from Tim Truth:  TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

by Jack Montgomery‚ The National Pulse: Cancer cells that come into contact with plastic particles less than 0.25 micrometers in size are more likely to spread‚ causing the disease to metastasize throughout the body. The research was led by Professor Lukas Kenner of the University of Vienna and found most micro- and nanoplastics in the human body enter […]

from RT: The burned-out husk of the US-supplied vehicle was evacuated from the Avdeevka sector of the front‚ officials say For the first time Russian troops have hauled a disabled US-made M1 Abrams tank away from the front line of the Ukraine conflict‚ the beginning of a journey that will eventually see the vehicle displayed […]

&;quot;Then the Lord said to Moses‚ ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven‚ and there will be darkness over the land of Egypt‚ a darkness that can be felt.'&;quot; – Exodus 10:21 We measure much of our lives by the obstacles we face. I wonder‚ though‚ what would happen if we instead measured life by God’s faithfulness and steadfastness&;#63; Obstacles are just a part of our every day on this side of eternity; God’s faithfulness and steadfastness are a piece of the eternal promise we’ve received. I’m not sure about you‚ but I often relate to the Israelites‚ grumbling about my current situation and asking the Lord‚ “Why does it have to be this way&;#63;” “Why am I hitting yet another roadblock in my journey with you&;#63; Why is there another person trying to get in the way of this project I’m working on&;#63; Why is my spouse not understanding how important my work for the Lord is&;#63;” Do any or all of these sound like you&;#63; In this world‚ it’s hard not to find ourselves adding up the obstacles‚ and from what I see in the book of Exodus‚ our ancestors struggled with this‚ too. It makes me wonder how I would have measured my life in the midst of their exodus. Can you even imagine&;#63; Their story was marked by so many obstacles‚ yet from my perspective‚ seeing it all laid out on paper‚ I see the faithfulness of God ten-fold.  The story of theirs that leaps off the pages of scripture for me time and time again is the promised distinction of light God gave them in the midst of the plagues during Pharaoh’s reign. It was the ninth plague‚ the plague of darkness‚ and God bound light from the entire area for 3 days‚ except over his people; the Israelites. Can you imagine experiencing this&;#63; Suddenly waking up and looking outside of your home to see a darkness so thick you couldn’t see anyone or anything around you. Yet‚ they were covered. Darkness surrounded them but I did not consume them. Exodus 10:21-29‚ “Then the Lord said to Moses‚ ‘Stretch out your hand toward heaven‚ that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt‚ a darkness to be felt.' So Moses stretched out his hand toward heaven‚ and there was pitch darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. They did not see one another‚ nor did anyone rise from his place for three days‚ but all the people of Israel had light where they lived. Then Pharaoh called Moses and said‚ ‘Go‚ serve the Lord; your little ones also may go with you; only let your flocks and your herds remain behind.' But Moses said‚ ‘You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt offerings‚ that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God. Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind‚ for we must take of them to serve the Lord our God‚ and we do not know with what we must serve the Lord until we arrive there.' But the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart‚ and he would not let them go. Then Pharaoh said to him‚ ‘Get away from me; take care never to see my face again‚ for on the day you see my face you shall die.' Moses said‚ ‘As you say&;#33; I will not see your face again.'&;quot; We must stop letting our obstacles consume us and become the most talked about parts of our lives. While they are big moments‚ we can see here in this story of the Israelites that this moment should’ve been one of many moments that measured God’s faithfulness. This should’ve been the beginning of a great redemption story‚ yet we see only a short time later the Israelites had completely forgotten all God had done. This rings so true to me too. I will have a season with God where I’m convinced I’ll never drift back to my old way of grumbling; I’ll never be that anxious again‚ I’ll never talk that way again‚ and the list goes on. Then I do‚ and it’s finally set in why‚ because I’m not fighting the temptation of measuring my life by the obstacles. We need to fight that temptation and remember that we are called to measure our lives by the faithfulness of God. We are called to share how His steadfastness has carried us and that this is a daily decision we get to make. Will we choose to look for His faithful hand‚ or will we choose to let the obstacles take center stage of the show&;#63;  Let's pray: Father‚ thank you for reminding me that I am called to measure my life by your faithfulness and not by the obstacles in my life. Help me seek you as I journey through my days‚ clinging to the truth that you are leading and guiding me. Let me be a light to others‚ and help me invite them to see your faithfulness in their stories. Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Doucefleur Chelsey is the voice behind the Living with Less Podcast and author of the 52-week devotional More of Him‚ Less of Me: Living a Christ-centered Life in a Me-centered World. She writes devotions for Lifeway Women’s Journey Magazine‚ Crosswalk.com‚ and iBelieve.com. She also writes Bible reading plans for the YouVersion Bible App. Chelsey lives in Ohio with her husband and two children. You can connect with her on Instagram @chelseydematteis and at her website ChelseyDeMatteis.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 for the Obstacles in Your Way – Your Daily Prayer – April 30 appeared first on GodUpdates.

April 30‚ 2024 Letting Go of Spiritual ComparisonSHELBY WORSHAM‚ COMPEL Training Member Lee en espa&;ntilde;ol &;quot;Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.&;quot; Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NIV) I remember going to the movies with friends as a teenager and sharing a jumbo-sized bucket of popcorn. As the tub passed by‚ I'd try to scoop up a giant handful. The result was a cascade of kernels slipping through my fingers to the floor. My hand simply couldn't hold all I tried to grab. I would love to tell you that today‚ I no longer try to hold more than I can handle ... Unfortunately‚ that isn't the case. And now it's a little more serious than popcorn. Ecclesiastes 4:6 says‚ &;quot;Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.&;quot; My own two-handful mentality is born of unhealthy spiritual comparison. My spiritual gifts tend toward the small and simple. Simple words of encouragement. Small acts of service. But this world doesn't often celebrate small and simple. Sometimes feelings of inadequacy creep in‚ and I'm tempted to reach for others' gifts. She's so outgoing and connected&;#33; I'll have a handful of that‚ please.Her passion for teaching is inspiring&;#33; Just a palmful of that too. Look at how creative she is. Maybe a pinch of artistry for me&;#63;  I overcommit‚ toil and chase the wind. I become busy but not effective‚ and pieces of my life slip through the cracks like popcorn through my fingers. Oh‚ friend‚ God didn't create us to serve that way. The Bible never tells us to try to be like everyone else. In fact‚ God reveals delightful diversity when He speaks of believers as members of the Church body: Each part has something special to contribute to the whole (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). A body of only eyes‚ for instance‚ would not be a very effective body&;#33; Instead‚ God calls us to be true to our unique gifts. Ultimately there is only one person we are to strive to be like‚ and that is Jesus. In Philippians 3:12‚ the Apostle Paul says‚ &;quot;It's not that I have already reached this goal or have already been perfected‚ but I pursue it‚ so that I may grab hold of it because Christ grabbed hold of me for just this purpose&;quot; (CEB‚ emphasis added). With the power of the Holy Spirit‚ we can hold on to God's plan and purpose for our lives (Romans 8:29). If we pursue Jesus‚ He will grow our gifts as we grow in Him (John 15:1-5). If we keep our eyes on Jesus‚ He will open our eyes to opportunities to serve - opportunities God has uniquely prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). So if you find yourself toiling but not being productive‚ reaching but still feeling empty‚ ask yourself who you are reaching for. Let's stop reaching to be like others. Reach for Jesus‚ friend. He will place in your hands just the gifts you need. Father‚ thank You for creating each of us with unique gifts and unique purposes. Help us cease our insecure strivings and instead steady our gaze on Jesus. Free us to be the people You made us to be as we pursue Jesus above all else. In Jesus' Name‚ Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS Time is running out ... Today is the LAST DAY to join COMPEL Writers Training&;#33; Friend‚ stop letting those words in your heart go unwritten or unheard. We believe God has put wisdom inside of you‚ and we want to help you take your next step as a writer‚ regardless of where you are starting from. This is your last chance to join and be eligible for a spot in COMPEL Publishing Week‚ where you can pitch your book idea to a publisher or an agent&;#33; Don't delay; click here to join today&;#33; ENGAGE The writer of today’s devotion is a member of COMPEL Writers Training. Receive writing tips on your social media feeds when you follow COMPEL Training on Instagram‚ Facebook and Twitter&;#33; FOR DEEPER STUDY 1 Corinthians 12:4-6‚ &;quot;Now there are varieties of gifts‚ but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service‚ but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities‚ but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone&;quot; (ESV). Ephesians 4:15-16‚ &;quot;Rather‚ speaking the truth in love‚ we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head‚ into Christ‚ from whom the whole body‚ joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped‚ when each part is working properly‚ makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love&;quot; (ESV). Take a few moments today to thank God for the gifts of others. Look for ways you can encourage those who have gifts different from your own. What gifts do you feel are uniquely yours - even if you can't quite see God's purpose for them yet&;#63; When you feel yourself slipping into patterns of spiritual comparison‚ how can you recenter your gaze on Christ&;#63; We'd love to hear your thoughts - share them in the comments&;#33; © 2024 by Shelby Worsham. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews‚ NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Letting Go of Spiritual Comparison – Encouragement for Today – April 30‚ 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1695 - William Congreve's Restoration comedy &;quot;Love for Love&;quot; premieres in London 1808 - 1st practical typewriter finished by Italian Pellegrini Turri 1897 - English physicist and head of the Cavendish laboratory J. J. Thomson announces his discovery of the electron in a lecture to the Royal Institution 1911 - Portugal approves female suffrage 1978 - British film &;quot;The Stud&;quot; starring Joan Collins‚ based on the book by her sister Jackie Collins premieres in UK 1980 - Terrorists seize Iranian Embassy in London 1986 - Bill Elliott sets all-time NASCAR qualifying record‚ winning pole for the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway; 212.809 mph (342.483 km/h; 44.998 seconds) 1989 - Pope John Paul II beatifies Victoire Rasoamanarivo of Madagascar 2013 - Willem-Alexander becomes the first male Monarch of Netherlands in 123 years‚ following the abdication of his mother‚ Queen Beatrix 2020 - South Korea reports no new domestic cases of COVID-19 for 1st time‚ their virus cases peaked Feb 29 More Historical Events »

Historical Events 1506 - Philip of Burgundy and England sign trade agreement 1900 - The &;quot;Hawaiian Organic Act&;quot; is enacted by US Congress making Hawaii a US territory 1944 - NY Giant Phil Weintraub gets 11 RBIs 1971 - 25th NBA Championship: Milwaukee beat Baltimore Bullets in 4 games 1984 - Strong winds cause a 30 min delay in Toronto Blue Jays game 1985 - &;quot;Shoah&;quot;‚ French documentary about the Holocaust‚ directed by Claude Lanzmann‚ starring Richard Glazar and Raul Hilberg‚ premieres in Paris More Historical Events » Famous Birthdays 1651 - Jean-Baptiste de la Salle‚ French priest and saint of the Catholic Church‚ born in Reims‚ Champagne‚ Kingdom of France (d. 1719) 1723 - Mathurin Jacques Brisson‚ French zoologist and naturalist (Ornithologie)‚ born in Fontenay-le-Comte (d. 1806) 1857 - Eugen Bleuler‚ Swiss psychiatrist (introduced the term schizophrenia to describe the disorder previously known as dementia praecox)‚ born in Zollikon‚ Switzerland (d. 1940) 1858 - Mary Dimmick Harrison‚ US First lady (1889-93) as second wife of the 23rd President Benjamin Harrison‚ born in Honesdale‚ Pennsylvania (d. 1948) 1941 - Johnny Farina‚ American rocker (Santo and Johnny)‚ born in Brooklyn‚ New York 1997 - Ayaan Chawla‚ Indian entrepreneur More Famous Birthdays » Famous Deaths 1630 - Ercole Porta‚ Italian composer‚ dies at 44 1792 - John Montagu‚ 4th Earl of Sandwich‚ British statesman who claimed to have invented the sandwich‚ dies at 73 1792 - Hans Adolf Friedrich von Eschstruth‚ composer and lawyer‚ dies at 36 1926 - Bessie Coleman‚ American aviator and 1st African-American woman and Native American to hold a pilot license‚ dies in a plane crash at 34 1983 - Muddy Waters [McKinley Morganfield]‚ American blues singer and guitarist (&;quot;Mannish Boy&;quot;; &;quot;Got My Mojo Working&;quot;)‚ dies of heart failure‚ while fighting cancer‚ at 70 2006 - Lawrence Patrick‚ Biomechanics Professor‚ crash test subject More Famous Deaths »