blood ran along the tiled floor. And yet, amid the wreckage,  one portrait endured : The centuries‑old icon of  St. John of Damascus , a son of this very city, remained unscathed. The symbolism cannot be ignored: Muslim terrorists bombed a Damascus church, but the icon of the man who, nearly 13 centuries ago offered the first theological critique of Islam and its prophet remained untouched. Who Was John of Damascus? John of Damascus (AD 675–749) lived under the Umayyad Caliphate, a Christian in a Muslim‑ruled world. ...

Where did the flat earth theory come from? Why do some Christians think the Bible teaches it? What’s up with Antarctica? And how on earth (ha ha, pun intended) do you explain away gravity, satellites, and aeroplane flight paths? Lindsey Medenwaldt delves deeply into the flat earth conspiracy theory, emerging with a mind filled with the most bizarre facts imaginable. In this 90-minute video, Melissa Dougherty interviews Medenwaldt to hear what she discovered during her month of research. Let’s just say, it’s wild!

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. (Eph. 6:10–11) You know, O Lord, what is most profitable and expedient for me. Therefore, do with me in all things as it seems best to you, for, despite the way things might seem to me, what is best for me is that you do whatever is most just and blessed according to your godly wisdom.   Thus, whether it be by prosperity or adversity, loss or gain, sickness or health, life or death, your will be done. Cast out of my heart all unprofitable cares of worldly things. Suffer me not to be led with the unstable desires of earthly vanities. Instead, give me grace that all worldly and carnal affections may be mortified and may die in me. Grant unto me the strength of your Holy Spirit to subdue this body of sin with the whole lusts thereof so that it might be obedient both in will, in mind, and in members—that it might do your holy w...

  Who could have predicted it? Letting women rent out their wombs so gay men could purchase their babies — with no background checks — might have some ugly effects. Check out this story from  The Blaze , where the title couldn't be blunter: " Homosexual who fundraised to get baby through surrogacy exposed as pedophile": Logan Riley and  Brandon Keith Mitchell  of Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, made a big show of their efforts to secure custody of a baby boy through surrogacy. Although they  apparently started the process  in 2019, the homosexual couple began  hitting  up strangers for cash in 2020 on GoFundMe to help expand their "family by using a gestational surrogate."   "Gestational surrogate" is the euphemism they use for "mother" down in Hell, where the idea of surrogate motherhood was workshopped and developed.  The Blaze  continues: The couple recently shared a compilation video on social media featuring them repeatedly kissi...