A Prayer For God To Be Your Shield And Portion TodayBy Chris Eyte “When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. ‘Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?’ the servant asked. ‘Don't be afraid,’ the prophet answered. ‘Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, ‘Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” – 2 Kings 6:15-17 I love this passage in the Bible because it sums up the spiritual reality in all difficult circumstances. How many times do we see the enemy and opposing forces against us, just like Elisha's servant? And that puts us in a panic – yet the angelic armies of the Living God are unseen but present nonetheless, and far greater. We just need to see that substantial truth! Faith is not only confidence in our hopes for the future (Hebrews 11:1) but "assurance about what we do not see". That means here and now. This is why our faith in Christ gives us the leverage needed to win the daily battles in life. If the Lord is your portion (Lamentations 3: 24) – the bread in your life – wait for him to act in the impossible. He is omnipresent in the conflict.  It seems to be a recurring theme in the Bible that when a situation is presented as impossible, God makes it even more impossible before He acts and changes the outcome. Think of Sarah, Abraham's wife, who gives birth at a very old age. Impossible! Think of Moses trapped by the sea as he leads his people away from Pharaoh. God rolled the sea back. Impossible! Think of Elijah, who pours water on the altar again and again after the false prophets fail to set alight their sacrifice to Baal. The Lord sends fire from heaven and sets the drenched wood ablaze. Impossible! Or think of Gideon who was told by God to squeeze his army down to a handful of men before going into battle. He wins against overwhelming numbers. Impossible! Or Paul the foremost opponent of Christians, made blind, then sees and becomes the foremost proponent of Christians. Impossible! All these situations were impossible and made more impossible – but God acted in the end.  Perhaps the most impossible of all is humankind, plagued with the infection of evil, rescued from hell by the self-sacrifice of the living God in the guise of the first-century humble carpenter, Jesus Christ. Derek Richmond was a runner in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. In the 400m semi-final, Richmond tore his hamstring about 250 meters from the finish line. The runner crashed onto the ground but got himself up and limped heavily around the track. Suddenly, TV cameras focused on an older man trotting onto the pitch who reached the runner. The stranger put his arms across the younger man's back and helped him to complete the lap, reaching the finish line at a walking pace. It was Jim Redmond, father of Derek, helping his son to end the race, to rousing applause from the 65,000 spectators.  That iconic moment in sporting history is an illustration of how God is our shield and portion. We don't need to complete the race alone when we are in trouble and face the impossible. God is holding us up, walking with us arm-on-arm as we cross the finish line.  Let’s pray: Father God.You are God of the impossible and to be both loved and feared. When situations overwhelm me and the odds are against me, I thank you that your love stands firm and is reliable. I don't understand why things work out so difficult sometimes, but always you show through and prove once again that it is your good, perfect, and pleasing will that concludes a matter. Your grace is sufficient for me. You are my strength, my shield, and my portion now and forever. In Jesus' name. Amen.   Photo credit: ©GettyImages/kieferpix Christopher Eyte lives with his wife Céline and three children in Swansea, Wales, UK. He has worked as a journalist for many years and writes his own blog (hislovefrees.life) encouraging others in their walk with Jesus. He became a Christian in February 2002, after a friend explained God’s amazing grace! 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 for God to Be Your Shield and Portion Today – Your Daily Prayer – May 24 appeared first on GodUpdates.

When you live a life of truth, you’ll not only please the Lord; you’ll keep a clear conscience. So be truthful in all you do and maintain a life of honesty and integrity.

What do you do when you have the opportunity to share the gospel with youth and young adults who have little knowledge or experience of Christianity—perhaps even little interest? The newly released xp. film series is targeted at 13-to-20-year-old non-Christians who are way, way back on the Engel scale. Xp. isn’t primarily for those seriously considering Christianity; it’s for those who aren’t curious about it at all. This Australian video course (available free on YouTube) is of a world-class standard, fills a niche few evangelistic resources currently serve, and is open to a range of applications. This Australian video course is of a world-class standard and fills a niche few evangelistic resources currently serve. James Baker is founding CEO of xp., the ministry that produced the film series, and he wrote the course. He was struggling to share the gospel with the unchurched coming to the youth group he led in Adelaide, South Australia. A federally funded global research fellowship enabled him to spend six months in the United States, where he discovered there was almost nothing available to reach this audience. Baker was looking for something like a “pre–Alpha Youth” course, so he set out to create it himself. Format of Xp. Episodes The debut season of xp. comprises nine episodes, each approximately 10 minutes long. Gorgeous retro videogame animation is provided by 8-bit Bible, and a range of inventive skits keep the videos riveting, even for the most skeptical and distractible teenager. Each episode crisscrosses the Australian continent and features a diverse range of youth and young adults. The questions put to them range from fun (“What’s for lunch?”) to potentially serious (“If you could unsubscribe from something boring in life, what would it be?”) to existential (“What makes it hard to be real?”). My favorite interview subject was the skater kid who confessed, “I also drank deodorant once.” These question segments are designed to get ideas flowing, so the video can be paused and those involved in the course can then discuss the same question with one another. The main presenters, Sarah and Isaiha, tie each episode together with earnest and reflective commentary. They’re charismatic, conveying a relaxed sincerity in their interactions with one another and while talking to the camera. In God’s providence, Isaiha was one of the unchurched kids in Baker’s youth group, so “he’s talking to himself,” as Baker puts it. The choice of topics demonstrates a sensitivity to the challenges and interests of youth and young adults in the Western world today. It reveals thoughtful missiological reflection on how to bring the gospel message into this context. Early episodes consider topics like “Anxious?,” “What does real happiness look like?,” and “What happened to wonder?” The concluding episodes ask “Why are we here?” and “Who are we here for?” The joyful simplicity of the course in no way takes away from the richness of the content and the evangelistic strategy that informs it. Baker used to work as an international lawyer and spent time in Manhattan attending Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Redeemer pastor Tim Keller’s fingerprints “are all over” xp., Baker says. Redeemer pastor Tim Keller’s fingerprints ‘are all over’ xp. There are plans for a second and third season of the series, drawing those engaging with it closer and closer to the gospel of Christ. I’m eager to see if they can take the next steps forward as artfully as they’ve managed to progress through this first season. Investing in High-Quality Video The xp. videos and accompanying material bear the marks of enormous care, artistic craftsmanship, prayerfulness, thoughtfulness—and likely substantial funding. In all of this, they stand out among similar video material, especially those produced by Reformed evangelicals here in Australia (often with slimmer resources). Many videos in this genre are lo-fi, recorded and edited on a phone. They function as popcorn-style snack content. Baker wanted xp. to be a more substantial, high-production resource that could have a longer shelf life. For example, Baker explains, they recorded 15 hours of man-on-the-street interviews to find the 27 minutes that appear in the finished episodes. Xp. was years in the making, with scripts vetted for 12 months, casting calls made for a copresenter position, location filming permits secured, suitably qualified animators and puppeteers sought out, and so on. Baker stressed that the team deliberately looked for collaborators best suited to contribute to the project, often being blessed by God providing just the right people. Christians working in the secular TV and film industry found the opportunity to be a part of xp. a “life-giving project,” he said. Christians working in the secular TV and film industry found the opportunity to be a part of xp. a ‘life-giving project.’ The videos are rich with details that draw in the viewer and even reward repeat viewings: repeated in-jokes and Easter eggs, TV-style thumbnails in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen, and thoughtful quotes from historical sources. The name of the series even has a double meaning: Within the 16-bit video game aesthetics, “xp.” refers to “experience points.” But it also refers to the ancient Chi Rho Christogram, referring to the first two Greek letters of Christos (Christ), as hinted at with a Chi Rho prop that features in the videos. Where Is It Located Theologically? Pastors, campus evangelists, chaplains, youth leaders, and parents considering the course ought to have questions about its theological commitments. Sadly, these aren’t easily discoverable. Baker has wisely established xp. as a not-for-profit with an impressive governing board to oversee his work—and some guesses could be made at xp.’s theological alignment by looking at those who serve on the board. A recommended resources list—provided to those who sign up (for free) to run the course—also provides hints, although the list is broad and gives little theological comment. It’s disappointingly common for Christian parachurch ministries to fail to make their confessional statements readily available. In some cases, this is because no confessional statement has been adopted to begin with. I understand why Alpha is regularly referred to on the xp. website and in the leaders’ manual; it’s one of the most well-known evangelical evangelistic courses in the world today. However, I find its inclusion here somewhat off-putting. Although Alpha’s video material and multiple-meals-and-discussion praxis are excellent, the charismatic theology and spirituality taught in the course, along with a weak doctrine of sin and salvation, make it an unsatisfactory course in my view. Taken on its own merits, though, the content in season 1 of xp. is sound. I’m eager to recommend it. Using the Series For those blessed with access to a group of significantly unchurched youth and young adults, the xp. series could be run in full, as intended. In the context of Chrisitan schools with compulsory religious education but a large proportion of students from non-Christian families, this course would be perfect. I’ve been using it as part of homeschooling my 14-year-old son, and it has been terrific at engaging him and drawing him out. In many other settings, however, running the course in full would be too great an investment of time for too little educational return. The course starts so far back and nudges participants along so slowly and gently that it might not be worth spending nine weeks going through it. It’s pitched at 13-to-20-year-olds. I’m confident those at the upper end of that age range, if willing to come along to a multiweek course, would be open to more substantial theological input than this one provides. Even in such cases, sections of episodes could be used to add color to youth groups, evangelistic meetings, and courses. Single episodes could also function well at a one-off pre-evangelistic dinner and discussion event. Videos could be shared on social media or privately with non-Christian friends and acquaintances for them to watch at their leisure. Baker also suggests a youth or young adults group could watch the videos and dissect their missiological approach, as a training exercise of sorts to equip Christian youth for their conversations with unchurched friends. All in all, xp. is an impressive achievement and a great blessing to youth and young adults ministry. I heartily recommend it and look forward to hearing many stories about its use in Australia and beyond.

One of the most poignant suicide notes I’ve read was written by Gillian Bennett. A brilliant and articulate woman, and a trained psychotherapist, she was diagnosed with dementia and began to experience the resulting limitations, weakness, and frailty. She decided to end her own life to avoid experiencing further decline. She wrote about her decision on a dedicated website. The story of her death and her reasons for choosing it were widely discussed in the media. Her words help us to understand the perspective of a patient seeking physician-assisted death: I will take my life today around noon. It is time. Dementia is taking its toll and I have nearly lost myself. I have nearly lost me. . . . Understand that I am giving up nothing that I want by committing suicide. All I lose is an indefinite number of years of being a vegetable in a hospital setting, eating up the country’s money but having not the faintest idea of who I am. Each of us is born uniquely and dies uniquely. I think of dying as a final adventure with a predictably abrupt end. I know when it’s time to leave and I do not find it scary. According to the website, Gillian Bennett died at 11 a.m. on August 18, 2014, in the presence of her husband. News of her death, and her poignant declaration of her reasons for ending her life, contributed to the growing public support for physician-assisted death. Within a year of her death, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down the criminal code prohibiting physician-assisted death. By 2022, 4.1 percent of all deaths in Canada were physician-assisted. How do we respond to people like Gillian who find no reason to go on, who want life to be over, and who want to control the manner and timing of their deaths? Given this “why,” which seems so intuitive and plausible in our present social milieu, is there a reasonable “why not”? Wealthy, White, Nonreligious Suicides A consistent finding from studies of patients who seek euthanasia is that they’re generally from a specific group in society: wealthy, white, nonreligious people. This observation is sometimes cited in support of physician-assisted death because it’s taken to mean these patients aren’t from so-called vulnerable or marginalized populations. They aren’t being taken advantage of or forced to obtain physician-assisted death. They aren’t vulnerable to coercion. Nobody is making them choose this path. But are we failing to understand the true nature of vulnerability? What if vulnerability to physician-assisted death arises from within rather than from external social forces? What if people lack the resources offered by spiritual beliefs and community to make sense out of suffering and to transcend it? What if vulnerability isn’t social but rather psychological and spiritual? The fact that a specific group of people is predisposed to seek physician-assisted death raises the distinct possibility that existential, philosophical, and spiritual concerns—problems of meaning and significance in the face of suffering and loss—are key factors that help explain why people seek death from a doctor. Decide Your Own Value Proponents of physician-assisted death claim to care greatly about human value. They insist that physician-assisted death is a matter of respect for intrinsic value and autonomy. Intrinsic value rises from the thing itself. By regarding a person as the source of his or her own value, the person appears to be accorded deep significance and importance. After all, isn’t this “value from inside”? On the contrary, physician-assisted death doesn’t affirm the intrinsic value of humanity, because it’s based on a sense of value conditional on someone’s self-regard. In fact, it requires viewing humans as having extrinsic value, which comes from the valuer’s opinion. When we treat ourselves as the foundation of our own value, we force ourselves to bear an unbearable weight. If we’re in a situation where we’re unable or unwilling to value ourselves, then we lose our value. If we’re of no use to ourselves, then we really are useless. If I feel my existence is bad for me, then it really is bad to exist. By contrast, if I had intrinsic value, I’d be obligated as “valuer” to value myself. But if I don’t have such intrinsic value, then I’m under no obligation to value myself, and I’m free to do with myself as I please, no matter how self-destructive my choices might be. True Value We’re too weak, too frail, too vulnerable to circumstances for our self-regard to be a firm foundation for our value and significance. And this is a burden we need not bear, for God tells us how valuable we are over and over (Ps. 139; Isa. 43:4; Matt. 6:26; 10:29–31; John 3:16). Yet the tragedy of the human condition is that we’re prone to forget how much we matter. We’re too weak, too frail, too vulnerable to circumstances to be a firm foundation for our value and significance. One important way we remember our intrinsic value is through community. When others treat us as if we’re deeply valuable (e.g., kind wishes from friends and family on our birthday), we feel ourselves to be valuable. If we’re ignored, neglected, or forgotten, we quickly doubt our value. Unless we enjoy respect and dignified treatment from others, we’re inclined to feel worthless. This is the essence of loving community, seen so clearly in the local church. It’s a web of value in action. Solution to Despair Physician-assisted death is held up as a solution to the problem of suffering; at bottom, it’s a solution to despair. And the solution is to end the person who’s in despair. We know a better way. The gospel offers us deep, durable meaning­—powerful enough to sustain us through life and through suffering and dying. Our story becomes part of God’s grand story, the story behind all stories. It’s the story in which our suffering is shown to be for good, to be meaningful, to matter, to be worth it. And it’s a happily-ever-after story, a too-good-to-be-true story, a story of faith, hope, and love that culminates in eternal life and everlasting communion with the One who made us for himself. In the kingdom, we discover that God himself is our highest good. In the kingdom, we discover a meaning for our suffering that makes it all worth it. In the kingdom, our suffering isn’t useless. In the kingdom, there’s no despair. The gospel offers us deep, durable meaning­—powerful enough to sustain us through life and through suffering and dying. So how should we respond? The church can head off physician-assisted death in our congregations by discipling Christians to suffer well. We must equip believers with the theological, philosophical, and spiritual resources to face suffering, to endure hardness. Our teaching should anticipate suffering, illness, and death. Those of us privileged to live in democratic societies must ask our elected officials to oppose this practice and to uphold freedom of conscience for healthcare professionals who refuse to participate. A nation’s laws are a teacher. Legalizing physician-assisted death teaches our society to doubt human value and to see it as merely extrinsic and conditional. Prohibiting this practice reminds us of the true depth of human value. Protecting freedom of conscience allows professionals in healthcare facilities to provide safety for those living with disabilities or chronic illness who see themselves as vulnerable to the suggestion of death.

In this breakout session from TGC23, Dan Doriani addresses the real concern of churches devastated by bullying, immorality, and narcissism at the hands of pastors. But he also addresses the challenges facing pastors as they endure disapproval, opposition, foot-dragging, sabotage, and whisper campaigns. He challenges pastors to cultivate humility, seek God’s wisdom and mercy, and embrace servanthood while fostering appropriate confidence and resilience in their calling to pastoral ministry.

Imagine a left wing group, so committed to ridding the world of Fox News (and right-wing news in general) that there is no depth they would stoop to make that happen. Say this group had no ethics nor…

Donald Trump's rally in the Bronx in New York City didn't thrill Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who just a couple of ago was bragging about the Left's effort to keep the presumptive GOP nominee busy in…

Russia pounded Kharkiv with missiles on Thursday, killing seven people inside a printing house, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy chided Ukraine's Western allies for not providing enough military support…