Glenn Beck says that it's time to defund the GOP unless or until the Republican Party reveals the movers and shakers who allegedly tried to bribe MAGA superstar Kari Lake to drop out of the race for U.S. Senate in Arizona. "Every single person that writes a check‚ to any...

For all our liberal elites' bluster about "right-wing extremists" supposedly making up stories to discredit the politicians they dislike‚ our elites have lately been giving us plenty of evidence to support our "stories." In another addition to the list of Biden 2024 gaffes‚ Wisconsin Democratic Gov. Tony Evers had an...

While Biden hasn't generally been known for his astounding eloquence‚ his verbal gaffes have been lately so egregious‚ that even his staunchest defenders have to be questioning their support for his campaign. Case in point‚ Biden's appearance in Wisconsin today turned disastrous the second he was required to string together...

"Mostly peaceful protests" are apparently turning out to be profitable‚ at least for some street activists -- and‚ presumably‚ their legal representatives -- in the state of Washington. The city of Seattle this week agreed to pay $10 million to settle a lawsuit from more than 50 protesters who claimed...

What Growing Older Really Means for You Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away‚ yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16 A new member of the bridge club showed up one afternoon wearing a beautiful gold locket. Another player approached her and said‚ "That's such a lovely piece. Do you keep a memento in it?" "Yes‚" the woman answered. "It's a piece of my husband's hair I keep to help me remember." "Oh‚ I'm so sorry‚" the player replied. "How long ago did he pass away?" The newcomer quipped‚ "Pass away? Oh‚ he's still alive. It's his hair that's gone!" Someone once said‚ "Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many." And with so much focus today on doing whatever it takes to stay young‚ many people completely miss out on a biblical understanding of what it means to age. They miss the fact that their gray hairs‚ baldness‚ wrinkles‚ and aches all have a purpose in the plan of God. So what is the right biblical understanding of aging? Well‚ as we see in today's passage‚ aging is a lifelong tradeoff of the physical for the spiritual. Young people may have more physical vitality‚ but are usually less mature spiritually. As we get older‚ however‚ we may lose our physical strength‚ but we grow spiritually and become more equipped to invest in others' lives. Be willing to make that tradeoff. Don't despise growing older. Instead‚ embrace your aging as a sign that while you may lose physical vigor‚ you're growing each day in your spiritual strength! Prayer Challenge Pray and ask God to give you a right understanding of aging as a lifelong tradeoff for something much better than physical strength. Questions for Thought What is the one thing that gives you the most anxiety about aging? How might this proper understanding of growing older as a tradeoff change your attitude toward aging‚ as well as impact your relationship with God and others? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post What Growing Older Really Means for You – Senior Living – January 26 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Combat Unhealthy ComparisonBy Ashley Moore "We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus‚ the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him‚ he endured the cross‚ disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne." – Hebrews 12:2‚ NLT  I hadn’t been a believer long when my church invited me to take a leadership position. I didn't come from a long lineage of Christ followers and felt my faith was still in the infant stages. How would I be able to lead and teach others? It has been an honor and a great privilege to sit under the wisdom of our elders and staff‚ who are such seasoned and wise leaders. They each bring nuanced perspectives‚ unique giftings‚ and much-needed insight that has helped me learn to lead well in my area. But I discovered something interesting sitting at this table full of leaders. Unhealthy comparison is the fastest way to discouragement. Regardless of our experience level‚ no one is immune to the deadly effects of comparison. What about you? Have you ever found yourself admiring the success of others only to decide you don't measure up? Or perhaps your inexperience holds you back from pursuing a new role at work? Maybe like me‚ you've allowed your past to disqualify you from present opportunities.  Don't get me wrong. There is so much we need to learn from each other. Great leaders are formed by learning and observing the strategies of those who have blazed the trail before them. But there is a fine line between learning from others and comparing ourselves to each other.  We will never be able to determine our capability by looking to those to the left and right of us. Comparing ourselves to others will leave us disenchanted‚ disillusioned‚ and disappointed. We can’t determine our worth by comparing ourselves to others. Our worth isn’t found in what we do or how well we do it.  As believers‚ our worth is determined by one thing-Jesus Christ! And as Paul points out in Hebrews 12:2‚ he is the one who initiates and perfects our faith. Paul commands us not to fixate on what others are doing but to fix our eyes on Jesus. The one who endured the cross‚ disregarding the shame of dying a criminal's death (Hebrews 12:2).   If we compare Jesus’ ministry against the world’s view of success‚ most would consider him a failure. Jesus had only twelve disciples‚ all of which deserted him when he was arrested to be crucified (Matthew 26:56). He was accused of breaking the law by the most esteemed rulers and leaders in his culture. And he died a death reserved for a criminal‚ naked and exposed‚ on a wooden cross while people spit on him (Matthew 26:67‚ 27:35). Nothing about his ministry screamed success. Then he was raised to life and ascended to heaven‚ leaving behind sick‚ unhealed‚ and lost people to be ministered to by his rebellious‚ misfit group of disciples (Luke 24:51)! Nothing thwarted Christ's obedience to the Father. He knew His ministry was not a failure despite how it looked when held up against the world's stipulations for success.  The greatest thing I admire about the leaders I serve alongside at my church is the way they continuously point me and the people they lead back to Jesus. So yes‚ let's learn what we can from the great leaders that surround us and the people God places in our lives. But let's guard against using others as a benchmark of our success. God has uniquely placed a calling on each of our lives; we don’t have to compare or compete with others to hear ” well done” we only need to be faithful. What looks like a failure when comparing ourselves to others just may be the greatest thing we accomplish for the Kingdom. For that reason‚ we have to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus!   Let's pray: Jesus‚ Thank you for the people in our lives who grow‚ shape‚ and sharpen us into your image! Lord‚ I know you created us to teach one another and learn from each other!  Jesus‚ forgive us when we cross the line by trying to find our worth by sizing ourselves up to others and what the world defines as successful. You alone are the source of our worth. And you loved us so much that while you were dying a gruesome death for us‚ you considered the joy of being with God and your children forever in heaven to help you endure! Lord‚ I pray you would give us the wisdom to see when the things you call us to don't look like a success in this life. Lord‚ remind us and give us the strength to keep our eyes fixed on you! In Jesus' name‚ amen. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Margo Ovcharenko Ashley Moore is a writer and host of be the twopodcast. She is known for her relatability and for passionately writing and speaking about mental‚ emotional‚ and relational health from a biblical worldview. She has written for Kingdom Edge Magazine‚ Guideposts‚ Crosswalk‚ The Secret Place‚ enLIVEn‚ The Bubbling Brook and more. If Ashley isn’t writing‚ you can find her with her husband‚ three children‚ and two floppy-eared Goldens on their south Georgia farmland. The best way to connect with Ashley is to grab a free devotional or Bible study and join her newsletter at free.ashleynicolemoore.com. Teach Us to Pray is a FREE prayer podcast hosted by iBelieve writer Christina Patterson. Each week‚ she gives you practical‚ real-life tips on how to grow your faith and relationship with God through the power of prayer. To listen to her episode on What to Pray in the Morning for a Worry-Free Day‚ click below! Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below! Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Combat Unhealthy Comparison – Your Daily Prayer – January 26 appeared first on GodUpdates.

There isn’t an actual border deal in Washington yet but you wouldn’t know that‚ given the media’s collective caterwauling over former President Donald Trump’s comments on a prospective border deal‚ which the media then proceeded to frame as a killing of the deal.  How do we know there is no deal? Because NBC News told us as much as they closed out their coverage of the border kerfuffle:     LESTER HOLT: Ryan‚ let's turn back to those negotiations over the border and Ukraine aid‚ where do they stand tonight?  RYAN NOBLES: Well‚ Lester‚ late tonight‚ the former president issuing a statement warning Republicans that a border deal could potentially be what he called “a gift to Democrats”. Despite that‚ the lead negotiators believe they could release the details of their legislation early next week. They remain hopeful that a bipartisan deal can be struck.  NBC News were the only ones to admit there was no border deal actually in place‚ and had the crispest coverage overall‚ albeit weirdly bifurcated between coverage of Trump’s civil defamation trial in New York and the GOP primary. The deal was properly characterized as part of a broader aid package to Ukraine and Israel. ABC News‚ on the other hand‚ covered the “deal” as though it were a campaign stand-alone‚ with no mention of Ukraine until the end of Mary Bruce’s report‚ and no mention of Israel at all. Bruce‚ known around these parts as the Biden White House’s chief apple polisher‚ made it a pure Trump-adverse story focused on process and on the campaign. In fairness‚ though‚ Bruce accurately portrayed Trump’s opposition to this as of yet nonexistent deal: MARY BRUCE: But Trump‚ now gearing up for a general election rematch against Biden and hoping to deny the president a win on immigration‚ has been urging lawmakers not to make a deal with Democrats‚ posting‚ "I do not think we should do a border deal‚ at all‚ unless we get everything."  What is “everything”? Probably the 800-pound gorilla that no one mentions except for Bruce‚ when she said‚ “ it still faces an uphill battle over in the House”. Speaker Mike Johnson has made clear that any deal for Ukraine money MUST include the House-passed H.R. 2‚ as a minimum border enforcement component. Whatever the Senate and White House are negotiating on‚ it isn’t H.R. 2. That somehow‚ goes unmentioned here. Why bother with facts and context when it’s easier to pound out easy “Orange Man Bad” content all day‚ every day? To CBS’s credit‚ The NFL Today host and guest anchor James Brown included Ukraine in the story’s introduction‚ and correspondent Scott MacFarlane peppered his report with Ukraine mentions. However‚ no mentions of Israel or of the House of Representatives. This report‚ too‚ was also a Trump-adverse process story. The three major networks mischaracterized Trump’s opposition to this imaginary border deal‚ which is not H.R. 2 and is therefore unlikely to pass the House of Representatives. No substance‚ just plenty of negotiation with the wind and Orange Man Bad. To view ABC’s transcript click HERE To view CBS’s transcript click HERE To view NBC’s transcript click HERE