Leftists have developed an uncanny ability to twist words until all their meaning is wrung out. For example‚ they throw around the word &;quot;tolerance&;quot; in the hopes of convincing unsuspecting souls that it is synonymous with mercy. It's not. Mercy does not tolerate sin. In the process‚ Democrats have made...

At some point in the last five years‚ we stopped merely studying history's darkest moments and began experiencing them. For instance‚ in an 11-second viral clip posted Wednesday to the social media platform X‚ a woman identified as Loyola Marymount University graduate student Grace Obi-Azuike effectively re-enacted a scene from...

The contrast between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump continues to be obvious in the lead-up to their showdown in the November election. While Biden is received in public by relatively small and unenthused crowds‚ Trump is met with chanting‚ applause and crowds literally being held back behind...

Pro-Palestine protests erupted across the nation on Monday‚ with some protesters halting traffic for multiple hours. But in Florida‚ it was a much different story. Video posted by WSVN-TV shows Miami police promptly responding to a group of pro-Palestine protesters attempting to hold up traffic and block the entrance to...

Gender clinics are committing the worst atrocities against children‚ and history will judge us harshly if it doesn't stop. At these houses of horror‚ radical transgender theory becomes gruesome practices‚ leaving bodies mutilated and children &;quot;begging to have body parts put back on within months of having surgeries.&;quot; This stomach-churning...

The profound impact of human connection Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10 There was a woman who always went to a certain post office in her town because the postal employees there were just so friendly. One year just before Christmas‚ she walked in to buy a book of stamps‚ and the lines were particularly long. Another customer waiting next to her in line pointed out that there was no need to wait because the post office had installed a stamp machine in the lobby. &;quot;I know‚&;quot; said the woman‚ &;quot;but that machine won't ask me about my arthritis.&;quot; So often today in our world of mass communication and high-efficiency processes‚ it's easy to miss the human connection that's so badly needed in our lives. And sadly‚ this has even become the case in many of our churches‚ where people get in and get out as quickly as they can in order to jump back into their busy schedules. But what a remarkable change we would see in our world today if we slowed down a step to talk to others. Instead of rushing out of the store‚ what if you asked the clerk how her day was going&;#63; Instead of hurrying to meet a deadline a work‚ what if you stopped to wish the secretary a good morning&;#63; A simple human connection can do amazing things in your life and in the lives of others. So as you go throughout your day‚ don't let busyness get in the way of the important task of connecting with others&;#33; Prayer Challenge Pray that God would remind you to slow down a bit each day and spend quality time connecting with others. Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post The Profound Impact of Human Connection – Senior Living – April 19 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer to Grieve with Others By Ashley Moore &;quot;What is man‚ that you make so much of him‚ and that you set your heart on him‚ visit him every morning and test him every moment&;#63; How long will you not look away from me‚ nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit&;#63; If I sin‚ what do I do to you‚ you watcher of mankind&;#63; Why have you made me your mark&;#63; Why have I become a burden to you&;#63; Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity&;#63; For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me‚ but I shall not be.&;quot; – Job 7:17-21‚ ESV They are saying there is no heartbeat. I couldn't make my mind comprehend what my husband was saying. Our friends checked into labor and delivery that morning. We received a text from their mom saying today was the day. How could this be&;#63; Many of us don't love the Book of Job. Job experienced so much tragedy. It is terrifying to think about how God allowed Satan to terrorize this man. To add insult to injury‚ Job's friends attempt to comfort him but make things worse. But the straw that breaks the camel’s back‚ God is seemingly silent the entire time Job's drama unfolds. I want us to camp out today in the middle of Job's grief and lament. I don't want us to do what Job's friends did and miss the importance of this part. Let's examine our propensity to shy away from the hard stuff and our inability to tolerate the grief of others‚ shall we&;#63; Have you ever felt inclined to quickly defend God’s character when a friend shares bad news by saying something like‚ &;quot;God will work this out for good.&;quot;&;#63; Or maybe you minimize your own pain because you assume it is making others uncomfortable by saying‚ &;quot;We are going to be okay&;#33;&;quot;. Perhaps you resonate with Job's friends who cast judgment when you witness someone experiencing hardship. Do you ask yourself‚ &;quot; I wonder what they did to cause that&;#63;&;quot; I know I have thought and done every single one of these things. And while we mean well‚ sometimes these statements and thoughts are unhelpful and unnecessary at best. Re-read Job's words. This time‚ listen to the excruciating pain he is experiencing: What is man‚ that you make so much of him‚ and that you set your heart on him‚ visit him every morning and test him every moment&;#63; How long will you not look away from me‚ nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit&;#63; If I sin‚ what do I do to you‚ you watcher of mankind&;#63; Why have you made me your mark&;#63; Why have I become a burden to you&;#63; Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity&;#63; For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me‚ but I shall not be. – Job 7:17-21‚ ESV When we witness pain‚ both our own or the pain of others‚ instead of trying to gloss over grief‚ let's practice grieving with them. We don't need to defend God's character or comfort with ill-timed Bible band-aids. Instead‚ let's be tender to them and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. As we walk through life and experience trials and hardships‚ both our own and those of others‚ may we depend on the Holy Spirit and weep with those who weep.  Let's pray: Dear Lord‚Thank you that you are not far away when we suffer‚ even if it feels that way. Thank you for stepping into our suffering and walking with us through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). Lord‚ please forgive us when we stumble through feeble attempts to comfort others who are hurting. God‚ give us your words to say and wisdom on what to do for our heartbroken friends. Break our hearts for what breaks yours and teach us not to grieve your Spirit but to grieve with others. Amen.  Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/max-kegfire 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&;#33; Now that you’ve prayed‚ are you in need of someone to pray for YOU&;#63; Click the button below&;#33; Visit iBelieve.com for more inspiring prayer content. The post A Prayer to Grieve with Others – Your Daily Prayer – April 19 appeared first on GodUpdates.

April 19‚ 2024

When Pye Hastings and Geoffrey Richardson were interviewed by snooker icon Steve Davis‚ they admitted their “floaty and disorganised” state meant they were doomed to be victims of bad business decisions

Amir Tsarfati reports in from Israel.