The Pour Over Today - Today’s Inauguration, TikTok’s Status, The Release of Hostages by Hamas & More I 01.20.25

Episode Date: January 20, 2025

Today, we’re talking about the presidential inauguration ceremony; TikTok temporarily going dark; an update on the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas; and other top news for Monday, January 20th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over Today. Please support our TPO sponsors! The Voice of the Martyrs: vom.org/TPO Parenting with Ginger Hubbard: https://links.thepourover.org/ParentingwithGingerHubbard The Bulletin: MoreCT.com/BulletinPodcast Upside: https://links.thepourover.org/Upside Cru: give.cru.org/pour LMNT: https://links.thepourover.org/LMNT_Podcast Hello Fresh: https://hellofresh.com/pourover10fm

Today, we're talking about the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony, TikTok temporarily going dark, an update on the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, and other top news for Monday, January 20th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with a pullover today. Here's the quote of the day, There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing but only by God. – Blaise Pasquale

Let's get started with some espresso shots. It's soon to be President Trump's second first week on the job. Today's inauguration ceremony was moved indoors to the Capitol Rotunda, with D.C. bundled up for its coldest presidential swearing since Reagan's second inauguration, also the last time the ceremony was inside. The day will feature performances from Carrie Underwood, village people, Lee Greenwood, Kid Rock, and others.

First up on the Trump admin's to-do list, a major immigration raid in Chicago. The operation will reportedly begin tomorrow and target more than 300 people, most with violent crime histories. In other new job news, Lieutenant Governor John Husted will temporarily fill Vice President J.D. Vance's Senate seat until a November 2026 special election. And Vivek Ramaswamy, co-leader of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, is rumored to be planning an Ohio gubernatorial bid.

Whether the change in power has you stoked or unsettled, remember that the King of Kings reigns unshaken. Leadership changes on earth are temporary, but the Lord's authority is eternal. Believers have the opportunity to reflect the peace and hope found in his unchanging rule. Psalm 47, five through eight says, God ascends among shouts of joy, the Lord with the sound of a ram's horn.

Sing praise to God, sing praise. Sing praise to our King, sing praise. Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth. God reigns over the nations. God is seated on his holy throne. Millions of TikTok-trained fingers were left with only muscle memory this weekend as the app temporarily went dark.

TikTok, owned by China-based ByteDance, has been racing against the clock to avoid a U.S. ban over concerns about the foreign-owned app's access to Americans' data. Last week, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld a Sell-or-Farewell law requiring ByteDance to divest its U.S. operations or be banned. Despite last-minute offers, including a $20 billion cash bid from Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary and a merger proposal from Perplexity AI, ByteDance refused to sell and users were locked out Saturday night. On Sunday, less than 24 hours into the talk timeout, TikTok's CEO announced the app would

resume operations after President-elect Trump signed an executive order giving the app an extension once he's sworn in today. Here's a verse to consider when you're weighing a tough decision against the clock. If you call out to insight and lift your voice to understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding. Proverbs 2, 3-6.

The first 33 Hamas-held hostages, three young women, were reunited with their families yesterday. 15 months of conflict paused Sunday morning, three hours later than expected. Over the next 41 days, women, children, elderly, and sick hostages will be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners every seven days. A surge of humanitarian aid, up to 600 trucks daily, will flow into Gaza under the deal.

Gaza's displaced population, over two million people, will return to war-ravaged homes, their movement managed by Hamas police, as Israeli forces withdraw. The governance and rebuilding of Gaza wasn't detailed in the agreement. On his last day in office, President Biden celebrated that the guns in Gaza have gone silent. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu thanked Presidents Trump and Biden for backing Israel's return to fighting

if second stage negotiations aren't effectual. As you pray for the restoration of hostages and prisoners and refugees, remember that our God is a shepherd who relentlessly searches for lost sheep. He will never tire or give up until the last one comes home to him. John 10, 14 through 16 says,

I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. Just as the father knows me and I know the father. I lay down my life for the sheep, but I have other sheep that are not from this sheep pen. I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice. Then there will be one flock, one shepherd. Hey, it's Emily from the pour over. The holidays are over, but my wallet? She's still recovering from endless holiday festivities, gifts, and class parties. If you're looking for a new

habit to kick off the new year, Upside is it. This app puts a little cash back in your pocket when you're already filling up your gas tank or grabbing a bite to eat. I even get cash back on our Friday pizza night tradition. It's super easy. Download the app, check the map for gas or food offers nearby, claim one, pay like normal, and boom, cash back.

Download the free Upside app and use promo code TPO to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas. That's an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas using promo code TPO. In other brews, here's a wrap-up round of updates. President Biden set a new record for presidential commutations and pardons before passing the Oval Office Pen. Over the weekend, he shortened the sentences

of nearly 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug crimes, focusing on offenders whose sentences were longer than they would have been under current laws, and pardoned five activists and public servants. Keep those pipes dripping. The polar vortex is passing through America. Dangerously cold air, when chills negative 30 to negative 55 degrees, dove out of the Arctic to chill most of the US. Below freezing temps are expected from the Rockies to the Atlantic and as far

south as San Antonio and the Florida Panhandle. Over 30 states are under extreme cold alerts. And then there were four. The NFL playoffs are in full swing and on Saturday, the Chiefs kept their 3-P chances alive with a 23-14 W over the Texans. The commanders followed up by topping the top-seeded Lions 45-31. Yesterday, the Eagles soared past the Rams 28-22, and the Bills beat the Ravens 27-25. Conference championships kick off Sunday. The Justice Department filed a lawsuit against Walgreens Friday for reportedly filling millions of unlawful opioid prescriptions over the last 13 years. In the suit, similar to one filed against CVS last month, the DOJ claims that pharmacists

were systematically pressured to fill prescriptions and ignore red flags on suspicious scripts. In response, Walgreens defended the professionalism and integrity of its pharmacists. Riots broke out across Seoul after South Korea's impeached President Yoon was formally arrested yesterday. Yoon was detained for questioning about his short-lived imposition of martial law last month. So far, he refused to talk. While Yoon's presidential fate still resides with Seoul's constitutional court, he now faces months of detainment and possible imprisonment.

And that's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. If you're listening on the Apple Podcasts app, give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, give us a follow and hit the notification bell to never miss a new episode. We appreciate your support and hope you have a great day. courageous faith, look no further. The Voice of the Martyrs is offering TPO listeners free access to a film called Sabina, Tortured for Christ, the Nazi Years. It tells the powerful, true story of a woman's journey to faith in Christ and the risks she took to share the gospel with soldiers from the army that killed her family. Visit vom.org slash TPO to claim your free copy today.