June 27, 2024 But They Seem To Get Away With EverythingLYSA TERKEURST Lee en español "they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." Proverbs 1:31 (NIV)  I was sitting in the sand, watching the salty water inch closer and closer. The tide was coming in, and I knew if I didn't move, the water would soon wash over me and my stuff. The beauty of the ocean comes with the reality of the tide. Many things in life come as a package deal like this. When we choose to participate with part of it, we participate with all of it. Relationships. Jobs. Homeownership. Even vacations are this way. All these things come with fun parts and hard parts. And sin is no different. We must remember this about our own sin and also about other people's sins against us. When others intentionally wrong us and blatantly hurt us but never seem to face consequences for any of it, the apparent lack of fairness stirs up bitterness, unforgiveness and even retaliation. The truth that helps me manage these hurtful situations is that when people sin against us, they also unleash into their lives the consequences of that sin. We may never see it. In fact, it may look like they just got away with everything. But there are many scriptures throughout the Bible, like Proverbs 1:31, that show "they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." And as a girl whose heart is wired for justice, that brings me so much relief. You see, we can trust God with others' consequences while making sure we don't get lured into sinful choices by our own bitterness and unforgiveness. And when feelings start rising up inside of us, we must get honest with ourselves and call those feelings what they really are. Bitterness, for example, does not protect us from getting hurt again. It also doesn't hurt the person who hurt us. It is the very place where the enemy can lure us into his schemes and where we can be so very tempted to sin. Friend, I don't know what relational hurt you may be carrying today, but let me encourage you with this: Your strength is found in humility. When we are humble, it doesn't mean we are bowing down in defeat. It means we are rising up to declare no one has the power to make us betray who we really are in Christ. We can stand up for what is right, have hard conversations, and even confront things that need to be addressed - in equal measures of grace and truth - all without losing the best of who we are. Your heart is much too beautiful a place to be tainted by hurt, haunted by resentment or held back by bitterness. We may feel hurt, but that doesn't mean we have to live lives that perpetuate that hurt. Father God, today I bring my difficult relationship situations to You. I know You see me struggle and have not left me to figure this out on my own. When unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and judgment rise up in my heart, please help me healthily process those feelings. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS When others blatantly hurt us but never seem to suffer consequences for any of it, the unfairness of the situation can stir up bitterness and send us spiraling. On top of that, it can increase our distrust of people or even of God as we question what He will allow next. If you find yourself dealing with the aftermath of what someone else has done, wondering if things will eventually be made right, Lysa TerKeurst has created a FREE resource just for you: "When the Person Who Hurt You Got Away With It: 3 Days to Moving Forward." Download today! ENGAGE Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Romans 12:17-19, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord" (NIV). What is challenging about Romans 12:17-19? What is encouraging about these verses as you surrender any hard relationships into God's hands? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post But They Seem To Get Away With Everything –  Encouragement for Today – June 27, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer When You are Tired, Weary, and Ready to Give Up By Kelly Balarie "Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." – Philippians 3:13-14 I forged ahead, making my way down the sidewalk, not giving much attention to how I was walking. Sure, I knew my friend wasn't doing a very good job at keeping up. And, yes, I knew that you shouldn't look back when talking, but still, I kept doing it. My friend was lollygagging. Meanwhile, I was chattering, walking forward while looking back – and before I knew it – I almost walked right into a phone pole.  This story has probably nearly happened a handful of times, but the point remains the same... We cannot effectively walk forward while looking back. We cannot proceed ahead, when peering back to the past. We cannot easily win the prize for which God called us after getting slammed by a pole of defeat. Do not look back.   Paul said, in this verse, that there is one thing that he does. Simply, one thing. That is: "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead." The irony here is that this one thing reads as if it is two things: 1. Forgetting what is behind, and 2. Straining toward what is ahead. Yet, these things two things are, in many ways, one in the same. You cannot forget something without filling that mind space with a new thought.  Therefore, this is one pursuit. What does this process of "forget-and-strain" look like? It looks like: I forget my mistakes and strain forward into God's grace that helps me do a new thing in this season. I forget how that person offended me (by forgiving them) and I strain toward my highest calling: to love. I forget all the trauma and strain toward sharing the lessons I learned in order to minister to others in traumatic situations. Try this exercise in any situation you may find yourself in. Say: "I choose, today, to forget _____ and I decide to strain toward _____." This decision to not look back prevents tiredness, weariness or defeat from nipping at your heels. It prevents you from looking back, when trying to walk forward. It sets you up to not only to walk forward but to look up to Christ Jesus, God's promises, and the Holy Spirit's counsel. This is more powerful than you likely know. There is a goal to "win the prize," for which God has called you. There is His will to fulfill. There is a purpose to why you were created. No one ever can walk ahead while looking back. People who get tired and give up are usually so focused on what's going wrong or what isn't going right that they can't see the God who was, is, and is to come. They miss The Great I Am. Instead, they get self-centered, self-focused, and stuck in pits of self-pity. They see walls. They see tight confines. They see lack and restrictions. Of course, I don't judge pit-dwellers because I've been in some massive pits, too. I just lament the wasted time that happens when we get in these pits, especially when God calls us higher. Namely, to be seated with Him in the heavenlies. Either way, I apply "forget and strain." I forget time wasted and strain toward fixing my mind on what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, admirable, praiseworthy, and of good report. And, as I do – I find that the pit has an open door, easily leading me up and out. Let's pray: Father, I am stuck. I am stuck feeling sorry for myself. I am stuck feeling angry. I am tired. I am weary. I am worn. I admit parts of me want to give up. As Redeemer, will you redeem me and restore me? I need your help. Will you strengthen me on the inside? I need your faith. Will you lead me in all the ways I should go? I want you as my Shepherd. You are my only hope. I look to you to rescue me this day. Give me strength to forgive, to forget, and to strain ahead towards all you have called me to. I want to do all that you have created me for in this world and to enjoy the prize as I move heavenward in Christ Jesus.In Jesus' mighty name. Amen. Photo credit: ©Getty Images/lzf Kelly uplifts believers with boosts of faith; be encouraged weekly by getting Kelly's blog posts by email. Kelly, a cheerleader of faith, is a blogger, national speaker, and author of Take Every Thought Captive, Rest Now, Battle Ready, and Fear Fighting. Kelly loves seeing the power of prayer in action. She loves seeing the expression on women's faces when they realize – their God is faithful! Kelly's work has been featured on The Today Show, CBN's 700 Club, Relevant and Today's Christian Woman.  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 When You Are Tired, Weary, and Ready to Give Up – Your Daily Prayer – June 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

June 27, 2024 But They Seem To Get Away With EverythingLYSA TERKEURST Lee en español "they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." Proverbs 1:31 (NIV)  I was sitting in the sand, watching the salty water inch closer and closer. The tide was coming in, and I knew if I didn't move, the water would soon wash over me and my stuff. The beauty of the ocean comes with the reality of the tide. Many things in life come as a package deal like this. When we choose to participate with part of it, we participate with all of it. Relationships. Jobs. Homeownership. Even vacations are this way. All these things come with fun parts and hard parts. And sin is no different. We must remember this about our own sin and also about other people's sins against us. When others intentionally wrong us and blatantly hurt us but never seem to face consequences for any of it, the apparent lack of fairness stirs up bitterness, unforgiveness and even retaliation. The truth that helps me manage these hurtful situations is that when people sin against us, they also unleash into their lives the consequences of that sin. We may never see it. In fact, it may look like they just got away with everything. But there are many scriptures throughout the Bible, like Proverbs 1:31, that show "they will eat the fruit of their ways and be filled with the fruit of their schemes." And as a girl whose heart is wired for justice, that brings me so much relief. You see, we can trust God with others' consequences while making sure we don't get lured into sinful choices by our own bitterness and unforgiveness. And when feelings start rising up inside of us, we must get honest with ourselves and call those feelings what they really are. Bitterness, for example, does not protect us from getting hurt again. It also doesn't hurt the person who hurt us. It is the very place where the enemy can lure us into his schemes and where we can be so very tempted to sin. Friend, I don't know what relational hurt you may be carrying today, but let me encourage you with this: Your strength is found in humility. When we are humble, it doesn't mean we are bowing down in defeat. It means we are rising up to declare no one has the power to make us betray who we really are in Christ. We can stand up for what is right, have hard conversations, and even confront things that need to be addressed - in equal measures of grace and truth - all without losing the best of who we are. Your heart is much too beautiful a place to be tainted by hurt, haunted by resentment or held back by bitterness. We may feel hurt, but that doesn't mean we have to live lives that perpetuate that hurt. Father God, today I bring my difficult relationship situations to You. I know You see me struggle and have not left me to figure this out on my own. When unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment and judgment rise up in my heart, please help me healthily process those feelings. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS When others blatantly hurt us but never seem to suffer consequences for any of it, the unfairness of the situation can stir up bitterness and send us spiraling. On top of that, it can increase our distrust of people or even of God as we question what He will allow next. If you find yourself dealing with the aftermath of what someone else has done, wondering if things will eventually be made right, Lysa TerKeurst has created a FREE resource just for you: "When the Person Who Hurt You Got Away With It: 3 Days to Moving Forward." Download today! ENGAGE Find real-life encouragement when you connect with Lysa TerKeurst here on Instagram. FOR DEEPER STUDY Romans 12:17-19, "Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord" (NIV). What is challenging about Romans 12:17-19? What is encouraging about these verses as you surrender any hard relationships into God's hands? We'd love to hear from you! Share your thoughts in the comments. © 2024 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post But They Seem To Get Away With Everything –  Encouragement for Today – June 27, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

Historical Events 1778 - Liberty Bell returns home to Philadelphia after the British departure 1806 - Buenos Aires captured by British 1963 - Billy J Kramer and Dakotas record Lennon-McCartney song "I Call Your Name" 1967 - Race riot in Buffalo NY (200 arrested) 1982 - 4th NASA Space Shuttle Mission: Columbia 4 (STS-4) launches 1993 - Senior Players Championship Men's Golf, TPC of Michigan: Jim Colbert wins his lone career major title by 1 stroke from Raymond Floyd More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1907 - Valerie Cossart, British actress (Hartmans), born in London, England (d. 1994) 1914 - Giorgio Almirante, Italian fascist and MP (1948-87), born in Salsomaggiore Terme, Emilia-Romagna, Italy (d. 1988) 1927 - Robert Casey, American actor (Aldrich Family Show - "Henry"; What to Do on a Date), born in Rochester, New York 1929 - Dick the Bruiser [William Fritz Afflis], American professional wrestler, born in Delphi, Indiana (d. 1991) 1964 - Chuck Person, American NBA forward (San Antonio Spurs), born in Brantley, Alabama 1964 - Michel Bénébig, New Caledonian jazz Hammond B3 organ, and accordion player, born in Nouméa City, New Calédonia More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1832 - Claude-Joseph Rouget de Lisla, French army officer, and composer ("La Marseillaise" -the French national anthem), dies at 72 1848 - Denis-Auguste Affre, Archbishop of Paris (1840-48) and opponent of King Louis-Philippe, shot to death at 54 1889 - Carlotta Patti, Italian soprano, dies at 48 1985 - Jane Ross [Breslaw], American actress (Star Trek, Rocket Attack U.S.A., Wild Is My Love), dies at 53 2011 - Mike Doyle, English former footballer (b. 1946) 2022 - Jack Gordon, Canadian ice hockey coach (Minnesota North Stars 1970-75) and executive (GM Minnesota NS 1974-78, Vancouver Canucks 1985-87), dies at 94 More Famous Deaths »

Originally written at a clandestine recording session, Absolute Beginners was the start of a 10-year musical relationship

After a little boy spent three summers raising over $12K for shelter pets in need, his own dog fell ill. So people around the country came together to show him that kindness goes both ways. Henry Bryant, now eight, began his quest to save shelter pets when he was only six. At that time, he decided to open a lemonade stand and give a local organization all the proceeds. He managed to earn over $2k. And as promised, he handed over every penny to help homeless dogs and cats.  But he didn’t stop there. During his summer breaks, Henry opened six more stands, where he continued making thousands. Henry kept donating the profits to various shelters around his home in Michigan. In many cases, the money helped animals get expensive medical procedures that never would have been possible otherwise.  “I want all dogs to have a home and to have a good life,” Henry told 7 News Detroit. Henry Sets Up 7th Lemonade Stand To Raise Money for A Local Pet Shelter This year, Henry’s dog Pickles had a medical emergency, and his family couldn’t afford the medical bills. When people across the country heard, they came together to raise the money needed, and they saved Pickles’ life. “If it wasn’t for Henry, we never would have been able to get the care that Pickles needed,” Henry’s mom, Shelley Lambert, shared. Henry and his family were touched by the outpouring, so they set up the seventh stand on June 22nd and gave the proceeds to the River Rouge Animal Shelter. In honor of his dog and those who donated to his medical costs, Henry sold a special drink called “Pickles Punch” alongside his standard plain and strawberry lemonade. Henry said the drink was green, but his mom assured everyone it didn’t taste like pickles. “It resonates in my heart because I get to see him doing something that he’s so proud to do,” Henry’s dad, Michael, said of his son’s continued efforts. “I also get to see people donating money to something that they trust and it works out and these dogs are saved.” You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Strangers Pay It Forward After 8-Year-Old Raises More Than $12K To Save Pets In Need appeared first on InspireMore.

You will be robbed of peace as soon as you turn your trust away from God and begin to live in your own strength.

We cannot effectively walk forward while looking back. We cannot proceed ahead, when peering back to the past. We cannot easily win the prize for which God called us after getting slammed by a pole of defeat. Do not look back.