One of the greatest promises of God is that He is always with us. Through the good and bad, the highs and lows, we are never alone. Through every circumstance and every situation, God is there beside us. In His amazing love, the Lord cares, guides, protects, and fights for us, always. All we have to do is trust and obey. On our own, we can do nothing. But with God in our corner, and relying on His strength, the only thing that can hinder us is ourselves. So have no fear, find your courage in God, and be unstoppable!
Do you ever get frustrated when you do all the right things, but your circumstances stay the same? The prophet Habakkuk felt the same way. Waiting to see God work in his life he cries out, “How long O Lord?” And in His answer, God reminds the prophet that things are always in His control, and happen according to His perfect will and timing. Though we might not see results right away, they will come. For God is always at work, and His plans always come to fruition. So trust in Him, wait on Him, and watch in astonishment at the greatness of the results!
When President Trump launched efforts to find and to deport undocumented immigrants, more than 40 people fled to churches for sanctuary. But now following President Biden’s 100-day hold on certain deportations, many are now hoping for a reprieve. Francesca Lino, an illegal alien who lived above a Chicago church for more than three years to avoid being deported, returned to her family’s Chicago home last weekend due to the hold. Read more about Lino and others who sought sanctuary here.
Biden Overturns Pro-life Rule Allowing U.S. Funding For Abortions In Other Countries
In a sad decision that is bound to thrill Satan, President Biden is preparing to reverse a Trump administration policy that prohibits U.S. funding for nongovernmental groups that provide or refer patients for abortions. The Mexico City Policy previously banned U.S. funds from going to for abortion and prohibited such organizations from lobbying for more liberal abortion policies in other countries. Read more about this heartbreaking policy reversal here.
Professor Suspended From Facebook For Disagreeing With Biden Policy
In yet another example of the censoring of conservative voices, Facebook suspended a Christian university professor after he voiced his disagreement over President Biden’s executive order. This order would permit trans-identifying individuals to serve in the military. Gagnon’s post suggested that the order would endanger women, and that those who promote transgenderism may be allowing males to invade women’s athletics and shelters. Facebook labeled the post an “incitement” to violence. Read more about the suspension
Officers Chop Wood For Elderly Woman Burning Furniture For Heat
When Canadian officers responded to a residence in a small community near the U.S. border to assist paramedics on a medical call, they found a heartbreaking scene. An elderly woman was in the process of breaking up household furniture to burn in the home’s wood stove for heat. The officer immediately rounded up the troops, who travelled into the backcountry to chop wood, which they sorted, split, delivered and stacked. Read more about this act of kindness here.
In a previous visit to Corinth, known as the “painful visit”, Paul’s authority had been openly challenged by a member of the Corinthian church. Disheartened by the lack of defense for him by fellow church members, Paul returned to Ephesus. There he wrote what is called the “severe letter” insisting the church turn away from their sinful actions and the offending brother be disciplined. …
Making positive changes in our lives is always a good thing. But unfortunately, being fallen beings we don’t get it right all of the time. Sometimes we make the wrong choice, or follow the wrong path. That’s why God never calls us to do it on our own. Instead, before we make a decision, God tells us to seek the opinions of other godly people. For different eyes see different things, and can offer us different perspectives. So before you step out on your own, save yourself some heartache and seek God’s viewpoint, and the viewpoint of other trusted counselors in your life.
In 1927 a submarine of the Navy was accidentally rammed by a Coast Guard destroyer, and quickly sunk. Heroic efforts were made to rescue six known survivors trapped in the forward torpedo room, who had exchanged a series of signals with the rescue force, by tapping on the hull. As the trapped men used the last of available oxygen in the sub, they sent a Morse-coded message….”Is there any hope?” …
Although setting goals and striving to be better are important, even more important is learning to be content. The apostle Paul faced hardship and persecution, good times and bad. Yet through it all the one thing that remained the same was Paul’s contentment. Whether in times or plenty or famine, Paul rested in the fact that the strength he received from Lord would see him through. And just like Paul, no matter the circumstance, we too have that same Christ given strength inside of us to find contentment, whatever comes our way.
A California church has been hit with a million dollar fine for holding in person worship services. Calvary Chapel San Jose held an indoor Christmas Eve service despite Santa Clara County’s public health order against such gatherings. The northern California church had already racked up fines for previous violations of state health orders. Mike McClure, the church’s pastor, said of the church’s violation of local health restrictions: “We have to obey God’s Word. And we need to gather together.” Read more about these outrageous fines here.
Chinese Officials Fear growing Rise of Christianity
No matter their efforts to persecute Christians for their faith, Chinese leaders find that the people are receiving Jesus Christ as their savior in growing numbers. Boyd-MacMillan, director of Strategic Research at Christian charity Open Doors is quoted as saying, “We think the evidence as to why the Chinese Church is so targeted, is that the leaders are scared of the size of the Church and the growth of the Church, and fear they’ll have to share power”. Read more about the growth of Christianity in China here.
WW1 Hand Grenade Found In Jerusalem
Archaeologists working in Jerusalem to clear an area ahead of an upgrade of a park dug up a hand grenade, left behind by the British Army. The grenade was identified as a Mills 23 that was used by the British army in the First World War. The British Army conquered Jerusalem from the Ottoman Empire in 1917. Authorities believe that the grenade was found in the past and was thrown into a cistern to bury it and remove the danger from the area. Read more about this discovery here.
Appalachia-Based Company Builds Indoor Farm In Coal Country
In a way to bring new jobs to a region that has struggled as the coal industry collapsed, start up company, AppHarvest, has built a 2.76-million-square-foot facility, designed to grow as many as 45 million pounds of tomatoes in a year. A method which uses far less land than traditional farms, and far less water, as it grows the food hydroponically, without soil. The Kentucky-based company known for its focus on restoring economically-suffering communities in former coal country. Read more about this new and exciting venture here.
There is much wisdom to be gleaned in Proverbs 23, and for me the warning against envy in verses 17-18 laid a conviction on my heart. “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but live in the fear of the Lord always. Surely there is a future.” …
Satan loves to see us defeated. And so he whispers words of discouragement into our ears. Words that point out all we don’t have, or haven’t accomplished. Because he knows the more we focus on what we lack, the more we forget all the blessings in our lives we do have. But as Christians, we don’t lead our lives for earthly treasures. Instead we lead our lives dedicated to glorifying God. He knows what’s best for us, and in His perfect will, the Lord will give us exactly what we need. So whether we have a lot or a little, we can depend on God’s promise to prosper us and give us a hope and future! (Jer. 29:11)
