That's no moon.

by William Upton, The National Pulse: Russian President Vladimir Putin says his country is prepared to accept a negotiated ceasefire in its invasion of Ukraine along current battle lines but will continue hostilities if Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and the country’s Western allies decline. In recent weeks, the Russian military has managed several critical breakthroughs along Ukrainian defenses and captured more territory than Ukraine took in its 2023 […]

How to be sure your best days are ahead For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. – Philippians 1:21 One day the famous evangelist George Whitfield was relating the difficulties of ministry to some friends. He said he was tired of the burdens and was glad his work would soon be over as he was getting close to going home to be with the Lord. His other friends admitted having the same feelings – all except one, a Mr. Tennant. Whitfield asked, "Brother Tennant, you are the oldest among us. Do you not rejoice to think that the time is near when you'll be called home with the Lord?" The old man said bluntly, "I have nothing to do with my death. My business is to live as long as I can and serve my Savior as faithfully as I can until He thinks it's time to call me home." Whitfield accepted the word as a gentle rebuke from the Lord, and it encouraged him to continue going about his ministry. As we reach the autumn years of our lives, it can be tempting to think our best years are behind us. This can cause us to become discouraged. But the truth is that our usefulness for the Lord never expires until the very moment He calls us home. So stay focused on the task at hand, encouraged that your best days are ahead when the Lord will use you in a powerful way! Prayer Challenge Ask God to give you the strength and encouragement you need to continue serving Him faithfully all the days of your life. Questions for Thought What are some of the lies the world tells us about the ability of seniors to do great things? How can you be sure you'll continue faithfully serving the Lord until the day He calls you home? Visit the Senior Living Ministries website The post How to Be Sure Your Best Days Are Ahead – Senior Living – May 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military HeroesBy Lynette Kittle  "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants" – Psalm 116:15 Dr. Jerry Newcombe, Executive Director of Providence Forum, explains, "We are free in large part because others sacrificed on our behalf that we might be free. Memorial Day is an annual reminder of the debt we owe to those who died while serving our country." "It's a time to honor the fallen. To honor those who have played the last full measure of devotion to our nation," adds Newcombe.  Losing a beloved family member isn't ever easy, and when a loved one is a member of the Armed Forces and loses their life through war, conflict, exercise, or accident, dying as a fallen hero doesn't hurt any less for the family. Whether a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or U.S. Coast Guard is lost, the grief and sorrow are often overwhelming and especially tragic for close family and friends. Because the general public views them as fallen heroes deserving of patriotic honor, many may mistakenly think that this somehow helps to soften the blow of the loss to their family members. But for many families, it can be extremely difficult to accept and process, especially because their passing is without warning, unexpected, and with no opportunity to say goodbye. Complicated PassingAs a hospice chaplain, my husband tells me how unexpected deaths, being apart from someone when they pass away, or not being able to say goodbye all make the grieving process more complicated. Grief is hard enough, even when we know the passing of a loved one is about to happen. For Christians, too, especially if family members were praying for God's divine protection over their military loved ones. It can feel like He didn't hear and answer their prayers, which can cause a crisis in personal faith in Jesus Christ. The High Cost of FreedomNewcombe writes how, on November 21, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln wrote Mrs. Bixby of Massachusetts, a mother who had lost five sons in the Civil War, saying: "I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save." "I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom." Where to Turn2 Corinthians 1:3 directs us where to turn in times of grief. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort."  This rings true for families who have faced the tragic loss of their military loved ones. Clarence "Bud" Clay, the father of fallen Marine Dan Clay, who was killed December 1, 2005, in Iraq, stated, "God gives you what you need when you need it." "Now it doesn't mean we don't have times when it [grief] doesn't kind of roll over you like a wave," explains Bud, "but you just kind of swallow and go on. This is not the end. Dan's home and I will see him again." Like 2 Corinthians 7:6 assures, God comforts us in sorrow, as the Clay family experienced. He also gives us the hope and promise of seeing our fallen heroes again.  How God Views Their Loss of LifeGod doesn't take the loss of our military loved ones lightly. As Martin Luther stated, “The death of His saints is held to be of value.”  He gives His Holy Spirit to comfort us in our grief. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever" (John 14:16). God promises new life for our fallen heroes who trust in Him. In John 11:25, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die." Let's pray:  Dear Father,Our hearts are deeply grateful for the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and put their lives on the line for our nation. Many of these brave individuals have lost their lives during their service in the military. The loss of their lives is a great loss to our nation, and especially to their family and friends. We remember them today and ask you to comfort their loved ones who are missing their presence here on earth. Be near, O Lord, to the families who are brokenhearted. Heal their hearts and bind up their wounds. Although no one can ever replace them in the hearts of those who love them, we ask You for Your peace to abide within each person who is missing their fallen hero.In Jesus' name, amen. Photo credit: Chad Madden/Unsplash Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today's Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV. 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 of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military Heroes – Your Daily Prayer – May 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

A Prayer of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military HeroesBy Lynette Kittle  "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His faithful servants" – Psalm 116:15 Dr. Jerry Newcombe, Executive Director of Providence Forum, explains, "We are free in large part because others sacrificed on our behalf that we might be free. Memorial Day is an annual reminder of the debt we owe to those who died while serving our country." "It's a time to honor the fallen. To honor those who have played the last full measure of devotion to our nation," adds Newcombe.  Losing a beloved family member isn't ever easy, and when a loved one is a member of the Armed Forces and loses their life through war, conflict, exercise, or accident, dying as a fallen hero doesn't hurt any less for the family. Whether a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or U.S. Coast Guard is lost, the grief and sorrow are often overwhelming and especially tragic for close family and friends. Because the general public views them as fallen heroes deserving of patriotic honor, many may mistakenly think that this somehow helps to soften the blow of the loss to their family members. But for many families, it can be extremely difficult to accept and process, especially because their passing is without warning, unexpected, and with no opportunity to say goodbye. Complicated PassingAs a hospice chaplain, my husband tells me how unexpected deaths, being apart from someone when they pass away, or not being able to say goodbye all make the grieving process more complicated. Grief is hard enough, even when we know the passing of a loved one is about to happen. For Christians, too, especially if family members were praying for God's divine protection over their military loved ones. It can feel like He didn't hear and answer their prayers, which can cause a crisis in personal faith in Jesus Christ. The High Cost of FreedomNewcombe writes how, on November 21, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln wrote Mrs. Bixby of Massachusetts, a mother who had lost five sons in the Civil War, saying: "I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save." "I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom." Where to Turn2 Corinthians 1:3 directs us where to turn in times of grief. "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort."  This rings true for families who have faced the tragic loss of their military loved ones. Clarence "Bud" Clay, the father of fallen Marine Dan Clay, who was killed December 1, 2005, in Iraq, stated, "God gives you what you need when you need it." "Now it doesn't mean we don't have times when it [grief] doesn't kind of roll over you like a wave," explains Bud, "but you just kind of swallow and go on. This is not the end. Dan's home and I will see him again." Like 2 Corinthians 7:6 assures, God comforts us in sorrow, as the Clay family experienced. He also gives us the hope and promise of seeing our fallen heroes again.  How God Views Their Loss of LifeGod doesn't take the loss of our military loved ones lightly. As Martin Luther stated, “The death of His saints is held to be of value.”  He gives His Holy Spirit to comfort us in our grief. "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever" (John 14:16). God promises new life for our fallen heroes who trust in Him. In John 11:25, "Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die." Let's pray:  Dear Father,Our hearts are deeply grateful for the men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and put their lives on the line for our nation. Many of these brave individuals have lost their lives during their service in the military. The loss of their lives is a great loss to our nation, and especially to their family and friends. We remember them today and ask you to comfort their loved ones who are missing their presence here on earth. Be near, O Lord, to the families who are brokenhearted. Heal their hearts and bind up their wounds. Although no one can ever replace them in the hearts of those who love them, we ask You for Your peace to abide within each person who is missing their fallen hero.In Jesus' name, amen. Photo credit: Chad Madden/Unsplash Lynette Kittle is married with four daughters. She enjoys writing about faith, marriage, parenting, relationships, and life. Her writing has been published by Focus on the Family, Decision, Today's Christian Woman, kirkcameron.com, Ungrind.org, StartMarriageRight.com, and more. She has a M.A. in Communication from Regent University and serves as associate producer for Soul Check TV. 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 of Comfort for Families Missing Their Fallen Military Heroes – Your Daily Prayer – May 27 appeared first on GodUpdates.

The spine-chilling result of this…  Is this. 

‘The Damascus Events’ and ‘Sea of Troubles’ review JamesHoare Mon, 05/27/2024 - 07:00

A Massachusetts man was severely injured in a gruesome bear attack at a Wyoming national park, which he described as the "most violent" plight in his life. However, the Army veteran miraculously survived the bear mauling by an astonishing stroke of luck. Shayne Patrick Burke – a 35-year-old military veteran from Massachusetts – was hiking up Signal Mountain in Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park last Sunday. He was "looking to photograph a Great Grey Owl."Burke said he noticed a bear cub near him and knew that it "wasn’t good."All of the sudden, he was confronted with a "surprise encounter" with a mother grizzly bear who came "charging toward him." He attempted to shout at the bear to try to deter a confrontation. "I had a really uncomfortable feeling. I was breaking branches, singing, and talking to myself aloud. These are something’s that can help prevent a 'surprise encounter' with a brown bear," Burke said. "When she pounced I opted to turn and give her my back and I laid down in the prone position on my belly and braced for the ride, interlocking my hands behind my neck to protect my vitals," he wrote in an Instagram post. The grizzly bear first chomped and slashed his back and right shoulder.The bear chewed on the leg of Burke, then picked him up, and slammed him on the ground multiple times. The mother bear allegedly bit his leg from his buttocks to his inner knee about three times."I believe she went in for a kill bite on my neck. I still had my hands interlocked and my arms protecting my carotid arteries. I never let go of the bear spray can," Burke explained. Suddenly, Burke was the beneficiary of a stroke of luck that saved his life. "As she bit my hands in the back of my neck, she simultaneously bit the bear spray can and it exploded in her mouth," Burke said. "This is what saved my life from the initial attack. I heard her run away, I looked up and instantly ran in the opposite direction up a hill."Burke applied "improvised tourniquets" to his legs to "slow the bleeding" after the animal attack. He added that his legs were "not really working." Burke called 911 and stayed on the phone so they could triangulate his location.A rescue helicopter was able to locate him and rescue him. "Once the helicopter spotted me, I tried to crawl to a clearing so they could reach me easier," he stated. "At this time, the first ranger showed up and started his assessment. Hypothermia was one of the biggest concerns at this point. I was alert and responsive."Burke was transported for surgery to St. John’s Medical Center in Jackson, Wyoming. The bear attack was the 'most violent' plight he had ever experiencedDespite being mutilated in the bear attack, Burke has no ill feelings against the bear. "I love and respect wildlife. Anyone who knows me knows this about me," Burke stated. He petitioned park rangers not to kill the bear because she was "defending her cub.""What happened up on Signal Mountain was a case of wrong place, wrong time," he said. "Sunday afternoon, I was attacked by a mother grizzly protecting her cub."Burke pointed out that despite being a disabled Army veteran who had "experienced being shot at, mortared, and IED explosions," this bear attack was the "most violent thing" he had ever experienced. (WARNING: Graphic images) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shayne Patrick (@n0beefstew4u) Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!