WSSN Stories

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

One hundred and ten African Americans died or suffered serious bodily injury during encounters with law enforcement officers in the Golden State over the course of the last year.

Blacks made up 16.7 % of the civilians that were killed or suffered severe injury injured during incidents involving the discharge of a firearm or the use of force by police officers in 2021. Of the 660 civilians, who died or were injured, 50.6 % were Hispanic and 25.5 % were White.

The report, however, does not indicate how many of the 149 individuals that died during the 628 incidents were Black or of any other race.

The stats were gleaned from the Use of Force Incident Report released by the California Department of Justice (DOJ) late last month.

The report was one of four annual criminal justice statistical breakdowns released to give the public, policymakers, researchers, and law enforcement statistics to support informed policy choices based on data and analysis and to help protect the safety and well-being of all Californians, according to an Aug. 25 press release from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

“Good data,” Bonta said, “is key to good public policy.” He urged people to read the documents.

“Accurate statistics and the data in the annual crime reports are a critical part of calibrating our response, ensuring policymakers and law enforcement are able to make informed decisions,” Bonta stated.

The other reports released by the DOJ include Homicide in California, Crime in California, and Juvenile Justice in California.

The quartet of documents are available online and offer an analytical breakdown of criminal activity and related statistics such as the number of homicides reported last year, how much violent crime has increased in the state and the specificity of those crimes, a breakdown of age, race, sex of crime victims and offenders, and the various types of force used by law enforcement during encounters when an individual died or was injured badly.

The information found in the Use of Force report reveals that the types of force used by law enforcement officers against the 660 individuals included blunt impact weapons, chemical sprays, firearms, impact projectiles, vehicles, electronic control devices and their hands, feet, fists use or other body parts.

According to DOJ, officers shooting a firearm hit 233 people and missed 58 others. They used K-9 dogs on 77 people and controlled holds or takedowns on 121 others. While officers perceived that 383 civilians were armed during the incidents, 341 or 89% of them were confirmed to have been carrying weapons.

1,462 officers were reported to be involved in shooting a firearm or using excessive force during incidents that resulted in death or serious injury. Fifty-eight of the officers were Black.

The Crime in California report presents an overview of the criminal justice system in California. It revealed that the violent crime rate rose 6.7 %, from 437 crimes per 100,000 people to 466.2 last year. The property crime rate increased 3 % and the homicide rate jumped up 9.1% while the rape incidence rate increased 8.6 %. The motor vehicle theft rate rose 8.2%. The state’s burglary and arson rates dropped.

There were 153,546 violent crimes in the state in 2021. All the data are based on the number of known victims and incidents.

Bonta said crime rates remain below historical highs, but property and violent crimes continue to have terrible effects on California communities.

“Gun violence, in particular, remains a consistent and growing threat. In fact, in 2021, nearly three-fourths of all homicides in California involved a firearm,” he said. “As we confront these ongoing challenges, we must have accountability and appropriate consequences for those who break the law.”

The total number of reported civilian complaints against peace officers increased from 16,547 in 2020 to 28,617 last year. The number of complaints from civilians accusing officers of crimes — 683 — was the lowest since 1983.

There were 2,361 homicides reported in 2021, according to the Homicide Crime in California report. Of the homicides where the victim’s race or ethnicity was identified, 29.5 % or 690 were Black, second only to the 47.1 % or 1,102 victims who were Hispanic. The largest segment of Black victims — 38.4 % or 264 — were aged 18-29. Three hundred and twenty-five of the Black victims were killed on a street or sidewalk. None were killed on school grounds.

Blacks are 5.5% of the total California population.

The Juvenile Justice in California report detailed the 19,355 juvenile arrests in California reported by law enforcement last year.

Felony arrests made up 47.2 % or 9,132 of the apprehensions, with Black juveniles being 60.3 %. Black juveniles were arrested for 49.0 % of the felony violent offenses.

Over 70 % of all juveniles, including 77.3 %of the Black juveniles arrested were referred to probation departments by law enforcement.

Bonta said the DOJ is using every tool it has to prevent violence and combat crime.

“Whether it’s successfully securing federal certification of our data systems or taking guns out of the hands of dangerous individuals,” he said, “my office remains committed to doing our part to support safety and security for all Californians.”

By Lou Yeboah

In the distance, there is a vague tumult, like that of the sea with its roaring, incoming tide. My heart pounds as I think of this. It trembles within me. I heard behind me a great thunderous voice: “Blessed is the glory of the LORD from His place!” I also heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, and a great thunderous noise. [Ezekiel 3:12-13]. The roar of His voice, to the rumbling that comes from His mouth. He unleashes His lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth holding nothing back” [Job 37:1-4]. Thunder, lightning, hailstones and coals of fire, sound of the roar. [Psalm 18:13].

“Then the Spirit lifted me up and I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.” [Revelation 6:1]. God is sending invading armies to punish roaring nations. Because the world, in its blindness and arrogance thinks that it can defy God with impunity, daring to cast aside His laws and foolishly thinking that it has power even to push aside the Almighty.

Listen! Listen, the Lord will roar from on high; He will thunder from His holy dwelling and roar mightily against His land. He will shout like those who tread the grapes, shout against all who live on the earth. The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring charges against the nations; He will bring judgment on all mankind and put the wicked to the sword.” [Jeremiah 25:30-31].

And “The Lord will destroy Babylon; He will silence her noisy din. For the Lord is a God of retribution; He will repay in full” [Jeremiah 51:55-56]. Whether the Babylon of old or that of today, the principle remains the same, the punishment the same, for God’s ways are eternal. [Habakkuk 3:4-6]. Don’t take it lightly! The history of the world is full of examples of the wrath of God being revealed. Consider Noah’s flood and the fire that destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. Look at the history of the Canaanites. When their iniquity reached its fullness, God wiped them out [Genesis 15:16; Deuteronomy 9:5]. Look at the history of the children of Israel, who were also exiled because of their sin. The history of the world is a history of divine judgment [Daniel 2]. Yet man refuses to recognize God as the Lord of history. Do you hear what I hear?

I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” So, the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea. The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood. And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was, for you brought these judgments. [Revelation 16:1-21].

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for His judgments are true and just; for He has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality and has avenged on her the blood of His servants.”

Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants, you who fear Him, small and great.” [Revelation 19:1-21]. Do you hear what I hear?

“If they were wise, they would understand this; they would discern their latter end!” [Deuteronomy 32:29].

By Edward Henderson ?|? ?California? ?Black? ?Media?

The Supreme Court Ruling overturning Roe vs. Wade has opened the eyes of the public to how much representation matters when it comes to decision makers in courtrooms across America. This revelation has raised awareness on the local level as well.

On the November 8th General Election ballot will be two African American Women running for judgeships on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County.

Holly Hancock is running for judge seat no. 70 and Melissa Lyons is running for judge seat 90. Both won their June primary races taking 47% and 35% of the vote respectively.

Hancock is a unique candidate for judge because she is a public defender with significant trial experience. A vast majority of individuals running for a judicial seat have been prosecutors.

“There has never been a public defender elected in Los Angeles County,” said Hancock. “Black, White, Male, Female, nothing. It says a lot about how the bench is very unbalanced. We are trying to balance the bench.”

In California, 9 out of 10 judges are appointed by the governor. For example, Gov. Newsom, just selected Pamela Dansby to serve as a Judge in the Los Angeles County Superior Court and she is a former public defender.

A graduate of Southwestern Law School, Hancock believes her 16 years of experience as a public defender gives her a unique perspective when it comes to making rulings. Because defense attorneys are always negotiating, they look for solutions instead of simply handing out harsh penalties and imposing high bail amounts. Hancock has represented homeless and mentally ill individuals and believes these things need to be in consideration when examining a case.

“The county did not have the resources to give the clients the kind of treatment that they needed in lieu of sending them to jail or prison. The prosecutors continued to file for jail and prison and continued to file these cases as if the person was perfectly sane. That was always a problem for me from the very beginning … Once I was in felonies and people were getting really long sentences, I just felt like there should be more and better discretion used.”

This will be Hancock’s second time running for a judge’s seat. She suffered a narrow defeat in 2018 and believes this time around the outcome will be different because she has gained the trust of the community through her grassroots campaign.

With the small number of Black judges in the Los Angeles Superior Court compared to the number of Black defendants in court, Hancock believes more qualified people need to see this route as a possibility.

“It’s 4% of black women on the bench and 3% of black men on the bench. That’s 7% total. I can safely say that it’s about 38% of black people in criminal courts in LA County. That’s a huge amount. We’re not talking about who’s behind the bench. It’s not the same look behind the bench than in front of the bench.”

Lyons offers the unique perspective of being an immigrant from Jamaica. Her family moved to the United States when she was 11 years old and settled in a small farming town in Iowa where they were the only black family. She attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and then attended Loyola University law school because of her desire to be a voice for others and to speak out where injustice and inequality exist.

“I’m an immigrant and I personally understand the generational impact a single decision can have,” Lyons said. “That’s the mindset I’m coming into my decision making with. There is no decision that’s too small. It might be the 3000th traffic ticket of the day but for that person that’s in front of me that traffic ticket can mean the difference between rather or not they eat. Those are things you have to think about, obviously while still operating within the law.”

Lyons has been a Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney since 2006. She is currently in charge of juvenile prosecutions at the Superior Court’s Compton branch. She has completed more than 85 trials. She was assigned to the District Attorney’s Sex Crimes Division, including a two-year tenure at Stuart House, where she exclusively prosecuted sexual crimes against children.

Lyons understands the impact electing a Black woman a judge could have on fellow judges in the Superior Court. “I also think it is important behind the scenes in terms for judicial officers as well. People act different when other people are in the room. I think diversity on the bench is just as important for the public as it is for judicial officers because the more interaction you have with diverse people you get to learn things that you may not have had an opportunity to do before.”

Lyons believes that the greatest challenge her campaign has had to overcome has been bringing awareness to voters of how important voting for judgeship is and getting her name out there enough so people can make an informed decision. There are limitations on what stances candidates can take while campaigning, but Lyons does her best to leave a lasting impression when she attends events.

Hancock and Lyons hope to join Judge Carol Elswick in the Superior Court who retained her seat by receiving 68% of the vote during the June primary.

HOUSTON, CA — Starting in October, The Black Man Project will launch free group Therapy for Black Men to create a safe space for men to share openly, begin their wellness journey and build community. Over the past few years, The Black Man Project has toured the country, hosting conversations focused on the Black male experience in contemporary society, engaging more than 100 men in Los Angeles, CA, Seattle, WA, Tulsa, OK, and New York, NY. The upcoming Black Men Healing sessions will take place bi-weekly at The Black Man Project studio in Houston’s Third Ward community. For those interested in participating remotely from all parts of the country, there will also be free virtual sessions held. The first session will take place on October 1, 2022, at 2:00 p.m.

“This series of events was inspired by my own story, growing up as a Black man, and also by the people I’ve captured over the years through the organization,” said Brian Ellison, Founder of The Black Man Project. Research shows that only one-in-three African Americans who need mental health care receive it. “We’ve spent years asking men to be vulnerable, and this is my way of supporting them during their healing journey. It’s my responsibility to provide tools once someone has opened the door to engage. We do a disservice to communities when we simply empower them; this is our work in action,” Ellison added.

Licensed Professional Counselor Femi Olukoya will guide the sessions, operating from his belief that every client deserves peace and freedom to be their authentic self. The series will kick off with an intro session focused on accountability, and thereafter, the session topics will include grief, father figure issues, trauma, coping skills, anger management, and sessions dealing with the inner child.

“We’re addressing issues that we commonly see within Black households, and we hope to normalize conversations like this taking place wherever we gather, beyond this space,” said Ellison.

According to Mental Health America, Black men are particularly conscious of stigma when seeking help from an expert such as a psychologist. For that reason, The Black Man Project offers year-round programming and events focused on health and wellness, such as a gardening session, in-school programming with youth, a podcast, and an upcoming wellness festival. The events are hosted by The Black Man Project and funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance and the BIPOC Arts Network and Fund. Registration for the Black Man Healing sessions is open now at theblackmanproject.com.

ATLANTA, GA— The Power of Technology Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, is pleased to introduce the Inaugural Black Tech Gala taking place on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at 8:00 pm EST at the Hyatt Regency Villa Christina – Atlanta Perimeter. This immersive formal black tie tech affair will feature an elegant night of live entertainment, dining, dancing, fundraising, and an awards ceremony for those who have initiatives supporting the black tech community.

In the US tech sector, 62% of careers are held by white Americans. Black Americans only hold 7% of tech careers, Latinx Americans hold 8%, and Asian Americans hold 20% according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The goal of this event is to help raise funding for scholarships, bring more awareness towards high-tech careers, and increase economic development for local and global underserved communities.

The high-tech sector has become a major source of economic growth fueling the U.S. economy. As an innovation industry, the high-tech sector has impacted how everyone communicates and access information, distribute products and services, and address critical societal problems. A major issue facing this high growth segment is the lack of representation of women and minorities in tech roles. Global tech pioneers and entrepreneurs Jamila Brown and Cameron Hairston founded the Power of Technology Foundation Inc to help address these critical issues. Brown and Hairston’s goal are to advise and educate the community while helping to increase the participation of women and minorities in the fast-growing field of technology.

“The statistics regarding women and minorities in tech are alarmingly low, and since technology is the future, it is more important than ever to get involved in these high paying careers,” says Brown. “Development of a high-tech workforce has long been a source of concern; it is a major growth sector that requires workers with specific skills. It is often believed that tech talent is in short supply among U.S. workers.” “This is proof that the time is right for women and minorities to increase their skills and seek out quality technology training and personal development”, says Hairston.

The Black Tech Gala is the leading fundraiser for the Power of Technology Foundation and all contributions are 100% tax deductible. Limited tickets, sponsorships and tables are available for corporations, small businesses, entrepreneurs, influencers, and local communities by visiting www.blacktechgala.com.

Nationwide — Meet Sam Ayeni, founder and CEO of Afrikare Life, a Black-owned company that has developed an easy life insurance platform and other financial solutions to help working-class people of African descent and other people of color in America.

Mr. Ayeni, with his founding partners, Maureen Marcus and Andrew Fyneboy, are celebrating the launch of their new interactive modern technology for life insurance quotes and applications. The company started with the vision to uplift individuals, families, and tribes living in America from financial captivity and help them escape generational poverty. Afrikare Life aims to achieve this vision by caring for its clients through practical financial education and offering personalized and affordable financial products, including tailored life insurance plans.

“Utilizing interactive modern technology for ease and access, we are dedicated to ensuring that no one is left behind when it comes to financial security,” said Ayeni.

There is a misconception among people of color that life insurance is expensive, unaffordable, and only makes caucasian agents rich. However, AfriKare Life is changing that wrong perception! For example, a 42-year-old with average health can get $300,000 worth of coverage starting at $85 per month with one of their premium A++ prestigious carriers.

One of the reasons why some people of color shy away from buying life insurance is because they feel pressured and hounded by agents who are just in the market to make a commission. Through engaging modern technology, prospects can easily run their own quotes from the comfort of their home on any device, without talking with any agents. In some instances, the entire application can be completed with ease. There is a wrong perception that life insurance is expensive and also robs people of color of creating generational wealth. While their caucasian counterparts are using life insurance products and other financial products to create generational wealth for their unborn children, people of color shy away due to a lack of knowledge and neglect these opportunities that are opened to all when it comes to building generational wealth.

Regardless of the income range, with just one hour of paycheck per week, AfriKare Life agents can customize life insurance that meets any family’s financial needs and budget. The ultimate goal of AfriKare Life is to terminate the cycle of generational poverty among people of color and uplift the next generations into wealth creation and prosperity.

With years of experience in the life insurance industry, AfriKare Life is uniquely positioned to provide its clients with the best life insurance plans and financial services available. The CEO of AfriKare Life has a unique ability to understand and connect with his clients, which he has developed through his previous career as an Army combat veteran.

“My military experience taught me that I needed to be flexible and adaptable when working with different individuals. My goal is to apply that same principle to the business world,” said Mr. Ayeni.

During his years serving in the military, Ayeni lost a few friends in combat, and since all of them had life insurance plans, their families were financially taken care of afterward. This led him to the idea of doing something for the Africans who come to the U.S in hopes of building a better future but don’t earn enough to save for bad times.

Much more than traditional life insurance, AfriKare Life offers multiple financial services products for different financial situations and income, that include Premium Financing. People of color generally use leverage, that is borrowing from banks to buy a house or car, or even finance an education but very few are aware that they can use leverage for Life Insurance, especially for retirement planning purposes.

Mr. Ayeni comments, “The best part with the premium financing product we offer is that there is no credit check, no loan documents, no personal guarantees, and no interest payments. The policy secures the loan, providing our clients with the potential for an additional 60-100% more for their retirements without the typical risks associated with leverage.”

“Through Afrikare Life, we aim to equip all our fellow Africans and people of color in America with the knowledge and tools to ensure their families are safe from financial struggles should anything happen to them,” he adds.

To know more about Afrikare Life or to procure their services, contact them at 877-560-2099 or visit their official website at AfrikareLife.com.

NATIONWIDE — Stacey Woodson, a registered dietitian, food activist, and HBCU graduate from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has partnered with her 10-year-old daughter, Paige, to write and release Grow. Eat. Repeat. A Love Letter to Black-Eyed Peas, a beautiful children’s book that centers on the beauty of Black culture by displaying the intimate relationship between generations of family, Black history and their garden. An educational and inspiring read that is sure to evoke appreciation for growing your own food.

The new book aims to illustrate the beauty and value of growing your own food – especially black-eyed peas. Written to nourish the mind, body and soul by exploring nutrition, science, family, and Black history while artfully highlighting the special bond between daughters, their mothers and their gardens.

Grow. Eat. Repeat. A Love Letter to Black-Eyed Peas combines whimsical alliteration while celebrating diversity, and the multigenerational tradition of growing food. This heartwarming story is the perfect addition to any library or classroom as it entertains and inspires young readers to have a deeper appreciation for the many gifts provided by Mother Earth.

Stacey is a registered dietitian that believes all people should have access to nourishing foods and culturally sensitive nutrition education. She is also is a proud graduate of Hampton University. She also earned her Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition from New York University.

Stacey and Paige enjoy gardening, yoga, and frolicking in nature. The new book caters to readers that grow or wish to grow their food and those interested in nutrition. “We will never have to worry about going hungry as long as we grow our own food,” says Stacey.

For more information and/or to purchase the book, visit her official web site at StaceyWoodson.com/books.

By McKenzie Jackson | California Black Media

Clint Thompson, a Santa Monica resident in his 30s, wouldn’t say he has been inundated with advertisements supporting or denigrating Propositions 26 and 27, but he sees an ad focused on one of the legislations each time he turns on his television.

“I usually watch the news during the day — NBC — and on NBC, Prop 26 or Prop 27 comes on every other commercial break per show,” said Thompson, an actor, who admitted he hasn’t researched the sports gambling propositions. “Both of the props seem to have good things with them. The commercials seem to have reasons why you should say ‘yes,’ or ‘no.’”

Prop 26 would legalize roulette, dice games, and sports betting on Native American tribal lands if approved by voters in the Nov. 8 election. It is backed by over 50 state Native American tribes.

Prop 27, supported by sports books DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Fanatics, PENN Entertainment, and WynnBet, would give those sports betting companies the reins in sports gambling in the Golden State and allow online gambling.

If people like Thompson feel the advertisements from the campaigns for and against the propositions seem to be flooding the television and radio airwaves — and to be ever-present on social media (Watched a YouTube video lately?) — they might be right.

The dueling propositions have raised a combined $400 million for advertising leading up to Election Day this November. That has led to ads backing and slamming the two propositions to be front and center in all forms of media Californians consume.

Dinah Bachrach of the Racial Justice Allies of Sonoma County, a group supporting Prop 26, said the proliferation of ads supporting Prop 27 is concerning.

“They are all over the place,” Bachrach said. “Gambling is already a pretty big business, but to be able to do sports gambling online is dangerous because it hurts what tribal casinos have been able to do for their communities in the state.”

According to Bachrach, Prop 26 protects the sovereignty of native tribes. “It’s a really important racial justice issue,” she said. “Indian casinos provide a tremendous amount of financial support for the casino tribes and the non-casino tribes, and they contribute a lot locally and to the state.”

Bachrach’s organization is one of several civil rights or African American organizations that have thrown its support behind Prop 26.

Santa Clarita NAACP spokesperson Nati Braunstein said in an email, “The NAACP supports Prop 26, which would legalize retail sports betting at California tribal casinos only and opposes Prop 27 which would allow online sports betting via mobile sportsbooks.”

Kathy Fairbanks, speaking for the Yes on 26/No on 27 coalition, composed of California Indian tribes and tribal organizations, and other partners, said winning the approval of every potential voter, including Black Californians, is their goal.

Yes on 27 – Californians for Solutions to Homelessness, the campaign arm of Prop 27 backers, had not returned California Black Media’s requests for comment for this story as of press time. Prop 27 proponents say in ads and the Yes on 27 website repeats that the initiative would help solve California’s homelessness crisis.

Prop 27 imposes a 10 % tax on adjusted gross gaming revenue. Eighty-five percent of the taxes go toward fighting California’s homeless and mental health challenges. Non-gaming tribes get the remaining 15% of tax revenue.

Organizations such as Bay Area Community Services, Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, San Diego Regional Task Force on Homelessness, and individuals including Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, Bay Area Community Services CEO Jamie Almanza, and Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians Chairman Jose “Moke” Simon are listed as Prop 27 supporters on the Yes on 27 website.

On the campaign’s Facebook page, commenter Brandon Gran wrote under an advertisement photo that voting for Prop 27 was a “no brainer.”
“People are already gambling using offshore accounts,” he typed. “Why not allow CA to get a piece of the pie … money that will (hopefully) go to good use.”

However, a statewide survey by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC), conducted between Sept. 2 and 11 and released on Sept. 15, revealed that 54 % of California voters would vote “no” for Prop 27, while 34 % would vote “yes.” Twelve percent of the respondents were “unsure.”

The survey’s authors wrote that a strong majority of Republicans wouldn’t vote for the proposition, compared to half of Democrats and independents.

“Regionally, majorities in the Inland Empire, Orange/San Diego, and the San Francisco Bay Area would vote ‘no,’ while likely voters in the Central Valley and Los Angeles are divided,” they wrote. “At least half across most demographic groups would vote ‘no.’ Likely voters age 18 to 44 (52%) and renters (51%) are the only two demographic groups with a slim majority voting ‘yes.’”

The survey, titled “PPIC Statewide Survey: Californians and Their Government,” did not ask participants about Prop 26. The Yes on 26/No on 27 coalition, said in a news release that the PPIC’s research confirmed what Prop 26 supporters have said for some time.
“Despite raising more than $160 million for a deceptive advertising campaign, California voters are clearly not buying what the out-of-state online gambling corporations behind Prop 27 are selling,” the statement read.

By Lou Yeboah

You always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. [Acts 7:51]. Woe unto thee, Chorazin! Woe unto thee, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works, which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. [Matthew 11:20-24]. What willful ignorance! You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? [Matthew 23:33] … “where the fire never goes out; where the worms do not die, and where you will be tormented with burning sulfur and the smoke of your torment will rise forever and ever.” [Mark 9:43-48]. Avoid hell at all costs you stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears. For I am shaking all that can be shaken. And what is still to come is too dreadful to think about. Wake up! It is past midnight, and My coming has drawn near. Stir yourself and don’t be slothful. Your salvation is nearer now than when you first believed. [Romans 13:11-12].

Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of your God, ye people of Gomorrah [Isaiah 1:10]. The present world as you watch is undergoing shakings. Governments who were previously unmovable are trembling. Kings and Rulers who were untouchable in the past are being removed from their glorious palaces. It’s time to read the signs of the time and check the historical map. For I am not slow in keeping My promise, as some understand slowness. I am patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Therefore, “look carefully how you walk”, “use wisdom in redeeming the time, and “understand what My will is” [Ephesians 5: 15-17].

Because Hell is populated with people that meant well. They may have heard of God and intended to get their lives right with Him, and then suddenly came a time when they needed to know Him, and it was too late. Like the five foolish virgins who made a big mistake thinking there would be another opportunity when the time came. Do not make the same error. The bridegroom will come at a time you are not expecting Him [Matthew 24:44]. Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour” [Matthew 25:1-13].

“Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement, than for that city. [Matthews 10:14-15; Luke 10:11-12].

“And the door was shut.”