NC Renegades

Catherine Herridge spent almost her entire career at Fox News, before taking a job at CBS News just a few weeks ago. Herridge was at Fox since the very first year it became a 24-hour news channel. She was there a long time, and I was sad to see her move over to CBS. Out of all the reporters in Washington, DC, you can probably count the fair, competent and professional ones on one hand. She was one of them. And now she’s proven that fact once again, even though she’s over at CBS News.

Herridge uncovered a bombshell buried within the Inspector General report that finally came out on December 9^th. To be honest, I couldn’t make it through the IG report. I read the Mueller report in its entirety earlier this year, but there just weren’t enough hours in December for me to wade through the IG report’s 500-plus pages. Catherine Herridge did make it through the IG report, however, and here is what jumped out at her on Page 177.

Then-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe wanted Christopher Steele’s Russian potty dossier details with their “potentially compromising material” included in the Intelligence Community Assessment (ICA) that was going to be distributed to all of the intel agencies in late December of 2016. Why? Because Obama ordered McCabe to do that. Here’s a direct quote from the IG report:

“The Intel Section Chief said that [Andrew] McCabe understood President Obama’s request for the ICA to require the participating agencies to share all information relevant to Russia and the 2016 elections, and the Steele election reporting qualified at a minimum due to concerns over possible Russian attempts to blackmail Trump.”

There you have it. Congrats to Catherine Herridge on picking that tidbit out of the 500-plus page IG report.

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I believe Obama was more concerned about blackmailing Trump and ruining his time in office more than than the fake news narrative concerning Russian collusion. Let’s pray that the true Democrat Ukrainian collusion is exposed and the Deep State held accountable.

David DeGerolamo

I apologize for the language. It is unfortunate that this was not the video made at Benghazi in order to save American lives instead of trying to save the Deep State’s illegal activities.

Although this is a parody, it also reflects the parody of America’s two-tiered justice system. There will be no peace in this country until justice is restored and the guilty held accountable. Liberty is not kept in darkness if it is revered by the people. Without justice, there is no Liberty and consequently, no Republic.

David DeGerolamo

Hope for Imperfect Christians
By John Piper

By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.(Hebrews 10:14)

This verse is full of encouragement for imperfect sinners like us, and full of motivation for holiness. 

It means that you can have assurance that you stand perfected and completed in the eyes of your heavenly Father not because you are perfect now, but precisely because you are not perfect now but are “being sanctified,” “being made holy” — that, by faith in God’s promises, you are moving away from your lingering imperfection toward more and more holiness. That’s the point of Hebrews 10:14.

Does your faith make you eager to forsake sin and make progress in holiness? That’s the kind of faith that in the midst of imperfection can look to Christ and say, “You have already perfected me in your sight.” 

This faith says, “Christ, today I have sinned. But I hate my sin. For you have written the law on my heart, and I long to do it. And you are working in me what is pleasing in your sight (Hebrews 13:21). And so, I hate the sin that I still do; and I hate the sinful thoughts that I contemplate.”

This is the true and realistic faith that saves. This is the faith that can savor the words, “By a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”

This is not the boast of the strong. It is the cry of the weak in need of a Savior. 

I invite you, I urge you, to be weak enough to trust Christ in this way.

Iranians Celebrate! Thank President Trump for Killing Soleimani Using Hashtag #TnxPOTUS4Soleimani

Iranians online are cheering the assassination of Iran Quds Force leader Major General Qassem Soleimani by a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad early Friday local time, with many thanking President Trump with a hashtag that reads: #TnxPOTUS4Soleimani. Many observers regarded Soleimani as the second most powerful person in Iran behind the Supreme Leader.

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A civil war is developing in Virginia, where counties and municipalities are backing a “gun sanctuary” movement in response to Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam’s support of gun-control proposals by the legislature, which recently was taken over by the Democrats.

Now, Northam is asking $4.8 million for a 18-officer team to enforce his proposed plan to confiscate commonly owned firearms categorized by lawmakers as “assault weapons”. Virginia’s pop-up gun sanctuary movement has turned its attention to fighting the governor’s call for this team.

Northam’s request appears to be in response to the adoption of Second Amendment “sanctuary” resolutions by 91% of Virginia counties. The counties vow to not support any state law requiring the confiscation of weapons, arguing them violate the Second Amendment.

Northam had declared there would be a “war on guns” after Democrats took the majority in the legislature.

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18 People??? Really??? I promise you they won’t last long. Good Luck fielding that team for a suicide mission.

The Smallest Faith
By John Piper

It depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. (Romans 9:16)

Let us make crystal clear at the beginning of the year that all we will get from God this year, as believers in Jesus, is mercy. Whatever pleasures or pains come our way will all be mercy. 

This is why Christ came into the world: “in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:9). We were born again “according to his great mercy” (1 Peter 1:3). We pray daily “that we may receive mercy” (Hebrews 4:16); and we are now “waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life” (Jude 1:21). If any Christian proves trustworthy, it is “by the Lord’s mercy [he] is trustworthy” (1 Corinthians 7:25). 

In Luke 17:5–6, the apostles plead with the Lord, “Increase our faith!” And Jesus says, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.” In other words, the issue in our Christian life and ministry is not the strength or quantity of our faith, because that is not what uproots trees. God does. Therefore, the smallest faith that truly connects us with Christ will engage enough of his power for all you need.

But what about the times that you successfully obey the Lord? Does your obedience move you out of the category of supplicant of mercy? Jesus gives the answer in the following verses of Luke 17:7–10.

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Therefore, I conclude, the fullest obedience and the smallest faith obtain the same thing from God: mercy. A mere mustard seed of faith taps into the mercy of God’s tree-moving power. And flawless obedience leaves us utterly dependent on mercy.

The point is this: Whatever the timing or form of God’s mercy, we never rise above the status of beneficiaries of mercy. We are always utterly dependent on what we do not deserve. 

Therefore let us humble ourselves and rejoice and “glorify God for his mercy!”

The headline was predictable: 2020 Begins With A Bang

All media is reporting that a US attack at the Baghdad airport has killed Qasem Suleimani. As one analyst put it, he was in charge of the Qud forces which made him the equivalent to the head of both Iran’s CIA and Special Forces. President Trump has stated that Iran would suffer the consequences of attacking the US embassy in Iraq. He is a man of his word: there will be no Benghazi on his watch.

Another “victory” for Donald Trump and another setback to the Deep State coup to remove him. The President has a strong case: why was Suleimani in Iraq if not to coordinate Iranian attacks and influence the Iraqi government. All of our blood and treasure in Iraq so that Obama could turn Iraq over to Iran. Gold and oil prices have already spiked on this news.

David DeGerolamo

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Read from the bottom up for as it happened ICYMI:

• Here we go – oil gets its spurt on
• USD/JPY testing its US-time low on the Baghdad missile attacks
• Reports now that US Marines have detained pro-Iran militia commanders in Iraq
• North Korea’s official newspaper warns of an “immediate and powerful” strike
• US officials confirm responsibility for missile attack at Baghdad airport
• Iraqi State TV reporting now that Soleimani and Muhandis both killed in air strike
• More on the rocket attack at Baghdad airport – looks like a major escalation confirmed
• Baghdad International Airport rocket attack earlier – 4 killed. 

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It’s official — unbelievable as it is — Iraqi state TV moments ago announced the death of Iran’s most senior elite military commander, IRGC Quds Force chief Qasem Suleimani:

BREAKING: #IRAQ OFFICIAL TV ANNOUNCES #IRAN IRGC LEADER QASSEM SULEIMANI IS ASSASSINATED.

ALSO KILLED HEAD OF KATAIB HEZBOLLAH ABU MEHDI MUHANDIS https://t.co/K0cJn9rMIc— Joyce Karam (@Joyce_Karam) January 3, 2020

This is the spark that could set the whole region on fire, given Suleimani is Iran’s most important, visible and powerful military leader.

#BREAKING: Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, Deputy Commander of Hashd al-Shaabi and Qassem Solaimi Commander of IRGC killed in Baghdad — Hezbollah’s Mayadeen says. pic.twitter.com/RjPMiZH7F9— Baxtiyar Goran (@BaxtiyarGoran) January 3, 2020

Journalists are circulating graphic photos of the blast aftermath, seeking on the ground confirmation of Suleimani’s identity:

Is it the same ring or similar? Asking for expert opinion #Iraq , this is Qassim Sulaimani the Iranian leader of Quds force #Baghdad pic.twitter.com/Xe4viCWKXY— Steven nabil (@thestevennabil) January 3, 2020

It appears Iranian officials have begun circulating condolences, acknowledging his death.

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